last updated: 2022-01-27 @ 15:08 MT • follow us on undeleted social media:
January 30, 2021 – 2:07 AM
FROM: Members of the El Paso County Executive Committee and Elected officials <concernedGOPvoter@gmail.com>
It is with deep sadness that we are sending this letter to you. We had hoped that we would not need to let you know what has been happening behind the scenes within the El Paso Republican Party. Unfortunately, Vickie Tonkins has chosen to run for re-election and has sent out emails that do not accurately portray what has happened during her administration.
We represent 61% of the El Paso County Executive Committee, including the current party Vice-Chairman, and 58% of the Republican elected officials. We represent all different factions within our party, and we stand united in urging you not to vote to re-elect Vickie Tonkins.
Linked here is an article that gives you background on some of what has happened during Vickie’s time as chairman. We will not repeat that information but instead let you know other facts that occurred that demonstrates her entire disregard for the bylaws and her inability to work well with others.
- While she claims to be a big Trump supporter, she in fact undermined the Trump campaign efforts in El Paso County, contributing to the biggest swing in votes against President Trump and other local Republican campaigns.
- Instead of working hard to get those last votes in on the Sunday and Monday before Election Day, as we traditionally do, she closed the office and then held a movie night at Republican headquarters the night before the general election during prime Get-Out-The-Vote calling time. Copy of flyer available upon request.
- Demanded the RNC and national Trump Campaign fire the local and regional staff and the State Director of the Trump Campaign in August of 2020. In this email she made allegations that were refuted by many other party leaders in the state and by statistical data such as number of doors walked and phone calls to voters.
- Had volunteers use black markers to block out information on official Trump campaign literature.
- Her failure to support the local Victory Team effort may be a contributing factor to Colorado Springs having the biggest swing against President Trump in the nation. Click here for reference.
- President Trump barely won El Paso County, receiving only 53% of the vote in one of the top 10 most Republican counties in the country! A 4% DECREASE over the 57% margin of victory in 2016.
- She attempted to interfere in House District and primary elections, in direct violation of our county bylaws.
- On multiple occasions, she has attempted to overstep her role as County Chairman by interfering in district leadership when there were vacancies. District organizations are separate legal entities under the State Republican Party per state statute and state party bylaws. The county party has no authority to designate someone to chair a district meeting or fill a vacancy. Her attempts to insert herself in these situations when they were already being handled in accordance with the districts’ bylaws resulted in the State Republican Party being contacted and much unnecessary distress to the district officers.
- Weighed in on an election controversy in Senate District 10’s assembly. Several people had filed statements in protest, so Vickie needlessly violated the county bylaws in order to send a letter of support for one candidate over another.
- While she boasts of donating to local candidates, she was forced to do it by the Executive Committee and the State Republican Party. She in fact opposed financially supporting our candidates in the three most hotly contested races in the county when the Executive Committee voted to do so. She only provided donations to Commissioner VanderWerf, now Rep. Mary Bradfield, and Rob Blancken when forced to do so under the terms of an arbitration agreement between Vickie and members of the executive committee which was arbitrated by the State Republican Party.
- She interfered and blocked the other county officers from doing their jobs.
- Refused to give the duly elected officers keys to the Headquarters, while providing keys to volunteers, including a volunteer who was convicted of felony embezzlement and child abuse. (Details here)
- Repeatedly messaged the Secretary telling her not to come into the Headquarters.
- Dismantled the desk of the Vice-Chair and turned her office into a storage room.
- Berated and denigrated the officers throughout her term in office, making the headquarters environment a place of strife and tension, and undermining team efforts to help Republican candidates win elections.
- She failed to protect the assets of the El Paso County Republican Party and its brand, in violation of the bylaws.
- Failed to institute standard safeguards to protect the financial assets of the organization. Under prior administrations, there was a “segregation of duties” to limit the potential for theft or fraud as required under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). However, Vickie allowed the treasurer to do everything, without even basic safeguards. She has allowed this to continue even after this issue was brought to her attention.
- Refused for months to provide copies of financial documents, including bank statements, to the Executive Committee members (June to August), and on at least two separate occasions scheduled meetings to produce the documents and then refused to do so. The bylaws require that these documents be available for inspection.
- Failed to provide to the Executive Committee a copy of the audit that was contracted for in August by a vote of the Executive Committee, despite repeated requests.
- Allowed some unknown person to take control the El Paso County Republican Party Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. It is unknown whether our social media accounts are currently controlled by a Republican or a Democrat. This could have simply been avoided had she just posted a notice on the accounts that all future posting would be made on MeWe, Gab and Parler, rather than closing the accounts thus allowing someone else to claim them.
- She has violated the bylaws and taken actions which resulted in the State Republican Party having to get involved.
- The State Party has had to ask her to remove several questionable postings on the county website.
- She continues to support and retain the county treasurer who went on a radio program on July 19, 2020, to call 17 elected Republican officials “racists”, and demanded their resignation. The Executive Committee voted to remove the county treasurer for these statements against Republican candidates and Vickie refused to comply.
- On August 2, 2020, the link to the treasurer’s statement attacking the Republican elected officials, many of whom were running for reelection, was posted on the County Republican Party website. Only two people had access to the website, Vickie, and the treasurer. The State Party was contacted and after 2 to 3 hours, the link was removed.
- She refused to recognize properly made motions at Executive Committee meetings.
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- Refused to hold a vote on a properly made motion by a State Senator.
- Stated she would not recognize any motions to amend the budget, in direct violation of Roberts Rules of Order and our Bylaws.
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- Hired an off-duty police officer to attend, in uniform, Executive Committee meetings and then used him to threaten Executive Committee members. In one instance, threatened a member with arrest because they kept one of the copies of the financial statement and budget that were handed out at the meeting.
- Held an illegitimate meeting of the Executive Committee. When it was brought to her attention that the meeting was in violation of the bylaws and alternatives were provided, she refused to change the meeting so that it would comply with the bylaws. Not only was this in violation of the bylaws, but it also violated the terms of the signed arbitration agreement.
You are probably wondering why you have not heard much about this and why no action has been taken to remove her from office. Over the course of this year, we attempted first to offer help, especially to the county treasurer. When those efforts failed, we could have held a central committee meeting to vote to remove her but decided that holding such a divisive meeting in the middle of the general election season would harm our Republican candidates. We instead turned to the State Party. They worked with Vickie and some of her supporters, and some members of the executive committee to arbitrate an agreement to move us through election day. As noted above, she has failed to fulfill most of the terms of the agreement.
This is why such an overwhelming majority of elected officials, executive committee members, and district officers are united in opposing Vickie Tonkins re-election.
Sincerely,
State Senator Larry Liston
State Senator Bob Gardner*
State Senator Dennis Hisey
State Senator Paul Lundeen
State Rep. Shane Sandridge
State Rep. Tim Geitner
State Rep. Terri Carver
State Rep. Mary Bradfield*
County Comm. Holly Williams
County Comm. Carrie Geitner
County Comm. Stan VanderWerf*
County Comm. Cami Bremer*
County Treasurer Mark Lowderman
CO State Board of Ed. Steve Durham
Mayor Don Wilson*
City Councilmember Wayne Williams*
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Wendy Miller, Vice-Chairman
Brenda Conrad, Bonus Member
Teresa Cheek, Bonus Member
Mary Elizabeth Fabian, Bonus Member
Tony Gioia, Bonus Members
Dylan Sparks, Bonus Member
Candy Boyer, Bonus Member
Tom Lavalley, Bonus Member
Julianne McPadden, Bonus Member
Matthew Moeller, Bonus Member
Jody Richie, Bonus Member
Missy Ward, Bonus Member
Eli Bremer, Bonus Member, SD 10 Chair
Kay Rendleman, Bonus Member, HD 20 Chair
Kit Roupe, Bonus Member, HD 17 Chair
DJ Alberts, SD12 Chair
Ed Dills, SD 2 Chair
Fred Little, CCD1 Chair
Ryan Graham, HD19 Chair
Aaron Salt, HD 14 Chair
Ditto,
Stephen VanDyke, Former Republican, Former Bonus Member, Fed up with Vickie’s lies, Built a site just to showcase her inept leadership*
ADDITIONALLY (use the form below to add your name)
Joan Lucia-Treese
Terry P Sullivans
Luellen Crane
Vickie trashed the El Paso County Republican brand
Imagine being your average moderate apolitical Coloradan voter…
You read this militia hyperbole being embraced by your local GOP after 1/6/2021…
Do you think they want to vote for that?
“Some activists say they fear all the infighting — and expensive legal bills — will drive away the party’s lifeblood, hundreds of volunteers who organize precincts, attend party functions and fill committees. Once those Republicans get tired of all the hullabaloo, one longtime party operative lamented, the only Republicans willing to put in the time will be the zealots.”
Has Tonkins helped? No, just gasoline on the flames!
“Tonkins insisted Wednesday that she had been simply raising a question to spur discussion, adding, ‘People get so offended these days.'”
Is this leadership? No, it is not!
