In-Fighting in SCGOP
By Paul Gable
With a little more than a week to go until the SCGOP state convention, things are beginning to get a little personal.
S.C. Republican Party chairman Chad Connelly sent out an e-mail rant against upstate member Brian Frank late last week, at a time when you would think Connelly would be concentrating on the upcoming convention and his hopes for re-election as state party chairman.
Actually, maybe he is.
Connelly’s e-mail inferred that Frank may fit into the same category as the two Boston bombers, “As we close in on the end of our conventions and in light of the world in which we live where terrorists try their best to blend in with our culture, we cannot take anything for granted and cannot allow ourselves to associate with people who rant endlessly hateful stuff.
“I want to warn those of you in upstate meetings where I have seen this person that you do not need to let him near your meetings.”
Maybe the most telling part of the e-mail is where Connelly named Frank as a primary supporter of Sam Harms who reportedly is challenging Connelly for the state party chairmanship.
“On a related note, Brian Frank has threatened me and my family in the past and he is the primary Facebook, twitter, email and text person supporting Sam Harms.
Frank denies personally threatening Connelly and the accuracy of Connelly’s e-mail in general. Comments about ranting hateful stuff refer to an anti-Semitic article Frank posted on his Facebook page.
Frank said he thought the content presented a unique view he had never heard before and posted the article for informational purposes.
Irrespective of the content, Connelly attributed the article to Frank, which he denies. Looks like more of an attempt by Connelly to mix-up facts to justify his ends.
The difficulties between Connelly and Frank date back to the Republican National Convention in August 2012 when Connelly, according to Frank, refused to allow a S.C. alternate delegate to take a seat at the national convention.
What may actually lie at the bottom of this contretemps is what is seen by traditional party Republicans, a category including Connelly, as a possible strong challenge by TEA Party groups for control of the state party at the upcoming May 4th state convention.
The recent sweeping away of traditional leadership in favor of TEA Party leaders was quite notable in the recent Charleston, Lexington and York county conventions.
MUST-SEE VIDEO: SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN CHAD CONNELLY ATTACKS ACTIVIST BRIAN FRANK…
Update >> Friends of Brian Frank have started an online fund to file suit against the SCGOP Chair…
Speak Up…