Rupert Tarsey and his allies will not get their third shot at removing Broward Republican Executive Committee (BREC) Chairman Robert Sutton. On Tuesday, the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) sent word that no meeting should be held until the Party hears grievances filed against Tarsey and Sutton on October 27th in Tallahassee. The next regularly scheduled BREC meeting was scheduled for October 23rd at Deicke Auditorium.
On Wednesday, Chairman Sutton and Vice Chair Celeste Ellich sent the following email to members:
This is to inform you that the BREC meeting scheduled for 10/23 is cancelled. Many of you are unaware that grievances have been filed against BREC Chairman Bob Sutton and BREC Secretary Rupert Tarsey with the Republican Party of Florida. Both grievances seek the removal of the respective Respondents. The RPOF which has ultimate jurisdiction over matters of Party discipline has set a hearing on all matters relating to the BREC grievances for October 27th. After conferring with the RPOF it was determined that the Republican Party would be better served without the possibility of inconsistent outcomes involving the respective individuals being resolved on the 27th. Subsequent to that process being concluded the meeting will be re-scheduled.
Last week, the RPOF stopped a “blatant case of a illegal meeting” called by Tarsey. This was his second attempt to remove Sutton. RPOF Parliamentarian J.C. Martin told the members that Tarsey failed to give them ten days notice of the meeting, which is a requirement of any special meeting. Martin said Tarsey could not even provide proof that email were sent to members. REDBROWARD reported that written notices were sent eight days before the meeting and received just 6 days before the meeting. Martin told Sutton to “close this down.”
One day after this embarrassing failure, an email, sent by an account used by Tarsey, stated the motion to remove Sutton had been refiled by Michael J. Kane and would be heard at the October regular meeting. The new motion changed the title of Kane’s association with the RPOF. In the previous motion, Kane was referred to as a former RPOF “staffer.”
In an interview with REDBROWARD, Kane, a BREC member since August, admitted he was not a staffer. The new motion lists the twenty year old Boca High School grad as a “former RPOF employee.” Kane admitted his motion is filled with information gleaned from conversations with Dolly Rump, Rupert Tarsey and BREC treasurer Kevin Moot. In fact, Kane admitted he never visited any polling locations in Broward County.
At the October 11th meeting, Kane admitted to REDBROWARD he has yet to cast a single vote in Broward County. In November 2016, Kane voted in Palm Beach County.
Once again, these young Broward newcomers with delusions of grandeur have wasted the time of Broward Republicans. Many members, even Sutton opponents, are tired of the games played by Tarsey and his allies on the BREC board.
One member said he was glad the RPOF “dropped the hammer” on Tarsey. (No pun intended).
But the October 11th meeting was not an entire waste. Rupert Tarsey seemed to enjoy the free Cuban food available after the abrupt end to the meeting.