Citizens, Activists left in the Dark during Kershaw County GOP Leadership's Discipline of Conservatives

It was another cold evening at the American Legion in Camden as the Kershaw County Republican Party held their monthly business meeting on Thursday, February 5. The meeting contained items that were the latest in a saga that pitted the SCGOP-aligned leadership (which holds a slim majority of the body and its leaders) against the conservative faction, or "KCGOP Freedom Caucus."

 Due to a lack of transparency from party leadership, the following information is being made public.

 The following communication was sent regarding actions taken by KCGOP leadership:

 “In accordance with this motion, the following individuals have been suspended from all duties, effective immediately. This suspension will remain in effect until the conclusion of the May 2026 KCGOP Business Meeting:

• Mrs. Jackie Stone – Doby’s Mill Precinct Executive Committeeman

• Mr. Robert MacElderry – Elgin 4 Precinct President

• Mrs. Cindy Titus – Malvern Hill Precinct Secretary

• Mrs. Beverly Ray-Dowey – Rabon’s Crossroads Precinct Executive Committeeman & KCGOP Treasurer

• The Elgin 1 Precinct

 Required Corrective Actions

Pursuant to the approved motion and in alignment with RRNR 61 (Robert’s Rules of Order rule 61) regarding progressive discipline:

1. Removal of Content: The aforementioned parties are required to remove the specified posts and comments within seven (7) days of this notice.

2. Failure to Comply: Should the posts and/or comments remain active after this period, the KCGOP will proceed with more severe disciplinary measures as outlined in our governing rules.

Reinstatement for the named members will occur automatically upon the adjournment of the May 2026 Business Meeting, provided all conditions of the motion are met.”

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 Why the disciplinary actions? Because these members shared and commented on Facebook about censure motions against Chairwoman Autumn Dunlap that were passed in a special called meeting on October 30, 2025.

Breaking rules and manufacturing them on Feb. 5 and previously

The Kershaw County GOP may be the most unique in South Carolina. The rural county has a very slim breakdown of who represents their precincts between the KCGOP establishment and the Freedom Caucus.

 Chairwoman Dunlap, who also presides over the county's Steeplechase Women's Republican Club (and until recently, the county's moms for Liberty chapter) has taken it upon herself to enforce new, unwritten rules. Dunlap was a part of multiple Moms for Liberty GOP establishment-aligned people who resigned since the beginning of 2026.

Since Dunlap became the county chairwoman in the spring of last year, she has made universal decisions about who can and cannot vote in the county's executive committee.

 The First Vice Chairwoman (1VC) of a county party does not have voting rights on matters before the executive committee. However. Chairwoman Dunlap has given voting rights to 1VC Ella "Sissy" Ballew. There is no place in the SCGOP rules that state the 1VC has this voting authority, yet Kershaw GOP leadership has stated that the SCGOP ruled that Vice Chairs can vote. However, there has been no documentation that this has happened.

A county party may allow officers to vote at executive committee meetings only if such authority has been properly adopted. Party rules themselves may be established only at odd-year conventions, where officers and delegates are elected.

 Chairwoman Dunlap also ruled that a precinct’s valid proxy, Cindy Titus (appointed by her executive committeeman husband during his overseas deployment) was ineligible to vote as the precinct’s representative. SCGOP Rule 8 places proxy selection solely at the discretion of the precinct committeeman, so long as the proxy resides in the precinct. Titus was disciplined during the Feb 5 meeting while not being allowed inside the meeting to defend herself.

 Secretary Douglas Lybrand (aligned with the Freedom Caucus) was removed by a vote during an illegal meeting held by KCGOP leadership on Oct. 2, 2025. That meeting was not properly noticed via SCGOP rules and did not include any party business.

 The Jan. 12 bungle extended the witch hunt

 During the Jan 12 special called meeting by allies of Chairwoman Dunlap, SC Confidential was initially told by Dunlap to exit the meeting. We asked for documentation and the reasons why we were not allowed to attend. Dunlap exited the building for approximately 30 minutes and started the meeting late. SC Confidential and other guests were allowed to stay without addressing the situation further.

This special called meeting to discipline members continued, several motions were made, and credentialing happened. Dunlap declared Titus and Lybrand dismissed as voting members.  

The executive committee spent approximately 1.5 hours on procedural activities and voted to allow one member, Shelly Fox, to resume her position as EC after the body deemed she had apologized sufficiently. State Executive Committeewoman Amanda Outen then abruptly moved to adjourn the meeting, which was approved by the body.

 The media and public were banned on Feb. 5 for "Sensitive Information,” and members were denied freedom of speech

 During the February 5 business meeting, Chairwoman Dunlap, flanked by police officers, personally denied entry to SC Confidential and other conservative activists, citing “sensitive information.” That “sensitive information” consisted of the accused having shared and commented on Facebook posts about censure resolutions previously passed against Chairwoman Dunlap.

 It should also be noted that the Kershaw County GOP does not allow videoing or recording of their meetings.

 KCGOP Freedom Caucus makes further accusations against Dunlap

 Dunlap has also been accused of actions that were not part of the censure resolutions passed at the October 30 meeting, including:

 -Advancing a motion requiring proxies to be submitted to and approved by Dunlap rather than freely accepted.

-Advancing a motion preventing executive committees from calling special meetings or changing meeting locations.

-Supporting a motion prohibiting endorsements or censures of candidates before or during primaries (introduced by State EC Amanda Outen).

-Advancing motions that restrict First Amendment activity, including the sharing of censure resolutions or press releases.

-Denying due process.

-Barring disciplined members from attending meetings in which punishment was imposed.

-Failing to notify members that they were subject to disciplinary action.

 Our Republic depends on honesty and transparency

 During the many months of infighting and persecution of the opposing side, leadership in the Kershaw County Republican Party has made up rules and misinterpreted rules. This is on course with the SCGOP. A Chairwoman who signs her emails with "In Liberty" while denying participation of the public and siding with removing duly elected and appointed participants doesn't understand liberty at all.

 Taken together, Dunlap’s actions have effectively altered the composition of the Kershaw County party and, by extension, the outcome of its votes.

These actions raise serious concerns about transparency, due process, and internal party democracy.

 If party business is conducted through elected officers exercising public authority and casting binding votes, what information justifies secrecy?

And who decides?