Last week I told you about problems with the Osage County Republican Committee. I figured that if I was going to run for the office of Crawford Township committeewoman I would follow the rules, so I called Linda Rantz, the chairman of the committee, and asked to meet with her. We set the next day for the meeting.
Mary Perrey, who is also interested in the committee, went with me to the committee’s office which is located on the old Linn Tech campus.
I told Rantz that if I had to vet in order to be on the ballot, that I would like to see the written rules requiring me to do that. I asked to see the committee’s bylaws. She said we could not. In addition to not being allowed to see the bylaws, she told Mary and me that we could not attend one of their meetings or see meeting minutes or any other documents of the committee. I said I thought the Osage County Republican Committee was a public/political agency.
Not so, she said and noted that the group’s organizational function was somewhat similar to that of a Lions Club - private. Hmm, that’s weird, I thought.
I decided to be more specific and asked her if she intended to file for the same office that I had. She said she was. Now we’re getting somewhere, I thought.
I then got bolder and asked what would happen if I did not vet for the office and she said I could not be on the ballot. If I did vet, she said, I could be on the ballot to challenge her for the office. She said I could. I asked what would happen if I won the election. ”Would I, then, be seated and what happens to you?” I asked. She said the present committee of herself, her husband, Craig Rantz, George Luebbering and Joyce Weber would evaluate what I had to offer to the committee. If they felt I had enough on the ball to contribute anything, I would be seated. If not, I would be dumped - EVEN AFTER WINNING THE VOTERS’ APPROVAL
“Then you would continue being the chairman,” I asked and she acknowledged that she probably would. Huh, this doesn’t pass the smell test, I thought.
I asked why she and her husband felt they had to come all the way from Seattle, Washington, to teach us idiots here in this county how to vote. She said she didn’t call us idiots and I replied that in effect, she had.
She then stood and said she thought we had all said enough. Meeting over. Mary and I headed for the door.
I still need candidates for committeeman in Linn and Benton townships. I need committeewoman candidates in Washington, Jefferson and Benton townships. We have enough candidates for the rest of the slate.
Think about it and let me know what you can do. 573-694-1681.
Until next week when I hope to teach you how to vet.
Jerry Voss
