Dear Editor:

Regarding the letter of Oct. 7, submitted by one Dona Becker to the Powell Tribune: I do not know her, but I sure do know what a “Big Lie” is! I have attended meetings as a precinct committee member and have never seen such drivel as she espouses. I don’t know how our Chairman Martin Kimmet handles folks like her or Troy Bray — but he tries to be overly kind and generous. At times he will ask me to speak on a subject; I do so. I always address the chair and have never “interrupted” or spoken over five minutes on any issue.

Then to complete the “Big Lie” (as these folks like to do!) by saying that “I engage in obscenity-filled diatribes, where he calls members names and impugns our character usually unprovoked and without cause.” This is the type of thing that goes on in meetings. Some person will rant about Liz Cheney or Joe Biden and nobody cuts ‘em off … but pity the poor soul who doesn’t toady to State Chairman Frank Eathorne or our 44th president in exile in Florida and the rumble in the crowd gets to a higher decibel. 

I have been called a “commie RINO” or a “queer-loving son of a b—” to my face and had a fellow refuse to shake my hand — and more! And I stick around to listen to horror stories and conspiracy theories and about miracle cures and nostrum elixirs that challenge and demean all medical and scientific evidence and common sense. 

But as with the vile outpouring of Bray and their hostility towards me they can’t get rid of us! And yet they wanted to once censure Sen. Hank Coe and also Gov. Matt Mead and most certainly Liz Cheney. But not Mr. Bray? Who would want to join a party like that? Especially a young person? I tell the younger folks that RINO really means “Republicans Ignorantly Needling Others!”

And then when we are working on legislation important to Park County in the Senate Judiciary Committee (where much legislation finds its origin or its demise!), could it be that the chairman might recall the foul-mouthed missive she received from a precinct committeeman who went off scot-free. The Park County Republican Party Executive Committee is a tight-knit group and I hunch a full meeting and a secret ballot would give a different result. Then where are the worthy members who would simply label that as a “distraction?” What will be the result of this poisonous and pathetic message that has found its way into the hands of the general public and children? No one is outraged at the signed document ending in F— YOU, C—T to a fellow Republican leader of the Wyoming Legislature?

And as for Dona Becker, let’s strap a lie detector cuff on the two of us and each show up at Northwest College and the Cody Auditorium and have a go at it! I learned long ago in politics that an attack unanswered is an attack believed or agreed to. That ain’t my style!

The central committee now meets in a church, mind you, and you should drop in and see who of their own Republican Party — leaving out Biden, of course — they hunger to crucify next. Most of my fellow precinct persons state they are God-fearing Christians and the origin of that faith spoke of a gospel of tolerance, love, charity and forgiveness with never a hint of revenge, hatred, anger, or suspicion. Ask ‘em next time: What would Jesus do? Your guess is as good as mine in these troubled times.

Al Simpson

Park County Republican Party precinct committeeman

Cody