Just over a year ago, I wrote these words: “Those of us who pay attention to local politics are gobsmacked by the new executive committee of the Livingston County GOP. There’s no other word that adequately describes the political whiplash that’s transformed the local party’s leadership roster from one full of well-known, well-connected, well-behaved Republicans who worked their way up the political chain to one with a lot of political newbies triggered by mask mandates and vaccinations, organized through social media, and fueled by misinformation. This, dear reader, is not your Republican grandma’s executive committee. This is a whole new beast.” (You can read that post by clicking here.)
And here we are, a little more than a year later, and it appears the local GOP could be imploding, and some of its members are not shy about making their opinions known and sharing their communications.
The eye of the hurricane is LCRP chairperson, Jennifer Smith; Rob Rodriguez-Pelizzari, a member of the LCRP executive committee, is calling for a special meeting to remove Smith.
In a Dec. 30 email to his fellow executive committee members, Rodriguez-Pelizzari said he asked Smith to step down.
“(Smith) has often said, ‘If anyone wants this job, they are welcome to it.’ I told her that I would like to take her up on that offer. She and I agreed that the actual actions would be different than her statement, she could decide to step down and then EC would need to decide who our next chair would be,” Rodriguez-Pelizzari wrote.
“I haven’t asked her to step down without cause. I think we all know, as a party, we aren’t heading in a direction that will allow us to be effective in 2024. While I wanted Jen to make this decision, she has been less than forth coming with an answer and refuses to answer the simple question, will you resign? Without getting into the drama of our conversation I can state she would like this to be about everything other than what it is really about, (which is) our party’s health.”
He detailed a list of 81 transgressions he says Smith committed, including: bullying (both verbal and cyber); bouncing checks; complaining about board members to other board members; poor planning; inability to perform the role of public speaker; poor relations with other local parties.
Responding to Rodriquez-Pelizzari, LCRP member Alisa Davis sent this email:
In an email resigning his position as LCRP vice chair, Sean Carleton wrote: “Chairwoman Smith is anything but a leader. Her style is of absolute control, trying to pin herself as the center piece of all things.
“It is because of Chairwoman Smith’s manipulation, lies, and lack of leadership, that I will no longer be part of this toxic environment. The email she sent Jessica, and I is a perfect example of her yearlong leadership. She is going to dump the convention on us if Jessica and I continue this path? These tactics clearly spell out the void of leadership I have mentioned. Leaders run into issues; they don’t make empty threats. This also now leaves Chairwoman Smith as the only remaining Officer the EC and delegates elected just over a year ago.”
You can read Carleton’s letter by clicking here.
In her response email to Carleton and LCRP Executive Director Jessica Barefield, Smith wrote:
“The two of you may want to consider that your further push to remove me has the utmost absurd timing.
If the two of you do not have the GOON SQUAD lay off, I will handle the entire list above, including the entirety of the convention to the two of you and you can take it from here.
Is this really for the GOOD of the party? Wasn’t it bad enough you attacked me for the entirety of the holiday weeks.
No one should have to endure an inside attack like this while trying to pull off a convention.
If you really want what is best for LCRP, use common sense.”
In her resignation letter and update, Barefield wrote: “I have strived to contribute positively to our shared goals as Republicans. Regrettably, my dedication to making a meaningful impact has been tested, in my opinion, by the improprieties, unethical behavior, and personal threats that have persisted under the leadership of Chairwoman Jennifer Smith. Additionally, it has been my observation, Chairwoman Smith has created an environment of deception, character assassination, and lies that has hindered my ability to utilize my skills in a healthy and productive manner and has created obstacles where I can no longer operate in my position effectively.”
