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.
For those of you in Lexington, you’re welcome to copy and paste:
Chairman Weber,
As an active participant in the Lexington County Republican Party, I am writing to express my deep concern regarding recent events surrounding the suspension of the Pickens County Republican Party by the SCGOP.
This suspension was carried out under questionable circumstances, based on disputed claims, and has caused great unrest among grassroots Republicans across our state. I am especially troubled that Lexington’s representative voted in favor of this suspension, and that another vote is scheduled to take place in September prior to our own monthly meeting.
At our last meeting, First Vice Chairwoman Debbie Heim gave her report on serving as Lexington’s proxy at the State Executive Committee meeting. She explained that she voted in favor of the suspension based on information she had received from a “contact” in Pickens, yet she offered no further details about the grounds for suspension, nor any substantive explanation for her decision. For such a consequential matter, this lack of transparency is deeply unsatisfactory to the members she was entrusted to represent.
Being involved in our county party, I have both a right and responsibility to know:
1. Who will represent Lexington in the upcoming September vote on the Pickens matter.
2. How our representative intends to vote on this issue, given its impact on Party credibility, transparency, and fairness.
3. Why discussion has been suppressed. When our credentialing chair attempted to provide clarity, and when precinct ECs sought to ask questions, the conversation was cut short by your decision to shut it down. This has left many members in the dark, especially those who are not active online and rely on monthly meetings to stay informed.
I find this deeply troubling. Open discussion and transparency are cornerstones of a healthy, functioning Party. To silence questions, and to withhold information from members, undermines trust and prevents us from holding our leadership accountable.
I therefore respectfully request immediate clarity on Lexington’s representation and voting intentions regarding Pickens County, and an explanation for the vote. I urge you to ensure that our party is afforded full transparency, open discussion, and honest communication in this matter.
We expect our leaders to uphold the values of accountability, fairness, and openness that we work so hard to defend.
Sincerely,
Sarah Grace Allen
