Original Post 12:32 P.M. At this morning’s Knox County Republican Party Convention after unanimously selecting Joy McCroskey as the Republican nominee for Criminal Court Clerk.
Ann Milsaps, Cedar Bluff precinct Chair made a motion to OPPOSE the charter amendments that are being promoted by the groups, Knox Accountability, Knox Charter Petition, the Knoxville News-Sentinel and it parent company E.W. Scripps. It was seconded by many individuals.
S. Daniel Carter, a former failed candidate for Knoxville City Council rose to make a Point of Order. He asked Corey Johns if this was to oppose one or both of the amendments. Johns, who serves as the 1st Vice Chair of the Knox County Republican Party explained that it was one motion to oppose both the Orange questions and the White questions. Carter along with City Councilman Joe Bailey asked for a division of the question. The motion to divide failed by a nearly 20-1 margin.
The vote was held with a nearly unanimous vote to oppose both the orange and white amendments. Only one or two No’s were heard. Even many of the members of Knox Charter Petition and Knox Accountability Group (like Jim McClain) kept their seat.
So, now if you are a delegate member of the Knox County Republican Party. You are bound by the vote of the party to OPPOSE the charter amendments. To do so will violate your standing within the Knox County Republican Party. You could open yourself up to censure or removal from the party.
I don’t live in Knoxville, so I’m confused. Orange? White? HUH? I looked for clarification, but….
Is the reason they opposed them was because they were lumped together as two charter amendments rather than each one for individual consideration?
I would have rather seen them each stand on its own.
Pamela Treacy
Kate:
There are multiple questions on two petitions one is orange and one is white. Go to knoxnews.com and search for charter amendments. They are sctively supporting these questions.
Pamela:
I think that the party would have likely opposed MOST of the questions. However, had the “Accountability” people seperated them into each individual question we would have considered them seperately. However, they didn’t, we didn’t.
The BIGGEST objection is our losing our right to elect the fee offices and giving that authority to ANY County Mayor.
Brian I did not get to attend. Was there also a motion from the party to ask for Mike Ragsdale’s resignation?
Marie,
I am sorry that we missed you today. There had been talk for a couple of weeks about a resolution calling for Mike Ragsdale’s resignation. No such resolution was presented. I was expecting it. However, no one presented it and I do not know who was intending to do so.
Geez, whatever happened to that Big Tent ya’ll are supposed to have going?
The BIG TENT was unified on NOT losing our right to vote for County Clerk, Property Assessor, Trustee and Register of Deeds.
If WBIR has the video from their coverage of teh convention. They played the vote. there was only one NO vote. It was unanimous. That one lone vote understands the party position.