Rules? Who cares. Rules are optional with Lexington GOP leadership.
I have no pithy headline. This may fall on deaf ears for many in Lexington County.
I have included the new “guidelines” passed by Lexington GOP Chairman Mark Weber and the leadership team in August. I would argue that adding these on to the county GOP rules package actually breaks the party rules that forbid rule changes outside of county convention. But I digress.
LCRP October Meeting
I didn’t attend last night’s Lexington County Republican Partymeeting, but I was sent the audio from a member.
The next EC from Lexington County should be an upgrade in integrity
With the election for Lexington County GOP state committeeman coming up, it is important to know how some people will serve before casting your important vote for this position.
On the eve of the SCGOP convention in May, the Pickens County GOP was blindsided by a kangaroo court of credentials chairmen from each county and unjustly stripped of their delegation being able to participate in the convention. Lexington’s credentials chairman voted to remove the Pickens delegation.
Email to Chairman Weber
By Sarah Grace Allen
𝐀𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐈’𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐂𝐑𝐏 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.
As you may know, Chairman Mark Weber represented Lexington county at the SCGOP Executive Committee meeting regarding Pickens.
The spirit and wording of his report indicated he was acting as a friend to Pickens by proposing an amendment to allow Pickens County to resume as a party without redoing their ReOrg.
However, a report I received yesterday indicated that he proposed the amendment, only to 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐝 it later. Mark made no such mention of rescinding anything, so I have written him requesting clarification.
LCRP September Meeting
For those of you who have been following my posts, I want to give a quick recap of what was shared at last night’s LCRP monthly meeting regarding the Pickens situation.
As you know, I previously reached out to our chairman, Mark Weber, with questions and concerns, but he never responded. Instead, this was the first time we heard his explanation in the form of his officer report.
Transparency Should Never Be Optional
A week later, and Chairman Mark Weber has yet to respond to any of my emailed questions and concerns regarding Pickens.
The suspension process has, to my knowledge, been egregiously mishandled according to our GOP rules. My attempts at seeking understanding and clarity have been met either with personal commentary, or complete silence.
Letter of Support for Pickens
It’s a meaty read but worth the simplified explanation of the Pickens issue as it relates to our party rules.
Also, as an update I still have not received any response from Chairman Mark Weber regarding my questions and concerns about this matter.
New Developements
New developments. This screenshot I received raised concerns, and while I don’t pretend to know how everything works at the state level, I’m continuing to ask questions and share the correspondence along the way.
Response to the 1st Vice Chair
As a follow-up from my last post, First Vice Chairwoman Debbie Heim has responded to my email that was addressed to Chairman Mark Weber.
Pictured below is her email, and below this body of text is my response. I encourage everyone following the Pickens issue to read both thoroughly.
Like Debbie says - “Rules matter. Leadership matters.”
This isn’t just a Pickens County issue. Charleston, Darlington, Georgetown, Lexington and many others were affected by this corrupt convention and reorg process. And these are only for THIS year.
We MUST demand accountability in these dealings. If we shrug our shoulders or turn a blind eye, all we do is further engorge the Swamp we swore to drain.
Letter to Leadership Re: Pickens
I just sent the following email to Mark Weber and the entire leadership team of the Lexington County Republican Party regarding the issue of Pickens County.
The next State Executive Committee meeting is right around the corner, so I encourage everyone concerned about this issue to contact their county leadership regarding this vote.
Justice for Pickens
Last night at the Lexington County Republican Party monthly business meeting, First Vice Chairwoman Debbie Heim gave her officer report.
The entirety of her report was about Pickens County. Not only did Debbie confirm that she was the proxy for Chip Browne as State EC, she also confirmed that she did in fact vote in FAVOR of suspending the Pickens County Republican Party.
Denied Due Process
Some thoughts as we enter the weekend before the June 2nd LCRP monthly meeting.
As many of you know, this Monday night there will be a vote to censure Preston Baines, John, and me.
Over the past month, the party leadership has emailed a written prosecution against us FOUR TIMES to the body, and when we requested the contact info for the ECs and presidents to provide our written defense in the vein of due process, we were denied.
Surprise Censure
After only being given five impromptu minutes SPLIT between the three of us the night of the ambush censure, we’re now being denied the ability to write a thoughtfully presented defense in response to the LCRP leadership’s false accusations and extensive prosecution.
Should party members be censured for expressing concerns?
Should the LCRP leadership weaponize the party to punish former political opponents?
Lexington GOP leadership weaponizes against opposition
I have had many adventurous days in the political world. Last night was a first. Bear with me.
It started innocently enough, until we received a report from our Lexington County GOP County Credentialing Chairman. He proceeded to share three appeals that happened last Friday evening, the eve of Saturday's State Republican Convention. Those appeals included Charleston, Darlington and Pickens County. Our Credentialing Chairman voted with the majority in all three.
What Happened to Pickens?
Lexington County leadership is labeling any vocalized dissent to eyewitness corruption as “drama.”
How convenient.
Lexington GOP chairman shuts down questioning
As the elected Committeeman for my precinct in the Lexington County Republican Party, it is my duty to ask questions when they are necessary.
Tonight, our county Credentialing Chairman gave his report on the three appeals from last weekend’s SCGOP Convention.
As I began to ask questions about the facts of the Pickens County GOP situation, I was shut down by Chairman Weber and he just moved along. Also, Chairman Weber took the opportunity to attack John Allen for being passionate during his duties as a state convention delegate.
SCGOP changes words to skirt the law, and their own rules.
In 2023, the Precinct ReOrganization Form 1, please see highlighted sentence beside the third box. It reads: I did not attend my make-up meeting but wish to be elected as a Delegate to the County Party Convention per State Party Rule 4-c-11.
The SCGOP is not above the law
1) I attended the Darlington County Republican Party (DCRP) ReOrganization meeting on March 22, 2025;
2) I properly filled out Form 1, indicating my intent to run as a delegate to the 2025 SCGOP State Convention by marking the Delegate to State Convention box;