Read the Call. Read the Rules- Commentary by Gary Person

By Gary Person

Before discussing the facts, readers should review the central claims made in Amy Barela's June 19 email to State Central Committee members:

“The June 20 meeting at the Farm & Ranch Museum is the legitimate meeting called under our Uniform State Rules to conduct the business of the party and move forward.”

“For months, we have heard the same argument: now is not the time to change the rules. Now is not the time to reorganize the party. Now is the time to win elections.”

“The future of our party should be decided thoughtfully and deliberately after the election cycle, when we can evaluate what worked, what didn't, and what changes may be needed. Those discussions belong in December.”

“Let's decide June 20th and then let's get to work!”

Those statements sound reasonable on first reading.

The problem is that they are built upon assumptions that are not supported by either the official call for the June 20meeting or the Uniform State Rules themselves.

The first thing every SCC member should do is read the call.

Not the campaign email.

Not the social media posts.

Not the rumors.

The call.

The official purpose of the June 20 meeting was straightforward: to fill the vacancy in the office of State Chairman. The call was not issued to amend the Uniform State Rules. It was not issued to reorganize the Republican Party of New Mexico. It was not issued to redefine quorum requirements, alter the powers of the SCC, or rewrite the governing structure of the Party.

The meeting was called to elect a chairman.

That distinction matters.

If Amy had carefully read the call she is defending, she would know that the June 20meeting was never about changing the rules. Yet her entire argument is built around warning members that "now is not the time to change the rules."

The problem is that nobody called the June 20 meeting to change the rules.

The question facing the Party has never been whether the Rules should be rewritten.

The question has always been whether the Rules should be followed.

- Gary Person is a guest columnist and former SCC Republican Party Member.