Local Republican party leaders unanimously voted this morning to deny a voting seat to alt-right activist James Allsup, stripping him of any Whitman County GOP central committee duties or authority, seven months after he won an uncontested race to serve as a precinct committee officer.
Former Committee Chairman John Brabb said a four-person vetting committee found extensive evidence that Allsup no longer represented the values of the Republican Party — primarily his involvement with Identity Evropa and other white nationalist or Nazi sympathizers.
“Identity Europa has a policy of … taking advantage of the PCO system and conquering a party from the bottom up,” Brabb said. “They have some pretty radical views on immigration that do not fit with our standards.”
Allsup did not attend the committee’s biennial organization meeting today to make any statement or participate in any committee business.
Brabb and other committee members strongly condemned Allsup’s online attacks against fellow Republicans and his participation in the Unite the Right march in Charlottesville in 2017. Brabb also questioned whether Allsup still lives in Whitman County, citing a mailing address in Spokane.
“(Allsup) was a great assistance to the central committee in the 2016 election,” Brabb noted, “from that point on has dropped off the deep end.”
Committee members explained Allsup can still attend local party meetings and they cannot overturn his “certified” PCO status from the election, but the committee will not recognize him as a voting member and he will not be authorized to conduct PCO duties on behalf of the party.
Newly elected Central Committee Chairwoman Sandra Brabb explained the local committee would appoint a precinct committee captain to take over the duties and voting responsibilities of the position.
Before the final vote, County Prosecutor Denis Tracy declared Allsup a “right-wing nut” who marched alongside Nazis in Charlottesville as they hoisted torches and chanted “Blood and soil.”
“His beliefs have no place here,” Tracy said. “He’s got no place here. … He should be voted out.”
Several other elected officials echoed Tracy’s concerns including Whitman County Commissioners Michael Largent and Art Swannack.
“This gentleman does not represent the Republican Party in Whitman County or in Eastern Washington or in my opinion across the nation,” Swannack said. “He represents a radical Nazi, white supremacist-type activity that my mom, who was a German immigrant, opposed all the way through World War II. … I do not believe he should be seated here.”
One member did raise concerns that removing Allsup over his statements regarding immigrants could undermine legitimate Republican concerns about illegal immigration, calling it a “slippery slope.” The committee said such concerns should be addressed during the party platform process.
After some discussion of whether the vote should be private or public, the committee decided to vote openly via a roll call. All 12 of the voting members in attendance voted to deny Allsup the seat, including John and Sandra Brabb, Tracy, Largent, Swannack, Commissioner Dean Kinzer, Sheriff Brett Myers and state Rep. Joe Schmick.
Listen to the entire discussion and vote here:
In other party business:
- The committee adopted a revised set of bylaws. John Brabb said the new bylaws allow additional elected members to vote in hopes of encouraging broader participation on county issues.
- Members elected Sandra Brabb as chairwoman for the coming year. Kelley Messinger will serve as vice chairman. John Brabb will serve as the state committeeman and Michelle Beckmann will serve as the state committeewoman. Myers will serve as sergeant-at-arms. Mike Cochran will remain treasurer. No secretary was named.