Minutes of the September 17, 2024 meeting of the Bonner County Republican Central Committee .
Bonner County Republican Central Committee
Regular Meeting September 17th, 2024 1855 Hrs
Ponderay Events Center
Agenda emailed to members:
1. Call to Order
2. Invocation
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Roll Call
5. Collection of venue fee offerings. Announce email sign-ups/outreach.
6. Approval of Agenda
7. Approval of regular meeting minutes of August 20, 2024
8. Elected official reports: State, county, local government.
9. LD2 Chair or vice chair report.
10. PC Reports/Announcements
11. Report of The Chair
12. Discussion of recording equipment for meetings and other events.
13. RCV efforts.
14. Committee reports:
i) Bylaws committee
ii) Elections committee
iii) Executive committee
iv) Fundraising committee
v) Rules and resolutions committee
vi) Search committee
15. Republican Party Officers:
a. LD1 Chair – Cornel Rasor
b. Treasurer’s Report – Kathy Nash
c. State Committeeman – Dan Vaniman
d. State Committeewoman – Julie Lynn
e. State Youth Committeewoman – Hannah Herndon
16. Republican Clubs
a. BCRWI
17. Unfinished Business
18. New Business
19. Adjournment
Chair Herndon called the regular meeting to order at 1855 and asked for unanimous consent to recognize the roll call from the Special Meeting that took place immediately before the regular meeting. Unanimous consent approved.
6. Agenda: Kristen Dodd made a motion to amend the agenda, by moving item #12 to be taken up after item #14. Agenda approved as amended.
7. Minutes approved as presented.
14 ii) Elections Committee:
Kristen Dodd presented a slate card of candidates for the Nov. 5th, 2024 general election, with a potential budget of $2500 for texting, slate cards and social media.
The slate card included:
LD2: Phil Hart Senator, Heather Scott Rep. 2A, Dale Hawkins Rep. 2B.
LD1: Cornel Rasor
County: Ron Korn D3 Commissioner, Brian Domke D1 Commissioner, Louis Marshall, Prosecutor. Daryl Wheeler, Sheriff and Dennis Engelhardt, Assessor.
Tom Bokowy made a motion to add Jim Woodward, Mark Sauter and Russ Fulcher to the slate card. Seconded by Dan Vaniman.
Anne Chamberlain made a motion to have the votes cast by ballot, on the three names. Seconded by Kathy Nash. Steve Rezac called the question. Chair Herndon was in doubt of the voice vote, roll call vote taken resulting in 18 ayes and 14 nays.
Doug Paterson and Mike Fife verified the votes, which were as follows:
Endorse Donald Trump for President and No on Prop. 1: 31 ayes, 3 nays
Endorse Jim Woodward for State Senator: 9 ayes and 24 nays
Endorse Mark Sauter, Seat 1A: 23 ayes, 11 nays
Endorse Russ Fulcher, US House of Representatives: 28 ayes, 6 nays.
Motion to add HJR 005 (Only US citizens may vote in any election in Idaho) to the slate. Motion approved.
Motion to spend up to $2500 on social media, texts and slate cards. Motion approved unanimously.
iii) Executive Committee approved the expenditure of up to $3000 on “No on Prop 1” on Sept. 9th, 2024. Doug Paterson moved to ratify the approval. Unanimous approval.
V) Rules and Resolutions: Steve Rezac presented a “Commitment to Life” resolution.
Dan Vaniman made a motion to amend the resolution by removing the second paragraph “Whereas the Republican Party, at it’s own foundation…….etc.” Butch Horton seconded the motion. Motion was defeated by a nay vote.
Hannah Herndon made a motion to amend the resolution by adding, to the last clause, “right to life no matter the circumstances of conception”. Jane Purdy seconded the motion,
After vigorous debate, Rick Kirschner called the question, Dan Vaniman seconded the motion. In a vote of 29 ayes and 4 nays, debate was ended.
Cornel Rasor moved to approve the resolution, Anne Chamberlain seconded the motion, in a roll call vote the resolution was passed as follows:
Ayes: Anita Aurit, Rick Kirschner, Butch Horton, Anne Chamberlain, Dimitri Borisov, Mark Montani, Jeff Connolly, Doug Paterson, Ron Korn, Kim Peckham, Mike Fife, Tanner Linton, Jane Purdy, Sean Morgan, Cornel Rasor, Kristin Dodd, Scott Herndon, Nathan Thomas, Lana Santelli, Roger Rudd, Steve Rezac, Kathy Nash, Cathy Fahrig, Hannah Herdon, Julie Lynn, Daniel Vaniman (26)
Nays: David Britton, Mark Sauter, Mike Nielsen, Andy Kee, Tom Bokowy (5)
Abstain: Thomas Cleveland, Mat MacDonald, Grace Bauer (3)
Absent: Richard Townsend
The motion approving the “Commitment to Life” Resolution passed and reads as follows:
RESOLUTION AFFIRMING THE BONNER COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE’S COMMITMENT TO LIFE
WHEREAS, The Declaration of Independence, in its essential statement of rights that precede the institution of government, states that all human beings are created equal and endowed by the Creator with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;
WHEREAS, The Republican Party, at its own foundation, declared in the original platform of 1856 that it embraced a public order that rejected “the twin relics of barbarism,” polygamy and slavery;
WHEREAS, The Republican Party has borne witness to these principles, for more than a century and a half, defending life, family, and equal justice under the law for all Americans irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion, color, sex, or creed;
WHEREAS, In 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States exceeded its authority and issued an opinion contrary to the life-protective laws enacted by the 50 states, Congress, and the territories [1];
WHEREAS, The Republican Party, in its 1976 national platform, declared its support for the efforts of those “who seek to restore “protection for the right to life of unborn children’”;
WHEREAS, The national Republican Party has consistently reiterated statements of support for the right to life of unborn children under our Constitution, envisioning the fostering and building of a nation where unborn children are welcomed in life and protected in law;
WHEREAS, The national Republican Platform of 2004 made clear that the Republican Party embraces the idea that “the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. Our purpose is to have legislative and judicial protection of that right against those who perform abortions”;
WHEREAS, After nearly five decades of advocacy and action by our Party against the judicial tyranny of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court in the Dobbs decision rightfully corrected its error, and it is now up to the people of the United States to debate and decide through their elected officials in the states, and in Congress;
WHEREAS, Idaho barred abortion in defense of life for 110 years, from 1863 to 1973;
WHEREAS, The Idaho state legislature passed the Defense of Life Act which went into effect August 25, 2022;
WHEREAS, The Bonner County Republican Central Committee is proud to stand up for the rights of the unborn and to ensure that public policy at all levels – federal, state, local, and in the private sector – recognizes and respects both the right to life of the unborn and the role that women play in every walk of American life as leaders, citizens, and mothers;
WHEREAS, The Democratic Party has fallen away from the convictions that once led one of its great leaders, Governor Robert Casey of Pennsylvania, to urge that we “extend the mantle of protection again to every member of the human family, including the unborn”;
WHEREAS, That the Democratic Party is now extreme, supporting abortion on-demand, up until birth, paid for by the taxpayer, putting their candidates far outside the mainstream;
WHEREAS, Federal policy supports the goals of protecting both mothers and babies in the womb, including measures our Party has strongly championed, including the Hyde Amendment, the Child Health Insurance Program, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, and other measures, none of which has ever been struck down by the Supreme Court; and
WHEREAS, The Democratic Party and its allies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the issue of abortion during and since the 2022 midterms, including the current election cycle, concealing their extremism while mischaracterizing and vilifying pro-life Republican candidates [2];
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Bonner County Republican Central Committee affirms its proud heritage against abortion, and affirms its support of pro-life candidates, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Bonner County Republican Central Committee affirms the Idaho Defense of Life Act, and urges Republican lawmakers in the Idaho state legislature to protect and pass the strongest pro-life legislation possible, laws that acknowledge the right to life regardless of the circumstances of conception, as referenced in the state and federal constitutions, and that acknowledge the beating hearts and experiences of pain in the unborn – underscoring the relics of barbarism the Democratic Party represents.
[1] Roe v. Wade
[2] www.pbs.org/newhour/politics/planned-parenthood-to-spend-40-million-ahead-of-november-on-democrats-supporting-abortion-rights
• www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/24/opinion/ads-abortion-election-2024.html
• www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/05/29/house-democrats-abortion-rights-campaign
#12 Steve Rezac made a motion to go to Executive Session, Kristen Dodd seconded the motion, motion approved.
Doug Paterson made a motion to leave executive session, motion seconded by Mike Nielsen.
Chair Scott Herndon will appoint a non-standing committee to investigate professional recording of the monthly meeting.
Mike Nielsen made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Kathy Nash. Meeting adjourned at 10:37 p.m.