Deseret News | GOP to oust chairwoman?

GOP to oust chairwoman?

Deseret News

Published: Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005 10:55 p.m. MST

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Members of the Salt Lake County Republican Party are discussing possible disciplinary action against county chairwoman Tiani Coleman — something one former party member says could result in her removal.

Coleman was tight-lipped about the possible action, saying a special executive committee meeting called for tonight was to merely discuss a policy disagreement.

"They certainly would not have cause to boot me out," said Coleman. "But they technically have the authority."

During the county party's last executive committee meeting, Coleman ruled that a resolution to remove a former member of the county party from his leadership role with the state party was "out of order."

Committee members overruled her decision and brought the resolution before the state GOP's executive committee — asking that Mike Ridgway, who was removed from his post within the county in December, also be removed from his state leadership role.

The state party sent the resolution back to the county for further review.

Today's meeting, where the issue is supposed to be discussed, only has one item on the agenda: "Discuss the chair's defiance of a directive from the executive committee, explore course of action available to committee, and possibly adopt one or more motions of a consequence of the discussion."

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Coleman said "We're probably going to have a nice conversation, come up with some resolution and be a happy family again. I really don't think anything is going to happen."

In December, the county GOP executive committee came under scrutiny after voting to remove Ridgway from his post within the party.

Ridgway brought forth the claims that Coleman could possibly be removed from her post, citing discontent within some factions of the party about her leadership style.

John Solomon, former chairman of the County Republican Party, calls the claims unwarranted.

"He sees conspiracies wherever," said Solomon. "I personally don't have any intentions of trying to boot her. That would be far too much effort on my part."

E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com