An El Paso county judge ruled that a vote by some Republican party officials to remove Colorado GOP Chair Dave Williams from his position was invalid.
The ruling comes amid legal wrangling between Williams and Eli Bremer, the man picked to replace him at that August gathering, over who leads the state Republican party.
In making his determination on a motion to dismiss the case, Judge Eric Bentley concluded bluntly that Bremer and his supporters’ “claim to have ousted the Williams faction fails, as Plaintiffs did not have the votes required by the CRC’s Bylaws.”
The CRC is the Central Republican Committee, a 414-member body made up of elected officials, party organizers and activists. Colorado GOP rules state that the central committee can remove any party officer at any time for whatever cause, “by a vote of three-fifths of the entire membership of the CRC eligible to vote at a meeting called for that purpose.”
Bremer’s side interpreted that phrase to mean 60 percent of the CTC members present at a given meeting are all that is needed to remove the party chair. Williams argued — and the judge agreed — that the vote must be 60 percent of all voting members of the committee.
To make his ruling, Bentley took a close reading of the party bylaws and parsed the grammar of the disputed sentence. He described the language as less than clear but concluded that Williams’ interpretation was the more “straightforward” one.
“The reference to the ‘entire membership’ signifies the seriousness with which the drafters appear to have considered the prospect of a vote to remove any of the CRC’s elected officers before completion of their two-year term,” wrote Bentley.
While the ruling does not end the case, which is slated for a two-day trial next month, it does appear to address the key question at the heart of the issue: Is Dave Williams the legitimate head of the Colorado GOP, or has that title moved to Bremer?
Bremer could appeal, but the situation may not be resolved until after the November election, leaving Williams as chair in both name and powers during this crucial time. Some Republican candidates, however, complain that the party, torn apart by infighting, has done little to help their campaigns.
Bremer told CPR News that the ruling was unexpected and didn’t appear very logical. He said he’s talking with his lawyers and “evaluating the options going forward.”
“I would not expect anything for probably a couple of days, based on the conversations we’re having with our attorneys,” said Bremer.
The state party, whose social media accounts are controlled by Williams and his allies, wasted no time in celebrating the ruling
“We're thrilled to share groundbreaking news with all our supporters,” the account posted on X. “This decision dismantles the opposition’s entire case. We are still standing strong, and with your support, we'll keep pushing forward for the values we all share!”
CPR News reached out to Williams about the ruling. He responded with a link to his statement on the party website, which reads in part, “Please know that your true State Party Officers will seek all legal accountability, in and out of court, against Watkins, Bremer, and those who worked in the shadows to sow chaos and orchestrate an unlawful coup against the majority will.”
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