New Hampshire: Entrenching the Purple State? - Granite Grok

New Hampshire: Entrenching the Purple State?

Gary Whitehill - NHGOP Headshot

For the past 20 weeks, NHGOP Chair Steve Stepanek has actively encouraged Elliot Gault to remain both the Executive Director and Assistant Secretary of the NHGOP. The Executive Director is a salaried, hired, non-voting position. The Assistant Secretary is a non-compensated voting officer elected to the NHGOP Executive Committee. NHGOP State Bylaws  Article IV Section 3 (Compensation) and 5 (Conflict of Interest) are clear as the sky is blue: whoever is paid cannot vote, and vice versa:

Compensation:

The State Chairman may be paid such compensation as the Executive Committee approves, and shall be the only compensated officer of the State Committee.

Those members appointed to the Executive Committee by the Chairman shall not have a vote with respect to the salary of the Chairman.

All other members of the Executive Committee shall receive no compensation for attending regular or special meetings or for services rendered to the State Committee.

Conflict of Interest:

To avoid a conflict of interest or the appearance of impropriety, a member of the Executive Committee of the Republican State Committee shall not participate in nor be present for any matter in which they, their spouse, or dependent has a private interest that may directly or indirectly affect or influence the performance of their duties. Further, a member shall not disclose or use confidential or privileged information acquired in the performance of their duties for personal benefit or financial gain. The Executive Committee may vote to remove from office any person who violates these provisions. (Also see Article I Sec. 4a)


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During February’s NHGOP Executive Committee meeting, instead of leading with integrity by immediately asking Elliot to resign as Assistant Secretary, Mr. Stepanek recited his interpretation of the Bylaws’ intent, rather than what is clearly written. When the group majority challenged this interpretation, Mr. Stepanek proposed selecting individuals himself for a “special counsel.” No personally selected special counsel is necessary. Especially when it is Mr. Stepanek’s judgment itself that is in question.

If there is any doubt why New Hampshire is becoming entrenched as a purple state, Mr. Stepanek’s continued behavior demonstrates how easily unethical party anti-leadership rears its head and speaks against the Republican Party’s interest.

Does Mr. Stepanek understand his actions directly contribute to our State devolving into deep purple?

Why did he lobby to decide his salary as well as 10% of all funds raised by the NHGOP go into his pocket?

Why does he refuse to retain official and impartial legal counsel?

Any reasonable, rational, and Bylaw-abiding Republican should be concerned by the fundamental disrespect continually exhibited by Mr. Stepanek.

Moral courage matters.

Gary Whitehill
Colebrook, NH

BIOGRAPHY: Gary is a 9th Generation Yankee Constitutional Republican running for State Representative in Coos County District 3.

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