Dear Editor:
I just read Dr. McGinley’s letter about terrible GOP leadership in Wyoming. While most of his letter was filled with emotion, it was devoid of facts. I was a delegate from Sublette County to the State Convention, and after reading his letter I am wondering if I was at the same Convention as Dr. McGinley claims to have been.
He said that at the convention, “…countless hours were spent excluding the most populous county (Laramie) from participating after excluding most of Natrona County.” What are the facts? Natrona County had not paid their dues to the State Party, hence they only had their three automatic delegates.
Laramie County did not certify the election of their delegates, and they admitted that they had not even followed their own bylaws in selecting their delegates. And the reason it took so long…the so-called “countless hours”…was because the State GOP leadership allowed the debate to go on for a very long time.
Dani Olsen went to the microphone many times and defended her indefensible position. But Laramie County was allowed to keep their three automatic delegates in place. The only thing that any county has to do is follow the rules. That seems like a good Republican value to follow.
Dr. McGinley said that, “…the current leadership in no way represents Republican values or principles…We believe in inclusion, open debate,…” etc. Following rules (unlike Laramie County and Democrats) represents my Republican Values and the values of the VAST MAJORITY of the delegates at the Convention who voted to remove Laramie County except for the three automatic delegates.
He went on to say, “The Wyoming Republican Party has been hijacked by a small group of extremists. These individuals only care about themselves and their petty agendas.” That is an extremely emotional argument for which Dr. McGinley presents no facts about the “hijacking” of the party. He shows nothing about their so-called petty agendas.
Did the leaders have 2000 mules dropping off ballots for the election of these “extremists”? What makes up the “petty agendas”? Dr. McGinley saying these things does not make them true. Democrats use this tactic all the time…just because they say something, then it must be true even though they do not present facts to back it up.
The vast majority of the votes of all delegates were in agreement with one another on the vast majority of the votes…to include removal of Laramie County delegates. Very few were contrary to the will of the majority.
I agree with Dr. McGinley on one point…”Now is the time to act.” But I see that we need to continue to act by pressing forward to regain our State and our Nation from those who are rolling over to the terrible agendas from those who seek to give everything to non-US parties and their interests…the UN is driving the 30-30 rule; China has committed an horrific act of biological warfare on this nation, yet many people (including Liz Cheney’s husband) continue to do their best to keep the doors open to China’s imperialism; our own US government has opened up our southern border to criminals, terrorists, drugs, and human trafficking while being so concerned about Ukraine’s sovereign border; and our energy development has been shoved down a dry hole by the Feds.
These are the things that we need to act on. And if Dr. McGinley were to tell the WHOLE story then he would also admit that the overwhelming majority of the Convention supported numerous resolutions to ACT on these very points. And those actions show our Party’s great respect, transparency, and civility to help our State and our Nation.
There was no uncivilized debate on the issues at the Convention. But Dr. McGinley’s letter truly is not civil as he has cast innuendoes and untruths about the conduct of the Convention and our Wyoming GOP leadership.
Most sincerely,
Steven Kahne, Pinedale
