Senators send letter of protest
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Dear Chair Kaltschmidt and Chair Wittich:
This letter serves as a written protest to appeal the failure to recognize the voting rights of Senators Ellsworth, Gillespie, Hunter, Kassmier, Lammers, Loge, McKamey, Temple, and Vance and/or their proxies at the Montana Republican State Central Committee convention on June 28, 2025, in Helena, MT. I represent each Senator in bringing to your attention their protest and corresponding demand for immediate action to set aside any measure or action taken without their voice. They represent the thousands of Montana Republicans committed to Republican values who elected these Senators to speak for them. The Republican Party is not the party of extremists. As Senators they had the right to vote and participate in the party process. The wholesale disregard of fundamental party voting rights embodied in the Bylaws may not be left unaddressed. A convention must be reconvened to correct the parliamentary snafu that left these Senators voiceless and emboldened the Freedom Caucus PAC faction to pursue its manifesto. Inaction will be at the expense of Montanans and only benefit those few who are acting more like fascists cleansing the party of those disloyal to party bosses rather than true Republicans for the people who believe each vote should be counted correctly. The Freedom Caucus is a political action committee, nothing more, using tactics that are not reflective of Republican values, and they certainly are not the values of Montanans.
State Republican Party Bylaws, B IV. (D), entitles each Senator to one vote. Each Senator had the right to vote in person or by proxy. Section B I (D)(1). That right to one vote may not be denied by motion. Per the Bylaws, the Bylaws are the rules that control at the convention. Sec. A I. Any rule change requires a 2/3 vote at a regular or special meeting. Only the Rules Committee may present a rule change without ten days’ notice to each member of the State Central Committee. Sec. A III (B) (1) & (2). Senator Usher made a motion to exclude the Senators from voting. There was not a proposed Rule change, not did Senator Usher give ten days advance notice to amend the Rules to repeal Senators’ voting rights. Senator Usher’s motion was out of order. The subsequent motion by Representative Gillette to override Chair K ruling Senator Usher’s motion out of order was similarly out of order. The proper parliamentary ruling was to rule Gillette’s motion out of order. Robert’s Rules of Order were not implicated because the Rules limit reference to Robert’s Rules where the Rules are silent. Sec. B I (F). The Chair must vacate the motion and reconvene a convention so that the duly authorized voters may exercise their vote following a deliberative process that includes their participation. Participation in the deliberative process is fundamental to effectuating a valid and meaningful vote that allows duly elected officials and convention delegates to make well informed decisions rather than react knee jerk to bullying by the Freedom Caucus PAC faction who wish to overthrow the will of the majority. Their exclusionary tactics through subterfuge, surprise, and intimidation are a disservice to uniting a party of strong Republican Montanans.
I look forward to a swift response within the next ten calendar days. The Senators will not allow these transgressions to go unanswered. You may anticipate the Senators will pursue all remedies to include court intervention and injunctive relief should an amicable solution not be forthcoming.
Joan K. Mell, Lawyer for Senators who have approved as to content and form:
Senate President Jason Ellsworth ’23-’25 of Hamilton, SD 43
Butch Gillespie of Etheridge, SD 9
Gregg Hunter of Glasgow, SD 15
Josh Kassmier of Fort Benton, SD 13
Gayle Lammers of Hardin, SD 21
Denley Loge of St. Regis, SD 45
Wendy McKamey of Great Falls, SD 12
Russ Tempel of Chester, SD 14
Shelley Vance of Belgrade, SD 34
