Never let it be said that the Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA) has one shred of ethics or transparency or, if you look at how they treat registered Republicans, decency. It — the RPA — is a good old boys/girls club, and if you aren’t one of the cool kids you don’t count for squat. RPA is a gang or a cabal that’s run in the interest of RPA and elected officials and the People be damned.
I don’t make claims like these idly. In the past several years, and specifically in 2024, RPA has done more to alienate true conservatives than I can remember. You have heard all the stories of vacating the Saline County Republican Committee (SCRC), removing Jennifer Lancaster as 2nd District Chair, how the Faulkner County Republican Committee (FCRC) removed Jimmie Cavin for trumped up charges and, of course, how RPA declared a legal, valid biannual convention to be null and void.
All of these actions are the result of RPA being unhappy — read Governor Sanders doesn’t care for opposing opinions — over Republicans not being in lockstep with her idea of how things should be. With the manner in which RPA is run (how the “Sanders Loyalists” run it for her), it seems no one will ever be able to fix this Arkansas version of the DC Swamp.
And swamp it is — from the toady running RPA, Joseph Wood, who is a political pilot fish, attaching himself to the shark that is Governor and riding along with her, to Bilenda Harris-Ritter, the Governator’s fixer — no problem is too simple to not have a convoluted, petty, unethical result. Never let it be said that truth or justice got in the way of a political decision with this gang.
Joseph Wood has been discussed many times. He started out as a Chicago Democrat, moved to Arkansas where he got religion (he saw Republicans were taking over the state) and became a Republican. Nothing wrong with that, many Democrats see the light and convert.
The problem with Joseph Wood is that he became a Republican in name only, but is still a Democrat deep inside where your ethics, or lack of same, live. Not exceptionally popular or effective as the County Judge in Washington County, he was appointed by Governor Sanders to a job with state government after losing an election, and then he was elected — Sanders put the fix in — as Chair of RPA.
Wood has been in that position for two years, and still doesn’t know RPA Rules or follow them. His actions led to the unethical reversal of the decisions made at the biannual Convention, all of which were consistent with RPA Rules. Some of the changes made caused dissatisfaction among some elected officials and Joseph Wood, reflecting Governor Sanders will as he always does, reversed the decisions of the people to keep his political benefactor happy.
When it became apparent that the 2nd District Chair and Saline County’s Republicans were going to be a problem, Joseph Wood accepted a bogus complaint and allowed charges to go forward. He appointed an Investigative Committee composed of the Governor’s fixer, Bilenda Harris-Ritter, an attorney who seems to show up whenever the Governor needs a result, along with a couple of other sycophants who are looking for a government or RPA position and will do whatever it takes. Whether the result is fair or correct is up for conversation. Suffice it to say, whenever the Governor has a problem, Bilenda ends up on the committee that fixes it for her. Some say she is the most powerful unelected Republican in Arkansas.
Bilenda took over the Investigative Committee looking into the false charges against Jennifer Lancaster. She also expanded the charges leveled against the Saline County Republican Committee Executive Committee into an act vacating Saline County for no other reason other than she could. Bilenda ignored Jennifer Lancaster’s report completely (she was the chair of that Investigative Committee) and, least but certainly not last, Bilenda communicated with the Faulkner County chair, assuring him the bogus prosecution FCRC was hell-bent on was legal. Certainly the RPA fixer is perfect for the job.
In the recent RPA election (Joe Wood won again to no one’s surprise), Sharon Wright was elected first vice-chair, so she’s in position to float up to the top of the septic tank when the Governor appoints Wood as Secretary of State. And she will. The Governor’s hegemony over Republican politics in Arkansas remains intact, and another drone becomes Chair of RPA while an existing drone moves to Secretary of State.
Don’t look for opposing views in the halls of government, especially not from the ranks of the elected Republican super-majority in both houses. Disagree with the Governor and you’re a dead man walking. Next election a well-funded primary opponent will appear out of the woodwork and your political career is toast. Remember the Governor’s PAC funded with all that out-of-state money. Watch your Ps and Qs, elected officials.
Remember, all of this garbage orbits a governor who spent $19,000 on a podium which caused a firestorm. Joseph Wood to the rescue. He paid for the podium out of his department’s budget and then donated the podium to RPA for the governor to use. Shortly thereafter he was appointed to RPA Chair and Sarah had her podium. Strange how things just work out for some folks.
When I think of how these people operate — in the dark and in secret — it reminds me of cockroaches. Show a light and they all scatter.
It’s up to us to be the light.
And some things just don’t change. As Christmas approaches, the hurricane victims in North Carolina still need help. They’re still living in tents with no water and no heat. The government certainly is less than aggressive in their disaster response and seem too busy trying to sabotage DJT to spend time trying to save lives.
We can’t ask often enough that you contribute to a charity or organization that is taking care of them. We recommend Samaritan’s Purse or Mercury One. They are already on the ground and doing excellent work. Thank you.
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