Republican Party members in a rural voter precinct of Fremont County are seeking a public statement of disapproval for a state senator.
The GOP in the precinct covering the town of Pavillion “has lost confidence” in Sen. Cale Case-R-Lander, according to a proposed resolution leaked Monday morning to Cowboy State Daily.
Claiming Case is in “insubordination” to his oath of office, Steve Lynn, the Republican precinct committeeman for Fremont County Precinict 14-1, is asking the county party’s central committee to issue a formal censure against Case during its meeting Monday evening.
Lynn could not be reached via social media message Monday morning.
The Accusations
According to a proposed resolution submitted to the Fremont County GOP, the Republicans in the precinct lost faith in Case because of his reported departure from the state party’s platform, his support for Medicaid expansion, his favorable testimony on behalf of a convicted embezzler at her sentencing and what the document calls “misinformation” spread by Case to the media.
Case, the document said, “consistently aims to expand government overreach in the case of Medicaid Expansion,” which, it continues, is “contrary to the limited government (provision)” of the U.S. Constitution.
In an interview with Cowboy State Daily, Case countered that “the majority of Republicans (in Wyoming) support Medicaid expansion.”
Case did not have data on hand to back the claim, but said he would produce it before the party at its Monday evening meeting.
Pavillion Embezzler
Case testified favorably for convicted embezzler Rebecca Milleson at her March 10 sentencing hearing, when she was sentenced to probation for stealing thousands of dollars from the town of Pavillion.
Milleson had been the town’s clerk before her employment was terminated because of the thefts.
She was sentenced to five years of supervised probation, with two consecutive prison terms to be imposed should her probation be revoked. Milleson also was ordered to pay $188,758 in restitution to the town.
“I certainly wasn’t out of line testifying at a sentencing hearing,” said Case, who gave Milleson a job at his hotel’s restaurant after she was charged with the first set of theft charges in 2021.
“(The party) might not like it, but everybody is entitled to a defense,” Case continued. “And I had a knowledge of the case and of the person. I think there were extenuating circumstances in her case.”
Case said he believes Milleson “will turn out to be a credit to the community.”
‘Dissenting Views’
Case said the call for his censure only affirms the position he took in a recent widely distributed op-ed calling on moderate Republicans to get to the polls this election season.
“I think (the party is) working very hard to get rid of dissenting opinions and not being inclusive,” said Case. “And I think my own censure is part of that. They don’t tolerate dissenting views.”
Case also pointed out that as of 1 p.m. Monday, he had not been invited to the central committee’s 6 p.m. meeting to rebut the call for a censure and added he had only received the proposed resolution from a friend, who leaked it.
Voters ‘Get To Decide’
In the Senate, Case represents Lander, the Wind River Indian Reservation, other rural areas of Fremont County and a slim portion of Riverton. He does not represent the precinct seeking to formally censure him.
“I think I do a good job,” said Case, adding that the voters within his district, not the Fremont County Republican Party, are who “get to decide” whether he upholds their values.
