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.
Trip to the RNC falls on no ears
This past May, I filed a complaint against Drew McKissick with the RNC Council because of the sickening level of corruption in the SCGOP. But they have ignored my request for a hearing.
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.
Conservatism, freedom and free speech
I have dared to question our county party after they sided with the SCGOP on disenfranchising the duly elected Pickens County delegation and subsequently suspended the Pickens GOP with the Lexington County vote in the affirmative.
John, Sarah Grace and I were then greeted with a surprise censure resolution from our Lexington GOP leadership. The censure added a bunch of extra issues because we dared to run a campaign for county convention leadership.
Dear Pickens Republicans
Pickens County currently has no functioning Republican Party due to false accusations and the State Party bending rules because the didn’t get the votes to fully dissolve us. There is loads of evidence to the contrary that Pickens was not allowed to use in our defense. Until September, we are not allowed to use the website, emails address, mail account and so forth for the local party until they decide our fate.
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.
TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY
In an interview with The Post and Courier, former Darlington County GOP chairman, Senator JD Chaplin, is quoted saying, “Arthur missed her opportunity to become a delegate because she was arguing with a fellow attendee in the parking lot after a resounding defeat in her bid to lead the local convention.”
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.
Justice for Pickens
The entire Pickens delegation was banned from participating in the State Convention.
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.
Darlington joins other counties in rigging the SCGOP election
The officers of the Darlington County Republican Party who participated in rigging the delegate election process are: JD Chaplin, Dawn Calhoun, John Crawley, and Colin Hungerpiller.
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;
Troubling report from Beaufort County
Reflections on the Beaufort County Republican Party Convention:
At the BCRP convention, I encountered a couple who, when I asked for their vote for state delegate, returned my information and told me they were “not happy with Trump.” That alone speaks volumes about the current state of the BCRP.
An open letter to Attorney General Alan Wilson
Because you are the Chief Legal Officer of the State, I am writing to inform you of South Carolina Republican Party’s violations of South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 7, Chapter 9, by the officers of the Darlington County Republican Party (DCRP), JD Chaplin, Dawn Calhoun, John Crawley, and Colin Hungerpiller. I have witnessed actions that undermine the integrity of the Party’s delegate election process.