RNC Chairman Candidate Gets Involved In The Kent Williams Situation

By Kleinheider Posted on January 16, 2009 at 11:07 am

A political action committee led by former Maryland Lt. Governor and RNC chairman candidate Michael Steele wants Speaker Kent Williams proverbial head on a plate for accepting the Democratic nomination for Tennessee house speaker — and the committee is putting its money where its mouth is. A press release from the TNGOP:

The installation by Democrats of Kent Williams as Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives this week despite losing the majority in the 2008 elections has galvanized Republicans not only across Tennessee but also across the country into action.

Today, GOPAC, the national Republican organization dedicated exclusively to electing Republicans to state and local offices, presented a financial contribution to the Tennessee Republican Party as a down payment on the effort to replace Mr. Williams with a representative who represents the people of Carter County honestly and who will not use deception and lies in order to advance his own personal political ambitions.

“GOPAC was honored to assist with the election of a Republican majority in the Tennessee House of Representative and looked forward to working with the Republican Caucus nominee for Speaker of the House,” said GOPAC Chairman Michael Steele. “The actions of Mr.. Williams in conspiring with Democrats to make him the Speaker and to elect a Democrat as Speaker Pro Tempore means our work continues for a governing Republican majority in the Tennessee House.

“To kick-off this effort, GOPAC is pleased to be the first contributor to the Tennessee Republican Party’s new project to elect a larger Republican majority and, in turn, the Republican Caucus nominee for Speaker of the House,” Steele said. “We urge citizens across the Volunteer State who want a conservative, common sense majority governing the State House to join us in contributing to the Tennessee Republican Party’s new project.”

“Kent Williams’ betrayal of his party through massive deception and conspiring with the leaders of the opposition, Jimmy Naifeh and Gary Odom, has energized and galvanized countless Tennesseans and Republicans across the nation who have pledged their commitment to electing a principled Republican to the Speaker’s post,” said Bill Hobbs, Communications Director for the Tennessee Republican Party. “The Tennessee Republican Party expresses its appreciation to GOPAC today for the first contribution from a national organization to that effort.

“GOPAC knows the way to defeat the corrupt politics that the Williams-Naifeh-Odom club epitomizes in Tennessee is to defeat Democrats who made this secret deal with Williams, and replace them with Republicans who deal honestly with each other and with the people of our great state,” Hobbs said.

In 2008, thanks to the support of the countless Tennesseans, Republicans won 14 non-incumbent legislative races en route to winning the first Republican majority in the legislature for the first time since the Civil War.

Rather than honor the will of the people in their historic decision to elect him and 49 other Republican candidates to the majority, Williams allowed himself to be installed by Democrats as Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives – despite making numerous promises and public statements of his intention to vote for the Republican Caucus nominee.

Tennesseans have been vocal and active in demonstrating their overwhelming disgust with Rep. Williams’ betrayal.

“It is an honor to stand with great folks and organizations committed to more than political position and power,” commented Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Robin Smith. “We have already begun to recruit and support candidates committed first to principles that serve this great state. We express sincerest thanks to GOPAC and others who are investing in our efforts.”

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Tags: Add new tag, Carter County, GOPAC, Kent Williams, Michael Steele, Speaker election