Nothing starts a conversation like a blog that questions the appropriateness of “party leaders” names appearing on mailers paid for by one candidate in a primary of several. Maybe not?
In this case it was necessary.
And, to play into my lede, there was a good deal of conversation at the link above and over on the Grok Facebook page, with regard to what, in these circumstances, would violate what by laws and how the perception matters, regardless of whether it violated any by laws or not.
In the end, I decided to go with this response to clear things up. Readers are welcome to pursue the links provided and ask questions at their own town committee meetings…
The NH GOP bylaws clearly state who should maintain primary neutrality. They are the Officers of the State Committee as spelled out in the bylaws in Article 2. County, City and Town Chairs are not officers of the NH GOP. Some may be on the E-Board but they are not officers according to the NH GOP bylaws.
Here is the link. http://nhgop.org/about/by-laws
For some of the individuals you mentioned. Their local committee bylaws govern primary neutrality as it relates to them
1. Jim Foley and his Vice Chair:
The Derry Republican Town Committee Bylaws have no primary neutrality requirements. So they are off the hook.
http://derryrepublicans.org/derry-republican-committee-by-laws/
2. Kerry Marsh : Spectrum marketing is all over this one too. All she has to do is declare to her committee in Concord that she is involved in this race. Check Article 8 Concord City GOP bylaws.
http://concordnhgop.com/about-us/
3. Bruce Breton: I don’t know what Windham’s bylaws say. If there is a primary neutrality requirement, Breton should resign or be removed by the members of the Windham GOP
Not every Chair is restricted in primaries. It depends on what the committee bylaws say in the committees they chair.
Windham’s town committee by laws are not online, if they even have any. The Windham Town Committee page is under the Rockingham county site, and is out of date. The link to the RCRC by laws is dated 2010 and makes no reference to Town Chairs that I could see. In the absence of a neutrality requirement, none exists, no harm no foul.
Perhaps Town committees should bring it up, vote on it, make public that decision, and then put it to bed?
