BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Oct. 9 Update: Idaho Republican Party responds

The Idaho Republican Party released a statement addressing six Ada County Republican Central Committee officers resigning, which can be read below:

The Idaho Republican Party was informed on Thursday evening that six officers of the Ada County Republican Central Committee resigned mere minutes before their regular meeting.
In doing so, the six officers leveled five accusations against the Idaho Republican Party. We categorically deny each of these accusations.
First, the Idaho Republican Party represents more than half a million voters throughout our wonderful state. We believe that the voters deserve to have as much information as possible before they cast their votes in the primary. County central committees have the option for their elected Precinct Committeemen to vet candidates and provide recommendations to voters, and they take that responsibility seriously.
Second, the state central committee has put in place rules to protect the integrity of the Republican primary. Crossover voting is a real problem, as high-profile figures encourage Democrats to register as Republicans to change the outcomes of our primary elections.
Third, central committees have a responsibility to hold elected officials accountable to Republican principles and the Idaho Republican platform. Elected officials work for the people, and if they affiliate as Republicans then they are obligated to support the platform. Voters deserve to know if their representatives are holding true to their promises and principles.
Fourth, county committees have long supported the operating expenses of the Idaho Republican Party. Unfortunately, some counties were not paying their fair share, forcing others to shoulder the burden. The former chairman of Ada County campaigned on the promise to have Ada County pay their fair share of dues. All 44 counties pay dues that go to support the day to day operation of the state party office, which is about 20% of the overall budget.
Fifth, the Idaho Republican Party is blessed with more grassroots involvement than ever. Thousands of volunteers have stepped up to serve as precinct committeemen, convention delegates, and ambassadors to their communities. The only “bullying” is coming from those who take to the pages of the mainstream media to attack fellow Republicans.
These accusations from the former officers are little more than projection and sour grapes from an old guard that is angry about losing their own power. The Idaho Republican Party will continue fighting for faith, family, and freedom, and representing everyone who stands for Idaho values.

Original story

Six executive officers have resigned from the Ada County Republican Central Committee, according to a press release sent out shortly before the county central committee's Thursday meeting.

The members include Chairman Victor Miller, First Vice Chair Megan Reichle, Second Vice Chair Travis Clyde, Third Vice Chair Barrett Tetlow, Treasurer Dave Litster, and State Committeewoman Kim Wickstrum.

The Ada County GOP's mission is to "promote Republican philosophy, build and strengthen the party from the grassroots up, and elect Republican candidates."

A detailed letter sent out to members of the Ada County Republican Central Committee outlines a list of accomplishments its members have made in the last three years, including recapturing all of the Ada County Commissioner positions, raising nearly $600,000 in donations and knocking on more than 70,000 doors on behalf of candidates.

The Ada County GOP leaders who have resigned point to five main reasons:

1. The Idaho GOP "no longer trusts the 575,000 registered Republican voters' ability to choose candidates in a primary and general elections and is moving towards the vetting and endorsement of candidates by small groups of party insiders."

2. The establishment of what the resigning officers call a "purity waiting period" to vote in party elections.

"Clearly and sadly, the State Party is on a path that no longer seeks to expand the size of the Republican Party but instead seeks to contract it through purity tests, making it difficult for voters to join us," they said in their letter.

They're referencing a new rule passed at this year's IDGOP summer meeting that requires voters affiliated with another political party in the previous year to wait another year to affiliate with the Idaho Republican Party.

3. Instead of permitting voters to reject candidates at the ballot box, a new IDGOP rule allows the party's state central committee, the legislative district committees and the county central committees to call into question the conduct of a Republican elected official if they go against the platform. The committee would need to give the official a chance to be heard. If substantive violations have occurred, the respective committee could censure and/or guide the official. For subsequent substantive violations, the party could remove its support and prohibit the official from using Republican party identifiers during their current term and future campaigns for five years. The rule in its entirety can be found here on page 4.

4. The resigning officers also take issue with the IDGOP's dues requirements.

The officers said in their letter that the party expects the counties to pay $250,000 in dues to the State Party, "but counties have not been told what they are paying for -- there is no financial transparency at the IDGOP level." They say that money could be used to help elect Republican candidates in the county.

"The State Party should support battleground counties, not financially drain them," they said.

5. The officers argue that the IDGOP "no longer embraces grassroots voters and candidates but has created a new oligarchy that values control, 'purity testing,' and bullying tactics that are un-Republican."

In their letter, they also argue several Ada County Central Committee members "have committed actions they knew would damage Ada County."

They say in their letter, "All the efforts to fight the effectiveness of the Ada County Central Committee have taken their toll and dismantled Idaho's strongest battleground county party," and that "the overall situation is no longer tenable."

The six members hope to see the IDGOP's tactics and intentions brought to light so the ship can be "righted."

According to state party rules, within 30 days, the state chairman will call a county central committee meeting to elect new officers.

A representative for the officers said they were not available for interviews.

This story was updated to reflect additional information sent to CBS2 from the resigning officers.