Mixed Messages from Chairman McKoon on Accountability Resolutions

We were very pleased that GA GOP Chairman Josh McKoon appointed the members of the convention Resolutions Committee who passed the resolutions censuring Speaker Jon Burns and instructing the GA GOP to not allow Brad Raffensperger to re-qualify in a Republican primary. In particular, Resolutions Committee Chairwoman Suzi Voyles and State Rep. Noelle Kahaian (R-Henry), GRA members on the committee, were instrumental in seeing these passed out of the committee and brought to the convention floor.

The Raffensperger resolution passed the committee by a margin of 9 to 6. But the Burns censure resolution passed unanimously. We appreciate all of the support from the Resolutions Committee!

The delegates on Saturday collectively said “enough is enough” and instructed the employees and agents of the GA GOP to protect the Republican brand by not allowing Georgia’s current Secretary of State Raffensperger to have a spot on our next primary ballot. 

This resolution was a last resort after Republican activists had tried every possible way to express their concerns and work with the SOS to establish secure, transparent elections. The Republican Party has received intense opposition instead of assistance from the Secretary of State.

Many GRA members voted for Josh McKoon’s re-election as the GA GOP Chairman this past Saturday because of his show of support for accountability through these resolutions passed by his appointed committee.

However, since the state convention adjourned, Georgia Republicans have received some mixed messages from Chairman McKoon on this subject.

Yesterday multiple news outlets reported that Chairman McKoon had made a statement suggesting he probably would not enforce the resolution the delegation passed, and would allow Raffensperger to qualify in spite of the delegates’ instructions.

This is concerning since, according to the GA GOP Rules, the Chairman has no choice other than to obey the mandate of the delegation in the Raffensperger resolution. Section 5.1 of the GA GOP rules state clearly that the Chairman “shall perform the duties required … by the state convention.” This is one of those duties.

The state convention instructed McKoon to “refuse to qualify or allow to be qualified Brad Raffensperger…”. Josh McKoon has no discretion to not follow the explicit instructions of the state convention because the rules explicitly say he must “perform the duties of the state convention.”

Those who falsely believe that “Resolutions are not motions that are binding,” should read Roberts Rules of Order sections 59:67 and 10:13, which also governs the GA GOP. Indeed, since the mandate of the GA GOP Executive Committee to block Duncan was also made in the form of a resolution, Chairman McKoon already manifestly knows this is not true.

For the last four years, the Establishment of the GA GOP has fought against the GRA passing this Raffensperger resolution. Why would they have worked so hard to prevent it from passing at a state convention if resolutions are of no effect? Answer: They wouldn’t.

Chairman McKoon addressed the question of blocking wayward candidates from the primary ballot at our State Endorsement Convention, which you can see the video recording of here. He warned that attempting to block a candidate from running would require facing litigation from the candidate, but he never said he was unwilling to pursue that litigation. He has made similar statements on other occasions.

If the GA GOP takes this bold stand for election integrity by blocking Brad Raffensperger, this would likely inspire many election integrity loving Trump supporters to donate in support of the legal battle.

Grassroots Republicans love to see someone aggressively oppose corruption and the GA GOP would likely have no problem raising funds to pursue that litigation to defend the freedom of association. We predict Republicans will rally together just as we did to protect the alternate electors from 2020. We at the GRA pledge to back that effort.

Does Chairman McKoon think that this kind of blocking of a candidate from qualifying in the primary would be illegal? Apparently not, because he also yesterday morning put out a statement expressing his support for the Catoosa County GOP’s lawsuit against their RINO county commissioners:

We applaud Chairman McKoon for making this statement in support of the Catoosa GOP and their legal exercise of their First Amendment rights to “freedom of association,” but we encourage him to be consistent.

Georgia’s state code cannot supersede constitutional law. The state law must be interpreted in light of constitutional law, and constitutional law vests private entities like political parties with a right of association that cannot be undermined by statutory code. The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed this multiple times in recent decades.

However, this above statement from Chairman McKoon does seem to somewhat contradict his statement being broadcast yesterday morning by the news. If the Catoosa GOP’s legal position has merit, then so does a similar effort by the GA GOP to block Raffensperger from the primary ballot.

We expect Chairman Josh McKoon to fulfill his duties as the GA GOP Chairman and to enforcethe expressed will of the GA GOP State Convention delegates.

The GRA hereby calls on Chairman McKoon to protect the reputation of the Georgia Republican Party from an elected government official who lacks integrity and does not share our commitment to accurate elections. 

We pledge to stand by him and support him in fulfilling that duty in every way possible when qualifying starts next March.