There Are Two “I”s In Kent Williams But No “R”s
Posted on January 13, 2009 at 7:49 pmAnd the TNGOP will be making sure there are none after the name either:
State Rep. Kent Williams’ tenure as a self-proclaimed Republican Speaker is likely to be very short-lived, as a challenge to his status as a bona fide Republican is already moving forward at a fast pace.
Eighteen members of the Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committee have signed a written document, presented tonight to Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Robin Smith, challenging the “bona fide” status of Rep. Kent Williams as a Republican.
The action, which triggers a review under Party bylaws, comes after Williams broke his signed oath (and multiple verbal promises reported in various media and made to various Republican lawmakers and party officials even as recently as Tuesday morning) to vote for the House Republican Caucus nominee for Speaker, Rep. Jason Mumpower.
“Williams put personal ambition ahead of honor and lied his way into the Speaker’s chair,” said Bill Hobbs, Communications Director for the Tennessee Republican Party. “Elected by Republican voters in the historic 2008 elections that saw Republicans win a majority of House seats for the first time since 1868, Rep. Williams chose to betray his party and his constituents. Party bylaws – which Williams was aware of - provide a clear and straightforward process for the challenge to Williams’ status as a bona fide Republican as a result of his actions today. We expect the process will move quickly.”
If Williams is stripped of his status as a member of the Republican Party, he will not be permitted to run on the Republican ballot in 2010.
Upon entering a reception these evening, committee members presented their challenges pursuant to the Tennessee Republican Party Bylaws. “Action will begin immediately to address the actions of Rep. Kent Williams,” responded Robin Smith, TN Republican Party Chairman. “His commitment today was not to Republican Principles, but to the blind and shameless pursuit of personal power. He cast his vote for a Pro-Tax, Pro-Gay, Pro-Abortion, Anti-Gun Liberal Democrat to preside in leadership against all 49 of his Republican colleagues.”
“This challenge will move swiftly to honor the character and integrity of the 49 members of the Republican House Caucus who stand committed to the Republican principles and the voters who support them. Acting like Ronald Reagan in Carter County but Jimmy Carter in the Capitol has resulted in an official challenge of Mr. Williams’s status as a Party member,” Smith said. “I look forward to the work ahead with our state leadership to strengthen our party, grow our party and honor the wishes of Tennesseans by electing a true Republican as Speaker of the Tennessee House.”
“If Rep. Williams is stripped of his membership in the Republican Party in a process in accordance with the bylaws of the Tennessee Republican Party, the Party will insist that Speaker Williams no longer be referred to in media accounts or state government websites as a Republican,” Hobbs said.
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15 Responses to “There Are Two “I”s In Kent Williams But No “R”s”
Oh, the hypocrisy of these GOP people is sickening. When Kurita did it, it was a “vote of conscience”…when Williams does it to them , they make a wittle fat lip and get all saddy sad.
“the Party will insist that Speaker Williams no longer be referred to in media accounts or state government websites as a Republican,”
Ooooooooohhh, big threats from Hobbsie.
Maybe Jason should have read fewer comics and more of the Prince. What a bunch of clowns.
Williams will live the rest of his life referred to as dishonorable, a disgrace and a traitor. The Democrats won’t mind much as they are just using him. When Benedict Arnold escaped to Great Britain, even the English shunned him. What a fool.
Voters understand electing Republicans & Democrats to office but they dont like inside partisan politics.
Ousting the Speaker from the Republican Party will smack of inside partisan politics & the voters won’t like it one bit.
We got problems in this state & all the Republican Party’s worried about is vindictive got cha partisan politics.Do you really think the voters care if the speaker has a R or an I by his name?
Cut your nose off to spite your face if you want.It will feel good for a second until you realize you have cut the oxgen off for 2010.
What Bill said.
That laundry list of Things Robin Smith Hates sounds like a crazy person ranting on the street.
Why, why, why don’t they figure out a way to help people, rather than run them down?
[...] bitter retaliation, Robin Smith declared Williams a pariah of the GOP. Smith expelled Williams. Who is now a [...]
The Tennessee Republican Party deserves nothing less than this disgrace. What a gang of crackpot racists, extremists, homophobes and buffoons. Think of how badly they would have ruined this state had they put their Mullah Omar Mumpower in charge.
I’m no fan of Naifeh. But I’ll take an insider Yellow Dog Democrat over a Taliban GOP thug any day.
The only reason this mess happened is because the majority of Tennessee voters have been cheated by Democratic-engineered gerrymandering that has kept the Democrats in control of a red state for many years. Otherwise, the state legislature would reflect a logical, fair drawing of districts and, consequently, the wishes of the majority of voters in this state — Republican control. As it is, elections of “representatives” are a joke in this state for the most part, and we continue as the Banana Republic of Tennessee.
Few Tennesseans grasp the nature or even the reality of their captivity.
The buffoon is Williams: He was seduced by the carrot of “Speaker Williams” by Democrats who could not abide by the voters’ wishes. They took advantage of a dimwitted RINO in order to retain power. Lust for power will do irrepairable damage to more than just the pawn. If he didn’t want to support Mumpower as Speaker, then he should not have repeatedly pledged to do so. Then he would have remained, at the very least, honorable. But to break his word/pledge/oath of support is dishonorable, and proves that he cannot be trusted. He has undercut his authority as Speaker by doing so. A leader, he is not. Nor does he honor the wishes and trust of his constituents.
Having said that, I don’t think that it is wise on the part of the Republican caucus to oust him: that will only serve to alienate him further, and shut the Republicans out even more. That would effectively be cutting off your nose to spite your face. They would be much wiser to use what influence they have to keep him in the fold as much as possible. Leave the election of 2010 in the hands of his constituents. He prophetically stated that he didn’t think that he would win his next election. He knows he has traded his proverbial birthright for a pot of porridge.
Notwithstanding what may have happened to Benedict Arnold, Speaker Williams is a welcome guest in my home anytime. I would imagine that most Democrats across the state feel exactly the same way.
When I asked my state representative why he ran and what his goals were he said, “to win” not to “represent the people.” Not to “help the state of Tennessee” but “TO WIN.” The Republicans have been high stepping it around here since they won the majority in November, and don’t for a minute think they were not meeting in secret places working out secret deals, I know for a fact they were. All of them Dem or Rep were elected and sent to do a job - not to win at playground war games. That being said, I’ve been laughing about it since yesterday.
So Rosalind Kurita was a courageous hero and Kent Williams is a lying traitor. You can’t have it both ways guys. You are reaping what you sowed. Deal with it.
Well, if it isn’t Stacey Campfield groupie Donna Locke. Hey Donna, if I post something in Spanish will your head explode?