Clermont County GOP considers so-called 'hush clause'

CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio (WKRC) - There’s controversy and infighting brewing within the Clermont County Republican Party. It centers around a proposed rule that would prohibit any member of the central committee from supporting legal action against another committee member. One of those committee members says the new rule is aimed at keeping him silent.

The proposed amendment says any member of the central committee who files, supports or participates in legal actions against the Clermont County Republican central committee or any of its members will have all rights of membership automatically suspended until those legal issues are resolved.

That amendment is problematic because there have been a few Clermont County Republicans in hot water recently. If the rule passes, other republicans who know of wrongdoing and report it could be penalized.

A few weeks ago, former county commissioner David Uible pled guilty to tampering with records.

Back in July, former county engineer Patrick Manger pled guilty to accepting improper compensation.

So, if the rule passes, any Republican who is a part of the committee and follows the law by participating in legal action would lose their membership privileges -- that means the sheriff, commissioners and even judges would temporarily lose their party rights for simply doing their jobs.

One Republican who sued Clermont County and won says this is all an effort to keep him quiet. He's calling it the “hush clause.”

"It's really an affront to integrity, an affront to the concept that we want to hold ourselves as a Republican party in Clermont County to the highest possible standard,” said Chris Hicks. “It says we want a culture that looks the other way, ignores things and won't surface actions that have been taken by criminal. I'll make one last point, the commissioner, David Uible, ex-commissioner that just pled guilty to tampering with records that happened because of me. I filed a citizen affidavit. That would've caused me to be suspended with these new rules."

As for other Republicans, they're staying quiet about the proposed amendment. Party Chairman Greg Simpson says he's looking into it and then he told Local 12 to reach out to other Clermont Republican leaders. Local 12 emailed other party leaders but did not hear back Monday evening.

Local 12 also reached out to the secretary of state. A spokesman says this needs to be decided on the county level. That will happen Wednesday night at 7.