Utah's Little Tent Party

I don't profess to be an expert on fellow Utah Republican Mike Ridgway's history with the Party, but I have met him briefly and highly esteem his work.  That's not to say I agree with Mike's every position; yet part of his important mission is to try and keep our Party free from corruption, something important to me as a Republican--for when corruption is eventually exposed (as all evil eventually is) it results in a diminishing of our Party.  Mike has been through so many trials it amazes me his dedication to Party and principle.  Just one of many examples:  while running for the 1st Congressional seat in Utah, Ridgway amazingly was denied the opportunity to speak at the Salt Lake County GOP Convention despite other candidates having the opportunity (Youtube)

Blogger Right View Mirror revealed today that at Saturday's State Central Committee meeting in a closed door meeting (meaning no votes recorded by person) voted to ban Mike from virtually all GOP activity:

The SCC also voted to retreat into an executive session in order to consider a resolution (submitted by Thomas Clay) which would banish Republican Mike Ridgway from “attending, participating in, or running for URP office in any meeting of the URP, including URP Conventions, URP State Central Committee meetings, URP Executive Committee meetings, URP gatherings or events sponsored or hosted by the same.”  The resolution was originally submitted in January and debated for a while before being sent back to committee; it reappeared at Saturday’s meeting, where it passed.

What a small tent day it was indeed for a party so threatened by a fellow party activist that they had to in secret ban one of their own.  We've had elected Republicans in Utah skinny dip with minors in a hot tub and get thrown in jail for DUI's but they've never received equal punishment.  We've had RINOs who pay little attention to the platform they are to uphold not receive such banishment.  Why pick on a self-funded, lowly activist and patriot named Mike?  This resolution just makes me groan in disgust.

These secret actions Saturday by Utah's GOP leadership have the reverse effect of what they intend: in their excessive castigation they prove Mike's hypothesis that the party is indeed corrupt: for the state GOP central committee cannot tolerate the voice of a sole whistleblower anywhere remotely associated with them.  I do pray for a bigger tent Republican Party.