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Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to an article that ran in the Hamilton County Reporter back on July 21, 2022, titled “GOP chair announces leadership shakeup.” As a resident of Hamilton County and a registered Republican, I take issue with Mr. Massillamany’s change of leadership and his reasons cited.
First, when asked about the changes and his vision, he responded, “My priorities are to make sure we are an open, big tent party – that we allow for all views to be heard and that we do not try to exclude certain people or certain groups from the Republican Party.”
Is he telling us that Lisa Everling had views contrary to this? That she personally wanted to exclude certain people and/or groups from the Republican Party?
Massillamany is quoted: “I appreciate the work Lisa Everling has done to support the party, however, in order to ensure the priorities and vision I set forth upon being elected are advanced, I made the decision to realign.”
I believe this is a blatant indictment that is completely unfounded. Ms. Everling served as Secretary with the previous chair and central committee and was well respected. She has given years of dedicated service in various capacities to the Republican Party in Hamilton County. What possible ulterior motives would she have to undermine those aforementioned priorities?
Further in the text of the article (not in the official announcement), we find another reason Massillamany cites for the change. It has to do with, as he states, her “potential” run for a seat on the Westfield City Council:
“When I was elected to the Hamilton County Central Committee as chairman, a lot of precinct committeemen wanted to make sure that when we are elected on the central committee that we don’t hold other offices. I have respectfully asked all of my central committee not to hold other offices or to resign or to move on if they want to run for other offices.”
First of all, where did this rule originate from? It is not against any state bylaws. Secondly, it is my understanding that others in the past have held elected positions while serving on this committee. There was no apparent conflict of interest or alienation of fellow Republicans. But this said, what perplexes me, is that Mr. Massillamany alludes to Ms. Everling’s “potential” run for city council while Ms. Everling very pointedly answered that she has not made either a final decision or a public announcement about running for a seat on the Westfield City Council. Ms. Everling does not currently hold an office (again as some of her committee predecessors have) and has not officially decided if she will run. How then is she in violation of this arbitrary rule that Massillamany cited as the reason to “realign”?
In closing, I want to say that I find Mr. Massillamany’s ouster of Ms. Everling as Vice Chair a travesty. She did nothing to deserve it. Based on the “elected office or running for office” criteria for membership on the Hamilton County Republican Central Committee, she did not violate that either. If Ms. Everling did decide to run for office (which to date she has not), I am sure she would have respected the criteria of the committee and would have resigned. Massillamany did not afford her that opportunity basing his decision on speculation.
But this said, it has come to my attention that his newly appointed Vice Chair, Teresa Ayers, just announced she is running for Carmel City Council. Given the criteria Mr. Massillamany has established, she should no longer be eligible to serve in that capacity.
So, is a request for her resignation forthcoming or is hypocrisy prevalent here?
Charles W. Black
Westfield