Judge will allow members of Colorado’s Republican Party to move forward with push to oust state party Chair Dave Williams

Updated 8:50 p.m. on August 6, 2024.

A judge will allow an effort to oust Colorado Republican Party Chair Dave Williams to proceed, lifting a temporary block on the process.

A previous ruling from District Judge Thomas W. Henderson blocked Williams’ critics from holding a scheduled meeting and a vote to remove him. The order was to remain in effect for 14 days or until the court acted again. However, in the new ruling, Henderson concluded that the entire matter was outside of his jurisdiction.

Tuesday’s ruling now means this faction of Republicans can move forward with their effort. Todd Watkins, the vice chair of the El Paso County GOP, said a call to schedule a new party Central Committee meeting would go out quickly Tuesday night. 

“We are delighted and thankful the judge rightfully recognized he was misled by (Williams) on what the role of the Central Committee is and who the Central Committee is,” Watkins told CPR News. “There was a lot of provably false statements in their petition.”

The group plans to convene on August 24 in Brighton. The official meeting would require signatures from 25 percent of the party’s Central Committee in order to take place. Williams has previously disputed whether or not the group had gathered enough signatures. Tuesday’s order included 113 names that appeared on the petition, enough to call the meeting.

“Defendants expressly stated that their request was made pursuant to Article VII, Section D.3 of the Bylaws,” the Judge Henderson wrote in Tuesday’s court order. “The disputes here at issue … are clearly internal controversies within the jurisdiction of the CRC to make a final determination. As such, in accordance with the above cited law, and as the Bylaws themselves recognize, this Court lacks jurisdiction to decide the questions of whether the EC’s determination that the June 26, 2024 call was invalid and illegal, and in turn – whether any meeting of the CRC is properly called or not.”

Williams had sued his critics, claiming the meeting was unauthorized and that any vote would be invalid. Watkins and Nancy Pallozzi, chair of the Jeffco GOP, are the defendants in the case.

A message to Central Committee members shared with CPR News by Williams said “The State Executive Committee has rendered a decision that Watkins' meeting is invalid and illegal. That has not changed, and its determination is still in full force and effect.”

“The court is simply unsure if it has jurisdiction to hear the merits of the dispute and is requiring both sides to file briefings about it before the court continues forward,” the statement said. “Your State Party will not sit idly by while Watkins violates proper process and procedure.”

Pressure has continued to build on Williams. Multiple Republican nominees for Congress signed a letter this month asking Williams to resign or face removal from office. Rep. Lauren Bobert had demanded Williams present a plan to support the state's general election candidates or leave his post. 

“The role of the court is not here,” Watkins said. “The very statute that they claim gave the court authority here … (its purpose) is to keep this type of party infighting out of the courtroom.” 

“We can handle this on our own. We don't need the courts and it's unfortunate and very disappointing that the state party decided to try to wage lawfare against its own members,” he continued.  

About 100 Republicans still gathered in Brighton last month to rally against Williams after they had been barred from officially meeting or voting by the court.

“Watkins does not get to call illegal meetings and then expand the scope of those fraudulent meetings while stealing the authority of the already existing standing committees that draft the rules or properly credential members,” Williams’ statement said.