GOP ousts member of central committee

The Salt Lake County Republican Party Central Committee has ousted one of its own.

Mike Ridgway, 45, an often outspoken member of the central committee, was removed Thursday night after the group's executive committee met for three hours at the county complex.

The decision was made in a closed executive session and required a two-thirds vote.

Tiani Coleman, chairwoman of the officers and executive committee members of the Salt Lake County Republic Party, said the committee found the allegations against him credible and he was removed from committee membership.

She said there will also be a recommendation made later to remove him as a county and state Republican delegate.

"I will make my defense against these slanderous charges," Ridgway promised after learning of the decision, noting he didn't have adequate time to tell his case. "They had all the advantages, I had none."

A related controversy was whether the public should be allowed into the meeting. Robert's Rules of Order strongly suggested the hearing be done in closed executive session to protect the accused and the organization. The committee had a 40-minute discussion and elected to follow that advice and said it would only open the meeting to the public if Ridgway signed a waiver saying he could not sue. He said under no circumstances would he sign that waiver.

Coleman said a formal hearing of this nature is very rare. Her main concerns about making the meeting public were legal issues that could lead to potential lawsuits.

She said the executive committee had already reprimanded Ridgway in 2002, but he never modified his "abusive or wrongful behavior" after that.

There's no timetable set on replacing Ridgway.

Allegations by the executive committee against Ridgway included, among other things:

• He has consistently neglected his precinct and duties, while destroying the party's ability to function successfully.

• He has knowingly and intentionally misrepresented the process to obtain office.

• He has fostered a tense, frustrating and hostile atmosphere that has driven away hundreds of people from the organization.

• He has physically cornered party members and has demonstrated abusive behavior to each county party leadership team.

• He has on numerous occasions threatened legal action against the party or its volunteers.

• He has used his party positions to actively work against the election of many Republican nominees for public office.

• He attempted ballot fraud at the 2004 State Convention.