Witnesses who spoke in favor of Ridgway also expressed frustration at their very limited time. Some of them believe his case is simply a smokescreen to get someone out who doesn't agree with such issues as having automatic delegates.

Ridgway had also held a news conference last week where he outlined in detail a long list of grievances against party leadership dating back to 1998, including alleged voting fraud, palace coups, secret cabals, conspiracies to squelch dissent and make party members march in lock step with leaders, the stacking delegates and other accusations.

"We intend to expose the virus that has infiltrated the party," he told the media last week.

Ridgway at times seemed more concerned about the direction the Republican party is going, rather than with his own situation. These latest allegations against Ridgway were first brought to the party in May. At that point, the executive committee placed them on the agenda for its November meeting, when the committee voted to hold the Dec. 9 disciplinary hearing.

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E-mail: lynn@desnews.com