Letter: Local GOP CC unwelcoming

In a letter to the editor, Deborah Rose agrees with Christa Hazel that the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee and its leadership are unwelcoming to those who disagree, even if only a little:

“Sadly, speaking from my own personal experience, the current leadership of the KCRCC promotes division among Republicans, rather than unity. For me, as a lifelong conservative Republican, being in the presence of the committee’s leadership, rather than being warm and welcoming, has been cold and alienating. Their truth, it seems, is the only truth worthy of recognition and consideration. I suspect they are either conveniently oblivious to the frustrations and the concerns of many Republicans in our county, or they simply don’t care to recognize the validity of the differences among the ranks. I have found the current state of this political committee discouraging rather than inviting. I’ve been called a liar for publicly sharing documented, unflattering and factual information about a primary candidate the committee’s leadership chose to endorse. I was threatened with a lawsuit for sharing this information. I’ve also been accused by those in a leadership role of saying things in public forums I never said.” Complete letter here.

Angela Ippolito Cross, whose husband, John, is a percinct committeeman, defends the KCRCC in an online comment below Rose’s letter:

Deborah, you are so wrong! If you had been coming to our meetings you would know that is not true. Also your problems were not at our meetings but special County Commisioners meetings and debates. We welcome people to our meetings so they can see for themselves we are from all different spectrums of the Republican Party …. just like our constituents. We shouldn’t all think alike. We should have healthy debates. Which we do!! We are definitely not like Democrats who march in lock step. Maybe that’s what you are used to .

Thoughts?