DENVER — Colorado Republicans are calling for a special meeting in order to decide the fate of party chairman Dave Williams.
In a statement Monday, Jefferson County Republicans said it had collected signatures from more than 25% of the Colorado State Central Committee (SCC) to call for the meeting. The group plans to give an official letter, along with the names of those who signed it, to Wiliams on Tuesday.
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The mounting backlash against Williams follows a blast email from the Colorado GOP that was signed by the chairman, in which the party accused the LGBTQ+ community of being “godless groomers” who want to harm children.
On its official profile on X, formerly Twitter, the Colorado GOP also called for the burning of Pride flags.
In a lengthy statement Friday, state Republican leaders decried the chairman’s behavior, which they said was “continually encouraging division instead of unifying the party" and added that the email signed by Williams “is not in alignment with the voices of over one million Republicans and Conservatives in the state of Colorado.”
“As County Republican Party leaders, the time has come for us to say we have had enough,” the Friday statement from Jefferson County Republicans reads. “We are asking Mr. Williams to immediately resign his position as Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party. We urge him to step down to allow us to bring in a new Chair who will help build our party, support all our candidates and county organizations, and bring unity.”
The Colorado GOP chairman — who is also running for Congress in Colorado’s Fifth Congressional District — said in a blast email Monday he will not apologize and plans to publicize the list of those who signed the letter calling for the special meeting.
"Again, we make no apologies for standing against those who would groom or confuse children into transgender procedures that would mutilate and chemically castrate them," the Colorado GOP email, which was signed by Williams, reads.
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Jefferson County Republicans said since Williams will not step down, "the alternative is to call this special meeting to put his decision up to the 400+ voting members of the SCC." In order to remove Williams from his position, 60% of the SCC must vote in favor of his removal. State Republican leaders said they are "confident that we will reach 60%."
Once Williams receives the letter, it is his responsibility to set the time and location of the meeting, according to Jefferson County Republicans. The group hopes it will be before the Republican National Committee (RNC) Summer Meeting and National Convention, which begins on July 7.
