National Journal: OK GOP Wants Chairman Out for Protecting Official Guilty of Domestic Abuse
Oklahoma GOP Wants Chairman Out for Protecting Official Guilty of Domestic Abuse
BY TIM ALBERTA, National Journal
OKLAHOMA CITY — Behind the scenes of a major GOP conference, top Oklahoma Republicans have been plotting to oust their state party’s political director, and, if necessary, the chairman of the party for protecting him.
Thomas Clint “T.C.” Ryan, the political director, pleaded guilty in 2012 to domestic assault charges. Earlier this month, Oklahoma GOP Chairman Randy Brogdon refused calls for Ryan’s resignation, instead shifting him from his newly appointed position of executive director to political director to quiet the critics.
But that clearly was not enough. Now, as the Southern Republican Leadership Conference gets underway and 2016 contenders line up to speak, discussions aimed at removing both Ryan and Brogdon are intensifying behind closed doors, according to three sources involved.
Brogdon, these sources say, knows the plotting is happening behind his back and, according to those Republican officials, isn’t backing down, instead opting to keep protecting his close friend.