GOP Party Officials Nick Egoroff and Doug Guetzloe File Suit Against The Republican Party of Florida Over Republican Party Purge
MEDIA RELEASE For Immediate Release For Further Information Contact Attorney Fred O'Neal (407) 719-6796 GOP PARTY OFFICIALS NICK EGOROFF & DOUG GUETZLOE FILE SUIT AGAINST THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA OVER REPUBLICAN PARTY PURGE A lawsuit was filed this morning (9/24/09) by elected Orange County Republican party executive committee members Nick Egoroff and Doug Guetzloe to nullify the recent action by Republican Party of Florida Jim Greer to remove or suspend duly elected Republican party leaders who have disagreed with Greer and other party bosses. The lawsuit (2009-CA-030146-O), filed in Orange/Osceola Circuit Court has been assigned to the Honorable Robert Evans and it seeks to re-seat both Egoroff and Guetzloe on the Orange County Republican Executive Committee, who were removed without due process by RPOF Chairman Jim Greer based on a bogus complaint by embattled Orange County REC Chairman Lew Oliver. This lawsuit comes on the heels of a recent court victory in the Third District Court of Appeal that affirmed an injunction against RPOF to allow the seating of Dade County REC members that the party has attempted to expel. That ruling lays a precedence for the removal of embattled Orange County REC Chairman Lew Oliver, who previously removed 17 duly elected REC members immediately before the Chairman's election last December. Oliver then conducted an election for Chairman and declared himself the winner by one vote. Another Orange County court case seeking to invalidate Oliver's election will be combined with this lawsuit. Constitutional attorney Fred O'Neal is representing Egoroff and Guetzloe. "This is a huge battle for the First Amendment, due process and the ability of Republicans to control their own party. We will win this lawsuit and the battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party will register a huge victory in Orange County," stated Guetzloe. "We will put a stop to the party purge." Guetzloe has been an elected member of the Orange County Republican Executive Committee for 29 years. He was named "Outstanding Republican in Orange County" by the REC in 1989 for leading the voter registration drive that moved Orange County into the Republican column. Both Guetzloe and Egoroff were elected by wide margins in their individual precincts in 2008, in spite of concerted negative campaigns orchestrated by Lew Oliver and Jim Greer. Oliver has also been implicated in financial misdeeds by spending over $100,000 in party monies over the past year with no party approval, including over $55,000 to himself and a consultant. The Federal Election Commission (Case #MUR6202) is investigating the alleged illegal transfers and payments to Oliver. (END)



