EL PASO COUNTY — On Tuesday, an El Paso County Judge ruled that a lawsuit against Dave Williams and a group of his leaders on the Colorado Republican State Central Committee (the CRC) will go to trial this October.
The complaint, which you can read in its entirety below, was filed by Eli Bremer, who also calls himself the chair of the Colorado GOP. Bremer and Williams both reside in El Paso County.
The lawsuit comes after a special meeting was held where Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams was voted out of his position by an ≈88% vote, 161.66 to 12. During the special meeting, Eli Bremer was nominated and elected to replace Williams as interim chairman.
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Just a week later, supporters of Dave Williams convened on Saturday, August 31. Members of the Republican Central Committee voted overwhelmingly at that meeting 191.5 to 10 to keep Dave Williams as the chairman. This was a closed-door meeting but a livestream shared the results and the goals behind this gathering.
Bremer and Williams both called each other's meetings illegitimate.
WATCH: Dave Williams supporters vote to keep him as part chair in Castle Rock meeting
The Colorado GOP bylaws are ambiguous about removal. The bylaws say any elected officer can be removed "by a vote of three-fifths of the entire membership of the CRC eligible to vote at a meeting called for that purpose." It's not clear whether that means 60% of those at a called meeting or 60% of the entire committee.
The judge ruled the case had to be expedited due to the upcoming election and the ability for the state Republican party to function as intended.
— Brett Forrest (@brettforrestTV) September 10, 2024
In Tuesday's hearing, counsel for Williams requested that the trial be postponed until after the November election. They argued party resources had already been allocated leading up to Election Day.
Counsel for Bremer argued that Williams and a group of his supporters on the CRC maintained control of key Colorado Republican Party assets.
Judge Eric Bentley found that the CRC cannot operate effectively and as intended until the leadership struggle is resolved, setting the case for trial on October 14. Bentley said he expects the trial to last two to two-and-a-half days.
Meantime, a separate lawsuit filed in Arapahoe County covering many of the same issues is currently moving through the appeals process.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) could also step in to resolve the conflict, but has so far kept itself removed from the fight. Williams is still listed as state party chairman on the RNC website.
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