July 23, 2024 09:59 AM UTC

After Calls to Resign, CO GOP Chair Paid Himself in Advance

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• by: Erik Maulbetsch

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Originally posted at the Colorado Times Recorder

In the days following the first public call by another party leader for a vote on his removal, Colorado GOP Chair Dave Williams took two actions: he announced the censure of that leader by her fellow executive committee members, and paid himself his next month’s consulting fee in advance.

The party’s latest monthly report to the Federal Election Commission, filed over the weekend, shows a June 16 payment of $16,000 to Williams’ Fox Group, double the monthly fee he’s collected the past few months. It’s labeled Chairman Consulting JUN/JUL.

Internal frustration with Williams came to a head at the beginning of June when he sent an official email calling on Coloradans to burn all Pride flags.” Within a week Jefferson County GOP Chair Nancy Pallozzi sent a press release claiming that that she and other state party leaders “have the votes to ask for a special election to ask for the resignation of the State Chairman, Mr. David Williams” on June 10. The release was widely reported, with Williams saying he had no intention of resigning. The state party announced that Pallozzi’s subsequent censure on June 14, the day after the Denver GOP joined the call for Williams to resign.

Five days later, at the party’s monthly Capitol Club luncheon in Greenwood Village, Chairman Williams met with party Treasurer Tom Bjorklund, who wrote him a consulting fee check for both June and July.

Reached for comment, Bjorklund says Williams framed the request as a matter of convenience, telling him, “you may as well pay for July too, since I don’t know if I will see you at the beginning of the month.” Bjorklund characterized it as “a wash — nothing nefarious,” and noted that Williams signed off on paying Bjorklund’s monthly fee early as well.

A week later, Pallozzi and El Paso County GOP Vice Chair Todd Watkins filed a formal request for a meeting of the state GOP Central Committee in order to vote on Williams’ removal. Williams claims the request is invalid and is now suing Watkins and Pallozzi to prevent any vote from taking place. The meeting is set for this coming Saturday, July 27.

Asked if Williams’ lawsuit could possibly prevent the meeting from taking place, Watkins gave the Colorado Times Recorder an emphatic ‘no,’ saying he hasn’t even been served yet. “Nancy [Pallozzi] and I only found out about the lawsuit from the press,” said Watkins.

This week additional prominent Republicans have added their voices to call to remove Williams. Former CU Regent Steve Bosley penned a letter in which he compared Williams’ decision to abandon party neutrality to bayoneting his own wounded soldiers.

“Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams and his team have been increasingly bold; directly, openly, and aggressively accusing previous Republican leadership, at all levels, of being utter failures,” wrote Bosley. “Many have been dubbed RINOs. However, mainly he has determined they all are wounded and ineffective Republican warriors. I offer to Chairman Williams and those others who are mounted up galloping into the battle to save us, the tactic of charging onto the battlefield and bayoneting your own wounded is a tactic which has never worked. Except perhaps for the Russians and Chinese. I encourage you to attend the upcoming meeting and vote to remove the leadership of the state party.”

Reached via email, Bosley confirmed he wrote the letter and agreed that he expected the meeting and vote to take place as scheduled.

“I presume that people will be attending in good faith… I think it logical to anticipate challenges and possible counter challenges perhaps on several fronts,” wrote Bosley. “I expect that all my fellow Republicans will conduct themselves in a way to stimulate civil discourse.”

Williams did not respond to an email inquiry as to whether the calls for his resignation had any influence on his decision to ask for a month’s pay in advance. This article will be updated with any response received.