Dueling Clark County GOP factions plan separate leadership meetings

The Clark County Republican Party will resume a July 20 meeting that ended in chaos and without electing new leadership on Aug. 17, the outgoing leadership announced Tuesday.

In an email to the party’s central committee members, acting Secretary Ed Gonzalez said the executive board met Monday evening and voted on the new date to finish its meeting, which Gonzalez had said previously was interrupted by security concerns after a group of several hundred people began rallying outside after being denied access.

The botched meeting was the latest in a series of clashes between various warring factions within the local and state Republican parties.

Gonzalez said the new meeting date was selected in part to give members enough time to adjust their schedule and attend the vote for new party leadership.

“It allows enough time for candidates of the executive board to campaign for the offices they are seeking,” he added. “It also gives time for the executive board to set the necessary safety and organizational procedures to ensure that the continued meeting will be conducted in a safe and transparent manner.”

The outgoing board also voted to reaffirm its own control of the party and name Vice Chair Stephen Silberkraus, a former Nevada assemblyman, as acting chair until the new election. Former Chair Dave Sajdak resigned after the July 20 meeting.

Some within the county party’s central committee, including Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald, have publicly argued the executive board is no longer in power, as its two-year term expired at the July 20 meeting. McDonald and the current county party leadership have frequently been at odds over the past several years.

A group of 53 purported central committee members are planning to meet Wednesday at the Ahern Hotel to elect a new executive board.

“Some of you may be aware of a rogue faction of members attempting to conduct an unauthorized and fraudulent CCRCC meeting on July 28th,” Gonzalez wrote. “This is not an officially recognized meeting of the CCRCC and is in blatant violation of numerous sections of our bylaws. Be advised should you attend the fraudulent CCRCC meeting at Ahern’s on July 28th: It is not legally binding and any vote or action taken will be considered null and void.”

McDonald said Monday the current county party leadership is in direct violation of its bylaws and state law, and the quorum meeting planned for the Ahern Hotel will be within its rights to elect new leadership.

Contact Rory Appleton at rappleton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0276. Follow @RoryDoesPhonics on Twitter.