When the convention elected Secretaries. Criminal Court Clerk Joy McCroskey was retained for Secretary. Former Eighth District School Board Member Steve Hunley was replaced by Knox Co Republican Party Office Manager Suzanne Dewar. Severance endorsed Dewar last year in a contested Republican primary for Republican State Executive Committeewoman District Six. Dewar was defeated by Tea Party Organizer Sally Absher. So, in addition to nepotism, cronyism is alive and well within the Knox Co Republican Party Executive Committee. Then Jenkins wife was elected Second Assistant Secretary.
When the convention elected Treasurers no change was made there. Nick McBride remains Treasurer. Broadus Hubbs is First Assistant Treasurer and School Board Member Cindy Buttry is Second Assistant Treasurer.
It would appear that nepotism and cronyism is when you do not like someone. I have only ONE set of standards, not two. If nepotism and cronyism is wrong then it wrong for all. Georgiana Vines has written an article in the News Sentinel today about the convention. It is interesting to note that she wrote about Jenkins wanting civility in the fee office proposal and how he singled out Sherry Witt with a heroic introduction, thus violating his own little civility speech. In fairness to Vines, she was probably unaware of the marriage of Ray and Bylinda Jenkins and was probably unaware of the relationship between Severance and Dewar. Read Vines article here.
The four members of the Republican State Executive Committee by their election round out the Knox County Republican Executive Committee. They are Sally Absher, Ted Hatfield, Karen Brown and Ken Gross. Sources standing around after the convention and most everyone had left overheard Severance announce they were having an Executive Committee meeting. At least 2 (maybe all 4) of the State Executive Committee members that were in attendance at the convention left and was not made aware of the Executive Committee meeting.
