Invitation to Testify

I will, at this juncture, point out that as of April 23, 2013, "invitations" have been sent out to exactly three people: Deb Plowman (the "victor" of the illegitimate election for Chair of the Penobscot County Committee), Traci Gauthier (immediate past Chair of that Committee), and Bryan Daugherty (the former State Committeeman who filed the second appeal).

Amazingly, but not really surprisingly, State Republican Chair Rich Cebra did not "invite" the first appellant Ken Anderson, former State Committeewoman for Penobscot County Julie Morgan, or myself, former State Committee member at large for Penobscot County.

Should the parties that this communication is addressed to (Deb Plowman, Bryan Daugherty, Traci Gauthier) have any questions, issues of concern or additional items they feel should be investigated, please include those in addition to your written testimony.

As it turns out, those three invitees are free to invite others, but all must present themselves to the "hearing" of the panel in Augusta.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but all of the people who are in a position to testify live in Penobscot County, one to three hours north of Augusta. Why would they all be required to the inconvenience of that travel in order to be heard? Or in the words of Thomas Jefferson, describing a similar situation with King George III:

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

It seems a bit of extra work for something that is not going to rectify the position the Penobcscot County GOP finds itself in: an illegitimate County Chair, Deb Plowman, as the result of an illegal vote on January 17, 2013, which was itself the result of a vote by non-voting members to essentially suspend the bylaws and allow those same voters to vote in the upcoming election.

Our Invitation for Testimony

Any member or former member of the Penobscot County Republican Committee who wishes to is welcome to send their "testimony" to this site, and we will be happy to post it, and you can save yourself a drive to a closed "hearing" in Augusta.

Pertinent Links:

The official letter to the Maine Republican State Committee members, announcing Chairman Rich Cebra's intention to deny the actual appeal, appoint a non-binding "investigative committee" to look into the illegitimate election of the Penobscot County Committee's officers as well as the nomination for a replacement for Probate Judge Allan Woodcock's replacement

The email sent by Maine GOP Chair Rich Cebra inviting a total of three people to submit their testimony, and excluding as has become his habit, the original appellant, Ken Anderson

State Committee Facebook discussion about the response, begun March 20, 2013

Second but simultaneous State Committee Facebook discussion about the response, begun March 20 2013

The followup email sent by State Committee member Andy Torbett, emphasizing the hoops anyone who wishes to testify must clear.