Minutes of the America First National Committee
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
BE IT REMEMBERED that the America First National Committee met on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, pursuant to the Resolution of the Operating Committee adopted on January 20, 2004.
The Secretary called the roll of National Committee members.
Present:
- Dan Charles of Colorado
- Tim Lohrmann of Idaho
- Trey Golmon of Mississippi
- Nancy Blankenship of Missouri
- Romelle Winters of New Hampshire
- Jim Arft and Bradley Maurer of New York
- Ward Chorpenning and Jerry Martin of Ohio
- Sam Cross and David Thomas of Pennsylvania
- Frank Hackl of Wisconsin
- Maureen McHugh of Illinois, National Treasurer
- John Pittman Hey of Mississippi, National Secretary
- Jon Hill of Massachusetts, National Vice-Chairman
Absent:
- John Francis of Ohio, National Chairman
- Larry Carroll of Colorado
- Joseph Hoffman of Illinois
- Greg Roberts of Missouri
- George Stryker of Pennsylvania
L. Thomas White of Massachusetts joined the meeting after the roll call had been taken.
In the absence of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman Hill chaired the meeting.
The National Committee meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Chorpenning delivered the invocation.
A Quorum being present, the Vice-Chairman called the meeting to order.
The Secretary explained that, in order to bring the National Committee membership into compliance with the new Constitutional provision permitting only two members representing each affiliated state party, individuals would have to be removed from the Certified List of National Committee members from the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The Secretary reported receiving notice from the Chairman of the America First Party of Pennsylvania that Mr. Stryker would no longer represent that state as a member of the National Committee, leaving Mr. Thomas and Dr. Cross as the two National Committee members from Pennsylvania. Mr. Hey moved the amendment of the Certified List of National Committee members to strike Mr. Stryker from the list. His amendment was seconded by Mr. White and adopted by unanimous vote.
The Secretary reported receiving notice from the Chairman of the America First Party of Ohio that Mr. Francis would no longer represent that state as a member of the National Committee, leaving Mr. Chorpenning and Mr. Martin as the two National Committee members from Ohio. Mr. Francis would, however, continue to be a member of the National Committee so long as he continued as Chairman of the Party. Mr. Hey moved the amendment of the Certified List of National Committee members to strike Mr. Francis from the list as a National Committee member representing Ohio. His amendment was seconded by Mrs. Winters.
A debate ensued over the proposed amendment. Some members expressed the desire to postpone the consideration of the amendment until the matter of Mr. Francis' Chairmanship was addressed. Others argued that the Party Constitution had to be followed and that Ohio could not remain with more than the allotted two National Committee members.
On the question of the amendment, a voice vote was taken, and the Chairman requested a roll-call vote:
For the Amendment: Hill, Hey, McHugh, Charles, White, Blankenship, Golmon, and Winters.
Against the Amendment: Lohrmann, Maurer, Arft, Chorpenning, Martin, Cross, Thomas and Hackl.
The Amendment was not adopted.
Mr. Hey moved that the National Committee adjourn because it should not conduct business as long as its composition violated the Constitutional two member limit from each affiliated state. His motion was seconded by Mr. White. Upon voice vote, the Vice-chairman declared the motion adopted. A roll-call vote was requested.
In Favor of Adjournment: Hill, Hey, McHugh, White, Golmon, Winters, Maurer, Arft and Hackl.
Opposed to Adjournment: Charles, Lohrmann, Blankenship, Chorpenning, Martin, Cross, and Thomas.
The motion to adjourn was adopted, and the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
______________________
John Pittman Hey
National Secretary
America First National Committee
