PRESS RELEASE Stiglich CA01: Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee Endorsement Process Challenged

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: February 25, 2012

SUBJECT: Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee Endorsement Process Challenged

Friends of Colonel Pete Stiglich (Colonel Pete) has formally challenged the Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee’s recent endorsement of State Senator Doug LaMalfa for congress.

According to Colonel Pete, candidate for California’s 1^st Congressional District,

“California Republican Party by-laws clearly state all candidates must be given the opportunity to be heard prior to any formal endorsement by a central committee. That didn’t happen in Siskiyou County. Let’s get the endorsement process fixed and cut out all the hanky panky. It’s not good for the Republican Party. And, ultimately, it’s not good for America.”

Citing clear violations of California Republican Party (CRP) by-laws, a letter has been sent to the CRP’s Rules Committee requesting an investigation into the alleged abuse of the CRP endorsement process and appropriate remedies, to include immediate rescission of the improper endorsement and instruction to all central committees to comply with CRP by-laws.

Colonel Pete expressed his concern, saying,

“These smoke filled back-room deals need to stop and stop now. It’s absolutely abhorrent to think such deal-making still goes on today. While our country struggles for her survival, Republican establishment folks are busy playing games, apparently more interested in entitlement, power, and personal enrichment than the interests of America.”

And finally, Colonel Pete issued the following warning to the leadership of his own party,

“Failure by the California Republican Party to take swift and decisive action in this instance will lead to a further erosion of confidence in party leadership and an ever decreasing number of registered Republican voters here and across the nation.”

A copy of the formal complaint letter to the CRP follows:

California Republican Party (CRP)

Rules Committee

Sacramento Headquarters

1215 K. Street, Suite 1220

Sacramento, CA 95814

February 25, 2012

CRP Rules Committee:

On Tuesday, February 21, 2012, the Chairman of the Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee (Committee) advised Friends of Colonel Pete Stiglich that the Committee had recently formally endorsed State Senator Doug LaMalfa for Congress and had personally notified Mr. LaMalfa of the endorsement.

In the opinion of Friends of Colonel Pete Stiglich, this endorsement is invalid for failure to comply with established CRP by-laws.

Specifically, the Committee appears to be in direct violation of CRP by-law Section 3.02.04 and, specifically, Paragraph (A) (2).

Section 3.02.04 states:

(A) Where there is more than one Republican candidate for nomination or election in a special or top two primary election, no Republican County Central Committee shall endorse, support or oppose any candidate for nomination or election at a special or top two primary election or in a recall or recall replacement election, except in the following manner and circumstances:

(1) Notice of the proposed action is given at least five days in advance of the Central Committee meeting to all persons entitled to vote.

(2) A hearing is held and the candidates affected are given an opportunity to appear.

(3) A candidate receives a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the voting members present and voting.

(4) The action is concurred in by all other Republican County Central Committees which have jurisdiction over the affected election district, in compliance with the provisions of subdivisions (1) through (3) of this subsection.

Further, it is likely the Committee is also in violation of Paragraph (A) (1), Notice of the proposed action is given at least five days in advance of the Central Committee meeting to all persons entitled to vote. In a written communication to the Friends of Colonel Pete Stiglich, the Chairman of the Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee advised the decision to conduct the endorsement vote was made during the meeting at which the endorsement vote was taken.

In order to maintain integrity of the CRP endorsement process and ensure fair and balanced treatment of all candidates for elected partisan office, it is absolutely essential established rules be followed to the letter. Failure by the California Republican Party to take swift and decisive action in this instance will lead to a further erosion of confidence in party leadership and an ever decreasing number of registered Republican voters here and across the nation.

Therefore, the CRP Rules Committee should take immediate action to investigate the impropriety of the Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee endorsement of Mr. LaMalfa and demand its immediate rescission. Further, the Rules Committee should remind all county Republican Central Committees of their obligation to fully comply with all CRP by-laws.

Sincerely,
Peter V. Stiglich

Candidate, CA 1^st Congressional District