GOP infighting heats up amid allegations
In a list of allegations against Ridgway obtained by the Deseret Morning News, the party's executive committee also accuses Ridgway of injuring the name of the organization, disturbing its well-being and hampering it in its work. Though the charges carry no legal repercussions, they will be considered in a Dec. 9 executive committee hearing that could remove Ridgway from his central committee spot.
Ridgway, who drew criticism from Republic Party leaders for his opposition to replacing Mayor Nancy Workman with Ellis Ivory on the Nov. 2 ballot, said the charges are a retaliation move by party leadership because he spoke out against what he calls "a good ol' boy regime" in the party.
"They see the power slipping away and they have to do something," said Ridgway, who received a list of the allegations by registered mail Saturday. "We have been the voice of those who don't dare speak about the corruption in the state's Republican Party."
That incident, he said, was the final straw in a "relentless" series of election rule violations that pitted him against party leadership.
"When the ultimate goal is to silence someone, the pretext is immaterial," he said. "Whether it's about Workman or Ivory, it's not going to matter to the people who want me gone."
But Party Chairwoman Tiani Coleman said the charges were in response to "allegations of repeated awful behavior" by Ridgway.
Among the party's allegations are charges that Ridgway "fostered a tense, frustrating, and even hostile and abusive atmosphere," "physically cornered party members" and "tried to thwart party operations."
One charge states that Ridgway admitted to having a goal of weakening the party to make it easier for third parties to succeed in Utah. The list also cites Ridgway's use of the media to represent the party "in a defamatory public manner."
Coleman added that the executive committee's charges have been brewing for some time and were not related to Ridgway's vocal opposition to the Ivory substitution.
"He's seriously damaging our organization. It's not just that he opposes us; his goal is to destroy the organization," Coleman said.
Nancy Lord, a member of the Utah Republican National Committee, agrees tension between party leadership and Ridgway has been mounting for years. But Lord said those hostilities are because Ridgway was the only member willing to voice his concerns about party politics.
"What they're trying to do to him is atrocious," she said. "We don't have to play dirty like this to win seats from the public."
Ridgway said he doesn't have high hopes for retaining his seat as precinct chairman and central committee member after the Dec. 9 hearing. He does, however, hope his removal may prompt other party members to address election rule violations.
"I expect to be taken out. I totally do," he said. "But it will be wrong. I am not going to go down silently."
E-mail: estewart@desnews.com
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