by Guy Page
A GOP county committee leadership dispute was discussed – but not finally resolved – by almost 100 delegates of the Vermont Republican State Committee in Barre Saturday.
No decisive action was taken, although a role call vote was taken that did not recognize the ouster of the Windsor County Chair John McGovern at a January 6 gathering. At issue was the unhappiness with McGovern’s leadership felt by many Windsor County Committee members, led by vice-chair Dr. August Murray of Weathersfield.
It’s unclear how much of a role politics – national or otherwise – plays in the controversy. Several committee members have expressed outrage that McGovern made donations to national Democratic candidates, including Rev. Rafael Warnock in the January 2021 runoff election that handed the Democrats control of Congress.
McGovern – a co-founder of the Dartmouth Review conservative newspaper and a 22-year veteran of Vermont Republican activity – is outspoken in his opposition to Donald Trump.
His contribution to Warnock occurred shortly after the January 6, 2021 clash at the Capitol. In an interview Saturday, McGovern characterized the donation as “country over party.” He faulted the GOP-led Senate for not impeaching Trump. “So I contributed to someone who would,” he said.
McGovern ran as an independent in the 2020 general election for the House of Representatives for Windsor.-1 district. He was not a candidate in the GOP primary.
“This matter is neither personal nor related to presidential candidates in any way,” Murray – a doctor of computer science and education and a retired career army officer – told VDC yesterday. “I personally have not endorsed or disparaged any of the presidential candidates. The primary will tell us who the candidate is. Mr. MacGovern is still the Windsor Town Chair and will continue to have a voice in the County Committee as a delegate.”
The conflict started October 18 at a tumultuous county meeting. In November, Murray asked McGovern resign, alleging McGovern:
- obtained an EIN number for the committee, without executive committee approval
- worked against organizing the Republican Party in Windsor County by hampering and suppressing Republican momentum and town organization efforts.
- failed to support the Republican organizational purpose and platform
- failed to fulfill your duties at the VTGOP Convention to represent Windsor County as Chair and failed to attend the meeting for county chairs.
- since 2020, has made paid personal political contributions solely to Democratic candidates.
In December, the committee members called a January 6 meeting, where Lynn Baldwin was elected chair 28-0. GOP leaders including GOP Chair Dame dispute the validity of the election because the meeting wasn’t called by the chair, McGovern. In a lengthy statement, Murray argues that the unusual circumstances permitted the group to take the action they did, according to GOP bylaws.
At the state meeting Saturday, Dame was cast into the role of referee. He opened the meeting urging everyone to unite against the candidates and policies of their “”common enemy.”
After Murray read a statement describing the dispute from his point of view, McGovern was given the floor.
“I’m disappointed. We are a small party, a beleaguered party, in a progressive state,” said McGovern, a 22-year Republican and committee vice-chair for Suzanne Butterfield. He called for party unity.
Unity was not on display moments later, as evidenced by groans and hisses after McGovern recounted his dairy father’s advice that “You never get into a pissing contest with a skunk.”
Following a call to cease debate, the delegates voted to accept the delegate roll call – which included McGovern as chair, the Jan. 6 election of Baldwin having been found invalid because the meeting had been improperly called. The meeting was announced and promoted on social media – but by Vice-Chair Murray, not Chair McGovern.
This vote didn’t sit well with Murray supporter Mark Coester of Windham County. “This is BS,” Coeaster loudly exclaimed. “You’re preaching party unity. You have no right to deny Windsor County.”
The Windsor County Republicans were urged by state leaders at the meeting to hold another meeting, where they can vote on new leadership, if they choose.
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Categories: politics
I thought they promoted republicans to be governor if they voted for Dems…..what’s happened?
“In a lengthy statement, Murray argues that the unusual circumstances permitted the group to take the action they did, according to GOP bylaws.” “the Jan. 6 election of Baldwin having been found invalid because the meeting had been improperly called.”
This in a nutshell is the problem with the MAGA wing of the Republican party. This doesn’t benefit me, so I’m going to change the rules. Who does that sound like? Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, most Americans enjoy living in a system of rules and laws. How ironic that this happened on January 6th.
“Doesn’t benefit me so I am going to change the rules” describes the actions taken by progressives for the last 5 years which has been ruthlessly imposed on the citizenry of this nation. Examples include changing the definition of racism which resulted in the segregation of children by race into Affinity spaces; parents who object are labeled as domestic terrorists. Then you have the COVID protocols which were forced upon society and created by the United Nations with the help of stakeholders likethe CDC, then the censorship of mostly conservatives and populist movements which was started by Obama and his “Five Eyes Approach” an objective shared by the United Nations and its entities and stakeholders like Twitter, PayPal, Facebook and US government. Then you have the changing of all voting policies across the country which were mandated and enforced by progressives and RINOs brought about because of COVID and the global transformation driven by the World Economic Forum and United Nations in the name of “Sustainability.” Don’t like free speech which hurts the eco-fasc-neocomunist progressive/United Nations/WEF political objective for global domination and equity -based socialism just label it as misinformation and disinformation.
I laugh out loud everytime the proverbial slur of MAGA is flung like “watch out, the boogey man is under your bed.” Fear and division through propaganda – it works for the controllers and creates awesome meme material for the great awakening. Thank you for the laugh – we do need more humor and less ghost stories.
Melissa, come November I guarantee you I’ll be laughing that a traitor got owned AGAIN by an 81-year old that should be nowhere near the levers of power
Dear Chris,
Can we have dialogue and communication about policies and procedures without evoking “MAGA or personal hate for Trump?”
One of the greatest Principles of our Constitutional Republic is our Individual Freedom to have different choices and to disagree.
Does name-calling respect that?
Just another example of why Vermont’s GOP is in the shape it’s in, no solidarity
within the party, and stating there are so-called ” RINOS “, within the party is an understatement !!
Very well, and succinctly, stated. I used to be very involved with my local GOP, but I got tired of being “bullied” by the RINOs. Does anyone, besides me, think that the State GOP Chair might have backed McGovern’s actions? He is another reason I have not been active for about 5 years. I am planning to attempt to organize the Rs in my town, as we now have some younger ones.
I was at the meeting on Saturday and listened intently to both sides. I heard some serious allegations and was ready to ask questions. Unfortunately, a motion was made to cease debate. I had a choice to make with insufficient information. When I saw August Murray vote to cease debate, the decision became clear. Paul Dame was placed in a difficult situation and handled it as well as he could. Had debate been allowed, perhaps the results would have been different.
Both the vice-chair and the chair were given the opportunity to speak. What I heard was a self-proclaimed “reluctant” County Chair make emotional statements rather than directly address the allegations. I wondered how he could reconcile accepting the position of Chair reluctantly yet fought to hold the position at the State meeting, despite the Jan 6 meeting vote of 28-0 for the new chair, which indicates that McGovern is not wanted in the position. It seems that if he reluctantly took the position of chair, he would willingly step down with a 28-0 vote for a new Chair.
Exposing the wolves in sheep’s clothing is what 2024 is all about. The alleged Pandora’s box of fraud and corruption is starting to give up the goods on the crooked ones. EIN (employer identification number) is a tool used by non-profits to launder money or hide scraping off the top of “donations.” (creating shells using LLC, “associations” and trusts are part and parcel of the fraud schemes – I found much of it with the “arts” crowd and in election filings in VT ) Good for Murray for raising the standard and calling out the shenanigans for all to see and hear!
Melissa, please consider writing an expose to be published in VDC.
careful m. c.. /// you may uncover a major scandal involving all your house and senate members/// it is time for drug testing the vermont mafia///
Just pointing out what is readily available to view if anyone bothers to look and read the documentation…the paper trail is public information and the pattern of conduct reveals itself.
Melissa, throw those of us who haven’t a clue where to start looking. Give us a crumb: a link. Even better, an article exposing what you know. Thank you.
I wonder what Paul Dame defined as the common enemy, that should reveal much. Would be a great interview question.
Was it President Trump?
Was it the Uniparty?
Was it the NWO?
Just curious.
If you’re not MAGA you’re RINO, and it seems to me Vermont’s Republican Party is infested with RINOs. Funny – even Rubio, the Vermont RINOs 2016 sweetheart endorses Trump for 2024. It’s a big tent, come on in.
The Right Wing GOP needs to read up on their history. When you get a slew of new neighbors, like it or not, and they outnumber you, you have no choice but, to get along. Ask any Native American or anyone whose family was wiped out by Conquistadors.
Also, keep in mind, the Vermont GOP has no affect on the Presidential Primary or Election. None. Nada. Zip.
In a Vermont General Election running on Trump’s coattails, makes a candidate even less significant.
While I was the Platform Committee Delegate for Chittenden County in the VTGOP, I wrote an Amendment that would prevent anyone from receiving financial support or any endorsement from the VTGOP that did not adhere to the VTGOP Platform. It was defeated by a 2 – 1 margin.
It would have applied directly to McGovern in this case, but Dame chooses to protect him by invalidating a 28 – 0 vote by members of the Windsor County GOP to remove him.
McGovern’s hate for Trump is his justification for donating to Warnock, ” to support Country over party. ” The same reason Scott voted for Biden, how’s that working out ?
Speaking of Scott, Dame has written multiple times about Scott being the most popular Governor in America.
Easy to understand why Dame would brag about about Scott, they both hate Trump and Conservative values. Neither of them adhere to the VTGOP Platform either, they both support abortion to the moment of Birth and the States ” Right ” to take children away from their Parents to sexually, chemically, physically and psychologically destroy them.
Dame is protecting the 24 transrepublican State Representatives that voted for H89.
Bartley, Beck, Brennan, Burditt, Canfield, Clifford, Demar, Galfetti, Goslant, Harrison, Laroche, Maguire, Marcotte, Mattos, McCoy, McFaun, Morgan, Morrissey, *Sammis, Shaw, Taylor, Walker, Toof and Williams. ( Sammis has since turned Libertarian )
I wrote this and included the names to prove that Dame, Koch and Shepard do not support the VTGOP Platform. They supported Christina Nolan who ran on abortion thru the 2nd Trimester and vowing to fight to codify Roe V Wade if she had been elected to Congress. While Gerald Malloy, the Pro Life and Constitutional candidate did not receive any support or endorsement from the VTGOP even thru the General election.
So Dame protecting McGovern should not come as a surprise to anyone.
My Amendment would have prevented those 24 State Representatives from receiving support or endorsements, but Dame wanted more numbers in the Statehouse. That got him Liam Madden to run as a Republican. ( You remember, Madden declared he wasn’t a Republican and aren’t you glad one wouldn’t be running against Balint ? )
But don’t worry, Dame is doing it for the good of the Country.
Only real republicans should hold committee posts. The litmus test for the job must be a vow to support Trump if he is the winner of the primary.
It seems to me that the Windsor County Republicans did not do their due diligence before casting their votes for chair, had buyers’ remorse, and subsequently tried to manipulate rules to change their election results. That is why I, as a member of the Republican State Committee, voted to recognize the delegates from Windsor as elected at the County’s reorganization. I also look forward to consideration of Party rules that will establish clear procedures for removal of County officers when they have lost the confidence of Committee members. Due process matters.
Words on paper. Action is needed immediately when someone is not what they proclaimed to be. I do not want a democrat, liberal, or rino sympathizer screwing up the republican party. Support the presidential candidate or be GONE!
To Sharon Toborg, respectfully, there was no intent to “manipulate” the rules. August Murray and the majority of the Executive Committee made a good faith, honest effort to discover the rules in light of vague by laws. The bylaws give a Chair no time frame within which to call a meeting when petitioned by 10 members. At the Dec 14th meeting John refused to follow Roberts Rules of Order declaring that as Chair he will run the meeting any way he wanted, stated that several times when members of the EC sought Points of Order. Mr. MacGovern subsequently insulted every member in the room calling them Trumpers and Insurrectionists and insulted a PHD and a Pastor. MacGovern basically threw a tantrum and declared the meeting adjourned without a Motion to Adjourn. EC members objected then in a Motion to Adjourn MacGovern lost. Mr. MacGovern walked out and vacated the Chair. VC August Murray assumed the Chair. The petition by 19 members to hold a new election was presented and accepted by vote of a majority of EC members present. At the Jan 6 meeting with 42 present including 28 delegates, Mr. MacGovern recieved 0 votes. Mr MacGovern could have simply resigned after such a loss of confidence vote but he refuses to. He is now banning County members outside of the EC to attend County meetings. He has publicly referred to us with slurs such as rogue, dissident, maga, insurrectionists. Please note, the only one mentioning President Trump through all of this is John MacGovern. He’s truly deranged and insists on holding power against a 28-0 vote. I wonder why.
There are more mosquitos ready to bite as long as the biting swarm has a leader or two. There seem to be a lot more mosquitos than there are TRUE Republicans. If the “R”s are to amount to anything going forward there needs to be serious consideration given to a “Caucus Format” for primary election. In addition to correcting the shortcomings we are dealing with now, we need to prevent problems in forward view.
There are no surprises here. Unfortunately, the Vermont GOP is not who they pretend to be. As much as they try to make one think that they are true conservatives the mainstream has been infiltrated by imposters. This is why there is a move to create a third party.
I’m on board with a Trump republican party.
Paul Dame is a weak do nothing so called Leader just like Phil Scott! Dame needs to go!
Paul Dame Voted for Ronna McDaniel for RNC chair. That shows a complete lack of judgement. But the wine and dine he got was more important then what was best for the party. Not a good choice to represent us.
Total Trump Derangement Syndrome on full Display by Fraud Deniers ,Transpublicans and otherwise dis honest Forked tongue Snakes .
Sick twisted mentality CNN and MSNBC watchers are in full blown Panic mode to Regain Control of a Narrative they have Lost .
Bring back Prayer in Public school, and teach Citizenship along with the Constitution.
Vermont Republicans can’t conduct their own elections. Why would anyone believe or trust anything they say about Safe and Fair Elections?
I predict the VTGOP will lose 3 seats this election cycle.
If the Vermont Republicans allow small group of Republican extremists to further divide group (VTGOP) and drive away sane Republicans, the party will find it extremely difficult to find General Election electable candidates, who can be taken seriously, to run for office especially for Senate and Congress.
Go on and keep selling 8-Track cassettes.
Tom your perspective is the result of geopolitical warfare against populist movements globally. The same extremist accusations are made systematically whether it be populist movements in the US, Canada or the farmers in the Netherlands. All political groups and entities that challenge the pluralistic/socialist objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda and its technocrats and other stakeholders, which includes corporate media, are labeled as extremists. This threat posed by the real extremists has nothing to do specifically with Democratics or Republicans but instead a Uniparty collaborating with international nonelected entities bent on destroying the free market system (capitalism), the constitution and individual rights as well as America’s national sovereignty. This includes Vermont’s legislature, governmental offices (state equity office through its relationship with Abundant Sun) and the school system via Transformative Social, Emotional and Learning Although, most people do not understand what they are actually supporting. These are the true insurrectionists and threat to America whether their participation be implicit or explicit.
Tom and Christine: What’s your point?
Tom, if “Vermont Republicans can’t conduct their own elections”, not to mention the other shortcomings you list (i.e., ‘selling 8-track cassettes’), what would you have them sell?
And Christine, we know what’s happening. We know who the perpetrators are. Which makes Tom’s prediction for a loss of seats in the next election a no-brainer, … if for no other reason than the mass migration of reasonable people getting out of ‘Dodge City’. But getting out of Vermont seems to be our only recourse… unless you have something tangible to offer.
Clearly, the VT GOP doesn’t have a clue.
I agree that we will loose more seats by design. There will be one political party in the end, much like USSR under Stalin. The problem is that many of us can’t leave. I am one of those people. My spouse refuses to leave the state.
This is why the GOP has low fund-raising ability – no principles.
Throw all the bums out and start over!
As lifelong Republicans but relatively new residents of Vermont, my wife and I became interested in getting involved in the Vermont GOP. We participated in these recent events in Windsor County. I can confirm that Lynn Baldwin’s comments above are entirely accurate. After listening to various insults from Mr. MacGovern, witnessing Mr. MacGovern’s overall disregard for normal order, as well as gaining an understanding of the current VTGOP by laws, supporting his removal as chair became an easy decision. His removal has nothing to do with Trump or MAGA. This line of attack was created my Mr. MacGovern so he did not have to argue the actual issues. Unfortunately he has succeeded in driving much of the conversation here.
As far as the criticism that we are attempting to manipulate the rules, why did Mr. Dame and the rest of his committee drop proposed new by law rule changes that relate directly to the Windsor matter on the delegates with only 2 day notice and wanted a vote at the meeting? Fortunately the vote to table these changes prevailed but it is clear to me who is trying to manipulate the rules.
I have mentioned to a Few .
Rarely is anything Singular . New years Eve the Election Integrity Committee released the Preliminary report .
Rules Changes and enough Manufactured Chaos .
The Report got Buried . Nothing at the Meeting was Accomplished with the Exception of Voting Paul Dame a Raise .
Not that I Object to that . He was actually taking less money 1/3 of what was originally agreed Upon , based on Fundraising.
Still it was the only thing that passed .
McGovern must be fired. He is not a republican, I doubt if he even knows what he is, confused at the very least. When your party chooses a candidate, you must either support them or resign and be an independent. Hear that fake Vermont governor. You are a democrat imposter becoming the governor by lies and trickery. That is the problem in Vermont, too many screwball calling themselves republican when they have no idea what they are or which way is up.