Ohio Republican Party says removal of Trumbull chairman Randy Law was improper

By Marc Kovac

news@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

The Ohio Republican Party Central Committee determined Friday that the Trumbull County GOP did not follow the proper process for removing its chairman, solidifying incumbent Randy Law’s leadership.

The committee’s vote – no opposition was voiced during a voice vote – resolved a local dispute among two factions of the Trumbull County party, one operating under Law and another that attempted to unseat him and name Kevin Wyndham, a county central committee member, to the chairmanship.

Still at issue is the county party’s recommendation for a seat on the local elections board.

“It is appropriate to urge the Trumbull County Executive Committee to make a proper appointment to the vacancy of the Trumbull County Board of Elections,” said Republican Party Chairwoman Jane Timken. “We urge Chairman Law to immediately convene the executive committee to make this appointment before the March 1 deadline.”

The faction not controlled by Law voted earlier this month to remove Law and Treasurer Debra Roth from their leadership posts. Wyndham was later elected as the new chairman.

But Law disputed his removal, and the two factions both made claims to be the official county party group. The two sides offered separate recommendations to fill an open seat on the county elections board, a post that ultimately will be approved by the secretary of state.

Law said later Friday that Timken’s comments were a “recommendation, not a directive,” but “We will make every effort to comply with the recommendation of the party chairman.”

The state party unsuccessfully attempted to resolve the differences between the two sides.

The party then reviewed written statements and other information to reach the resolution it adopted Friday, which included a determination that the Trumbull County Republican Party did not properly amend its bylaws last year, meaning the former bylaws adopted in 2013 remain in effect; and a confirmation of executive committee members named in 2014.

Wyndham, when reached by phone Friday, said the state party indicated his group didn’t remove Law correctly and places Law temporarily at the head of the party, but that means “what we have to do is go back and [remove Law] correctly.”

Wyndham said the state party’s decision that the bylaws adopted by Law’s faction in 2014 are not to be followed “sets the reset button” back to the bylaws of 2013 and the executive committee of 2014, before Law kicked people off of the committee.

No one from Trumbull County spoke during Friday’s central committee meeting in Columbus, and there was little in the way of clarification offered to members about the specific disagreements among Trumbull party members.

“I think that there have been some issues that Trumbull County will have to address,” Timken said.

Vindicator staff reporter Ed Runyan contributed to this report.