UPDATE: Any candidate for elected office on the Republican ticket and any Elected Official that is a declared Republican through the election process MUST oppose the Charter amendments or they will be subject to censure and possible removal from utitlizing the Republican party title.

Original Post 12:32 P.M. At this morning’s Knox County Republican Party Convention after unanimously selecting Joy McCroskey as the Republican nominee for Criminal Court Clerk.

Ann Milsaps, Cedar Bluff precinct Chair made a motion to OPPOSE the charter amendments that are being promoted by the groups, Knox Accountability, Knox Charter Petition, the Knoxville News-Sentinel and it parent company E.W. Scripps. It was seconded by many individuals.

S. Daniel Carter, a former failed candidate for Knoxville City Council rose to make a Point of Order. He asked Corey Johns if this was to oppose one or both of the amendments. Johns, who serves as the 1st Vice Chair of the Knox County Republican Party explained that it was one motion to oppose both the Orange questions and the White questions. Carter along with City Councilman Joe Bailey asked for a division of the question. The motion to divide failed by a nearly 20-1 margin.

The vote was held with a nearly unanimous vote to oppose both the orange and white amendments. Only one or two No’s were heard. Even many of the members of Knox Charter Petition and Knox Accountability Group (like Jim McClain) kept their seat.

So, now if you are a delegate member of the Knox County Republican Party. You are bound by the vote of the party to OPPOSE the charter amendments. To do so will violate your standing within the Knox County Republican Party. You could open yourself up to censure or removal from the party.