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Law must step down

Ongoing division among factions of the Trumbull County Republican Party continues and now is having some adverse effect on fundraising efforts to finance campaigns for party candidates.

That’s because some members of the faction opposing Randy Law’s leadership were refusing to attend Wednesday’s Lincoln Day fundraising dinner planned and organized by Law and an auxiliary group of the local GOP.

Questions still exist over whether Law’s chairmanship is legitimate after members of the local party’s executive committee met earlier this month — for the second time — to remove Law from his post as party chairman. They say they voted 18-0 in favor of his ouster.

It was like deja vu, however, because — also for the second time — Law claims technical issues make the vote invalid. This time Law says he adjourned the meeting before the vote was ever taken.

For the second time in recent months, police had to be called to a GOP meeting after frustrations began to heat up among party members.

Ultimately, a video of the executive committee meeting was sent to the Ohio Republican Party to ensure Law’s removal was done correctly, according to party member J.D. Williams, elected by party officials to take over as first vice chairman, replacing John Blue who had resigned.

And now the state party is investigating the matter. That, too, is like deja vu because the state party also had to intervene in earlier disputes about local party leadership. Members of the Ohio Republican Party state central committee in Columbus met in February to settle the local party leadership dispute, ruling at that time Law remained chairman of the Trumbull County Republican Party, but local party bylaw changes he had implemented were not legitimate.

And so the saga continues.

In the meantime, Law last week sent emails promoting the Lincoln Day fundraising dinner in which Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine was scheduled as guest speaker. Law listed himself as party chairman in the email, but other party officials say since he has been removed, they will vote next week on his replacement.

Now the two factions can’t even seem to agree how the money raised by the dinner will be spent.

Williams said he does not know how the money being raised will be used. Law said it will be placed in the Trumbull County Republican Party Club’s account to be used for GOP candidates.

Party operations have become the butt of jokes, and leadership is non-existent.

In order to halt the embarrassment and for the good of the party, it’s time for Law to step down.

editorial@tribtoday.com

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