Another NC Republican Blasts Central Committee

By Daniel Rufty, NCGOP 12th District Chairman

Dear Fellow Republican,

For the past couple of weeks, I have tried my best to ignore the attacks against me and my character. I have ignored dozens of media interview requests in an effort to minimize the damage to our Party. I have been bombarded by Tom Stark and other Central Committee members, and I cannot sit back and ignore it any longer.

I got into politics here in North Carolina immediately after I was medically retired from the U.S. Army in 2009. I served four honorable years, and I loved every minute of it. The Army instilled core values into me: honor, integrity, loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, and personal courage. These are the values that I rely on when life gets tough. My plans were to make a career in the Army, but after serving four years, my career was interrupted by an injury that I received while on duty.

When I joined the Army, I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United State of America. I take that oath very seriously. I got involved in politics because I saw our God given rights being eroded by our over reaching Federal Government. I could not sit back and watch my country be destroyed. I had to do something.

Shortly after beginning my involvement in the North Carolina Republican Party, I was elected as the 12th District Chairman. I am now serving my second term. I love this Party, and love serving the people in it. I wish we could all be adults, and move past this garbage that is destroying our Party.

Tom Stark and the Central Committee are dead set on destroying anyone in their way. Hasan Harnett is one of the most honest and humble men I know. I hate seeing such a good man being destroyed by people in his own party. It is despicable.

What evidence do they have against Chairman Harnett?

They have a statement from an admitted hacker. It is ludicrous to paint this hacker as a hero as Tom Stark has tried to do. Tom Stark said that Ken Robol’s statements were “honorable.” There is nothing honorable about soliciting the hacking of our NC GOP website, and trying to set up our State Chairman. I served my Country next to some of the greatest men that ever stepped foot on this earth. I know a hero when I see one, and Ken Robol is far from it.

Ken Robol contacted Michele Nix, Chairman Harnett and I soliciting the hacking of the NC GOP website. Attached are the screenshots of all three of our conversations with Robol. Vice-Chairwoman Nix, Chairman Harnett, nor I ever ordered Ken Robol to hack into the website. These claims by Ken Robol and Tom Stark are bald faced lies.

I cannot think of a more discredited witness than an admitted hacker. Hacking into a website is illegal, no matter what the purpose is. No reasonable person in their right mind would believe Robol’s statement.
Tom Stark and the Central Committee are basing their entire witch hunt against Chairman Harnett on a hacker’s statement. That is ridiculous. Ask yourself, would someone that fully intended on hacking into a website, and in fact solicited the hacking of the website, run immediately to Tom Stark General Counsel to make a statement? You would be a fool to believe that story.

I say put up or shut up. If Chairman Harnett did something illegal, then call the F.B.I. If not, then shut up. This witch hunt is destroying our chances of winning the Presidency, and the Governorship.

Tom Stark is our General Counsel. The NC GOP General Counsel should be a person of the utmost character and professionalism. The General Counsel should be objective in their analysis of internal issues, and base his opinion on facts. Tom Stark’s public statement against Chairman Harnett lacks any factual basis, and is full of name calling and speculation. Calling other Republican “confederates” is very disrespectful and unprofessional. His public attacks against our Republican leader are unbecoming of the office he holds.

Many of you received a letter in the mail from Tom Stark paid for by the North Carolina Republican Party. This is an egregious way of using our Party funds. I have donated thousands of dollars to the Party, and to think my money has been used to further this infighting is outrageous. Our money should be going to help get Republicans elected, not further one’s agenda on kicking a fellow Republican leader out of our Party.

I was censured on March 20th along with Chairman Harnett. I wear that as a badge of honor. I am ashamed to be a part of such a dishonest group of people. They lie, cheat, and twist the plan of organization to fit their agenda. What they are doing to our Chairman is despicable.

Still to this day, I have not been told why I was censured. My remarks were short in the Central Committee meeting. I called the Central Committee meeting on March 20th out of order at the beginning of the meeting because they failed to properly notify all Central Committee members with the required 10 day notice. Tom Stark proceeded to do a verbal gymnastic routine around our Plan of Organization to call the meeting notice in order. I have contacted two certified parliamentarians, and they both agree that the notice requirement were not adhered to properly.

Robert Rules of Order 11th Edition:
“If improper conduct by a member of a society occurs elsewhere than at a meeting, the members generally have no first-hand knowledge of the case. Therefore, if disciplinary action is to be taken, charges must be preferred and a formal trial held before the assembly of the society…” Pg. 649

‘Formal Notification Of The Officer Or Member:
Secretary immediately sends to the accused, by a method providing confirmation of delivery to his address (such as registered mail with delivery confirmation), a letter notifying him of the date, hour, and place of the trial containing an exact copy of the charge(s) and specifications with the date of their adoption, and directing him to appear as cited-even if the accused officer or member was present when the resolutions were adopted.’ Pg. 663

Neither Chairman Harnett nor I were ever formally notified of the trial the Central Committee was going to carry out against us. Robert Rules of Order states that the accused in a disciplinary trial must be duly notified and that there be a fair hearing. Neither of these occurred making the censures invalid. In America we believe in due process. We believe that the accused should have a chance to plead their case. What the Central Committee did was unAmerican. Accusing a man of something in his absence is cowardly.

The establishment wants to kick out all grassroots Republicans from our party. That is the real reason why they set the $90 delegate fee. They want control and power, and the less people involved in our party the easier it is to control.

I will continue to stand with our Chairman, and fight for what is right. They can continue to trash my good name, but it is not going to scare me away.

God bless,

Daniel Rufty
12th District Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel Rufty is a US Army Veteran and small business owner.  Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Political Science (dual major) from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  Daniel lives with his wife and two children in Charlotte, and holds the office of NCGOP 12th District Chairman.

 

 

Daniel Rufty isn’t the only one upset with Tom Stark and the NCGOP Central Committee. See another letter here. – Editor