A strongly-worded email suggesting a state senator kill herself written by an official with the Park County Republican Party does not reflect the party’s opinions, according to the party’s chairman.
However, Martin Kimmet, in a statement issued Wednesday, said there is no way to remove an official such as Park County Republican Precinct Committeeman Troy Bray from his elected office under state law.
“Despite calls for the precinct committee person’s resignation/removal there are no Wyoming state statutes providing for the removal of an elected person,” Kimmet wrote. “We welcome efforts by the Wyoming Legislature to provide a statutory and constitutional process to remove an elected person from their position.”
Kimmet’s comments are in response to an email written by Bray to state Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, criticizing the way the legislative committee she chairs handled a bill.
The Senate Judiciary Committee rejected a proposed bill that would have prohibited the state from requiring its employees to obtain the coronavirus vaccine.
“If I were as despicable a person as you, I would kill myself to rid the world of myself,” said the email, a copy of which was obtained by the Casper Star-Tribune. “You sicken me. Thank you for ensuring that the people of Wyoming are subjected to tyranny once again. F— YOU C—.”
Kimmet had said earlier that while Bray signed his email as a precinct committeeman, his statements were not made as a party official.
In Wednesday’s statement, Kimmet specified the party does not support the language used by Bray.
“The Park County Republican Party does not condone the language used in a recent email from one of our precinct committeepersons to a Wyoming state senator,” the statement said. “Furthermore, that email is not reflective of the opinion of the Park County Republican Party.”
Kimmet said after he learned of the email, he sent a letter to and called Nethercott to apologize.
The Park County Republican Party’s executive committee has met to discuss the issue and will take up the matter again at a regular meting of the central committee, he said.
“We believe in constructive dialog with our elected persons,” he wrote. “However, we believe such dialog should be respectful.”
State Senate President Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, and House Speaker Rep. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, issued a joint statement Tuesday calling for Bray’s resignation.
The two said they would also support efforts to develop “appropriate statutory means” to remove elected officials for such behavior.
