Bucks GOP Sued For Alleged Reorg Violations — Barry Casper and 50 other Bucks County, Pa. Republican committee members are suing the county GOP and Chairwoman Pat Poprik for a byzantine series of screw-ups stemming from its June 25, 2022 reorganization.
The election, in which Pat kept power by beating back Barry’s challenge , is alleged to have been held without valid bylaws — an amazing bit of idiocy that we described here — and would have broken the bylaws purportedly in use anyway.
The plaintiffs are being represented by attorney Andy Teitelman of Huntingdon Valley.
The suit claims that without valid bylaws the rules should have defaulted to state law regarding how non-profit organizations elect officers.
This would have prohibited the casting of proxy votes.
Proxy votes determined the outcome of the 2022 election.
Also, a secret ballot would have been required as per Robert’s Rules of Order which is the gap-filler for items not specifically covered.
The election was by roll call.
The suit also says that if the bylaws used were legitimate, a secret ballot would have been required anyway, and the way the proxy votes were cast would also have been prohibited.
Proxy votes, actually, would have been prohibited for those party officers who were also elected to Executive Committee.
Also, prohibited would be the casting of votes by post-primary appointed committee people. Ms. Poprik appointed 50 committee persons in the weeks between the primary and June 25
The suit asks that:
- The June 2022 election be voided
- New bylaws be written by those who were committee members as of May 17, 2022
- All committee members and executives appointed by Ms. Poprik be removed from office
- The state party oversee county party operations until a reorganization meeting to elect new officers and executive committee in accordance with the new bylaws
- Current officers including Ms. Poprik not have any position of authority while the state GOP is in control.
Also named in the suit are Bucks GOP Vice Chairman Joseph A. Cullen, Secretary Joseph Pizzo; Treasurer David Breidinger, and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Colleen Strunk.
Also being sued are the state Republican Party, State GOP Chairman Lawrence Tabas, and the Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania.
Tabas and the state GOP are accused of wrongfully ignoring an ethics complaint filed by Casper regarding the Bucks bylaws and election.
The Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania is a name sometimes used by the State GOP.
Bucks GOP Sued For Alleged Reorg Violations
PAGOP , as personified by Bucks GOP, is a hot mess of establishment skullduggery and corruption. Tabas can whine about unity all he wants. It’s not happening in Bucks until the bylaws are made legitimate and Poprik is gone.