State halts GOP meeting

Factions war over Broward chairman

The Broward Republican Party came together Wednesday night — and remained far apart, fractured by two camps that continue to scheme against each other rather than organize for critical 2018 elections.

More than 100 Republicans assembled for the event at Deicke Auditorium in Plantation, with the passionate party members watched over by three city police officers.

One of the party’s factions assembled enough support for Wednesday’s special meeting of committeemen and committeewomen from across the county, with the objective of removing county Republican Chairman Bob Sutton.

But the Republican Party of Florida, which has been receiv- ing complaints from and about both sides in the Broward civil war, intervened.

“On behalf of the RPOF, this meeting is not a legal meeting. No Republican business will be transacted here today,” said J.C. Martin, parliamentarian for the state party. “This is a blatant case of an illegal meeting. Mr. Chairman, close this down.”

Martin, who is also chairman of the Polk County Republican Party, said he was dispatched to Broward by Blaise Ingoglia, chairman Republican Party.

Broward Republicans have gone through many cycles of internal fighting in recent years, but turmoil has reached new heights in 2017.

“Totally ridiculous,” was the assessment Wednesday evening from Clarence McKee, a longtime Republican committeeman who worked as an advance man for Ronald Reagan’s of the state