ASHE IN AMERICA — OPINION
Dave Williams is the Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, but Eli Bremer claimed the title after a dubious meeting on Saturday, August 24.
Billed as an official gathering of the party’s State Central Committee, a fraction of delegates — and no one from current party leadership — showed up to participate in the ousting of Chairman Dave Williams, Vice Chair Hope Scheppelman, and Secretary Anna Ferguson.
The meeting was contested before it began.
Flip Flopping Court Findings
At the end of July, Arapahoe County District Court Judge Thomas Willard Henderson IV issued a temporary restraining order on the meeting, stating, “the leadership of the Colorado Republican Party would be called into question, leaving the party in disarray roughly 100 days before election day on Nov. 5, 2024.”
Henderson reversed course on August 6, rescinding his TRO. The reversal stated that the Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and should never have issued the TRO to begin with.
On August 24, the meeting proceeded. It was a who’s who of establishment figures who’ve been repeatedly rejected by Republican voters. Former Chair Kristi Burton Brown reportedly played a facilitation role, along with Senior Advisor to Runbeck Election Services and serial “public servant,” Wayne Williams.
Williams is also the former Colorado Republican Secretary of State that unsuccessfully attempted to mandate Dominion Voting Systems in 2016. “When they do buy new equipment, at least the software must be from Dominion,” said Williams, in a 2016 interview reported by Complete Colorado at the time. He lost that battle in court.
“What’s important to clarify, the court DID NOT rule on the legality of the dispute,” the State Executive Committee stated in a letter to the party.
The dispute is that the official State Central Committee meeting was already scheduled for August 31, in accordance with the GOP bylaws. The bylaws also explicitly and repeatedly give authority to the “CRC Chairman,” which is Dave Williams.
The statement continued, “The Republican National Committee’s own parliamentarian, Al Gage, issued an opinion along with our own parliamentarian, Gregory Carlson, outlining why August 31st is the only legitimate meeting.” The letter linked to the opinions of both Parliamentarians.
When reached for comment after the August 24 meeting, Chairman Williams expanded on the statement, “The court did not give an opinion on who has jurisdiction because the State Central Committee has the jurisdiction.”
A Clear Coup
Republican bylaws state that 30% of delegates need to be present for a quorum and 60% of the entire SCC must be present to oust leadership. During the meeting, those present — roughly, 77 in person delegates and 104 proxies — voted to interpret the 60% rule as 60% of those present, not of the total SCC, so they could continue their illegitimate vote. There are 414 total delegates, so around 19% were actually participating in person.
The result of the vote to oust the three officers was 166.66-12. Once “removed,” those present voted on replacements, and Eli Bremer was “elected” Chairman.
What came next is reminiscent of Joe Biden’s actions in the wake of November 3, 2020. It also recalls Kamala Harris’ conduct since the Sunday afternoon ousting of Joe Biden.
Bremer immediately updated his social media presence, referring to himself as “Chair of the Colorado Republican Party,” and engaged in over-communication about his progress. His feed on X, formerly Twitter, is a masterclass in pretend authority.
Bremer called candidates and NGOs and associations, repeatedly citing the authority of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) – “a political committee devoted to increasing the number of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives” – as though this political committee is somehow an authority over the Republican National Committee (RNC).
It’s not. The NRCC has no official authority in party affairs, at the local, state, or national levels.
One of my favorite moments from Bremer’s post-coup hysteria is his spin on the GOP Headquarters.
“The historical COGOP HQ has been non-functional for a while. Working to bring it back. In the mean time, if candidates need support for collateral storage and distribution, we have a new temp HQ set up. Working to bring Trump collateral into CO ASAP. @GOP @NRCC,” Bremer posted on X on August 28.
The COGOP HQ is currently occupied by actual COGOP leadership. Bremer’s “new temp HQ” should remind everyone of Joe Biden’s “Office of the President Elect” branding that was ubiquitous in the aftermath of the stolen election.
Some readers might be surprised to learn that a Republican, and a former Olympian, is exhibiting all the classic earmarks of the so-called ruler of the United States, but Bremer revealed himself as an establishment hack in the wake of losing his 2022 Senate run.
In June 2022, Bremer published, “Is It Time Republicans Outsource The Caucus System?” in Campfire Colorado. The article is no longer available – notable and also reminiscent of Democrat tactics – though Bremer’s Facebook Post announcing the piece is still on his page.
You read that right: from his prior positions, Bremer appears to be aligned with Kent Thiry’s radical transformation of ballot access in Colorado elections — Initiative 310 (vote NO). That’s in addition to his rapid and radical moves as the ruling junta of the fake Republican party.
The Actual Official Proceeding
On August 31, the State Central Committee officially gathered with 204 members present in person and by proxy, establishing a quorum to conduct business.
The body moved quickly to pass bylaw amendments, including upholding the State Executive Committee Decision that the August 24 meeting and its outcome were invalid. The decision was amended to add a concurring statement from the State Central Committee.
Party leadership then voluntarily called for a removal vote as a show of good faith to party delegates that may be concerned about the dueling proceedings. From the COGOP official statement:
“Even though the State Executive Committee Decision was upheld, your true State Party Officers voluntarily submitted ourselves to a removal vote.
The Removal Results were as follows:
No (Retain): 191.5
Yes (Remove): 10
The majority has spoken, and your true State Party Leadership team will jealously defend these results against a vocal minority in and out of court.”
Notably, the official August 31 proceeding had a greater number of delegates present, credentialed and voting, and Chairman Williams received a greater share of the total party vote than Mr. Bremer during the prior vote.
As the RNC parliamentarian already issued a statement on which meeting was the official proceeding, Williams, Ferguson, and Scheppelman’s victory appears conclusive.
“There was never any real support to remove any of the officers and today proved it,” Chairman Williams said when reached for comment after the official meeting.
In light of the totality of the circumstances and evidence, what we have here is a failed coup by the former ruling coalition of Colorado Republicans — the same coalition that was rejected by Republican voters in every official party proceeding since 2022.
Voters’ rejection of this coalition is consistent because it is overwhelmingly clear that their goal is raising money, whining about Colorado Democrats, and failing to accomplish ANY Republican platform objectives — including the primary objective of electing Colorado Republicans.
Readers will recall the December 2022 financial scandal where this same ruling coalition paid themselves bonuses out of the party coffers, despite a complete and total failure to achieve the much anticipated “red wave.” Bonuses are generally an award for exemplary performance, and it’s never been established what accomplishment those bonuses awarded.
Perhaps their actual objective was defeating the red wave and draining party resources prior to their ousting. I’m speculating, of course, but their ongoing conduct appears to support my speculation.
Bremer and company cherish their role as the minority party in our state — the pomp and party planning, the promises, and always out of reach progress — and this failed coup was an attempt to get back to that “important,” subversive work.
Chairman Williams blasted the failed coup leaders, asserting that all his opponents have done is “sow chaos and division with less than 65 days left in this election.”
He’s not wrong. Because of Republican infighting, voters are confused and disillusioned with the party, while enemies of the people continue to radically reshape Colorado civic life. (Side note: Again, please vote NO on ballot initiative 310 if you ever want to have a voice in your own self governance again.)
“We hope they stop harming the State Party and, instead, join with everyone else in electing President Trump this November,” Williams told me.
Me too, Mr. Chairman, but don’t count on it. These uniparty coup leaders have a job to do, and that job isn’t electing Republicans.
Eli Bremer did not respond to Chronicle requests for comment. Notably, he’s still calling himself “Chairman” in his social bios.
This saga is likely heading to court.
Ashe in America is a writer and activist. Find all her work at linktree.com/asheinamerica.