(Fremont County, WY) – Four censuring resolutions came before the Fremont County Republican Central Committee and delegates during the Fremont County Republican Convention last Saturday, with majority votes censuring four Fremont County Commissioners, House Representatives Ember Oakley and Lloyd Larsen, and Senator Cale Case.
The convention was held in Heritage Hall at the Fremont County Fairgrounds, with an all-day agenda that included reports from the Credential, Nominating, Bylaws, Platform, and Resolutions Committees. The majority of the meeting time was spent on Resolution debates and amendments.
The Fremont County Commission was censured for their removal of public comment for over one month, and for “further work against the people by a ticket to place draconian rules for such comment.” The censure also stated that the commission put a “burdensome resolution in place to charge the citizens of Fremont County for FOIA requisitions for public records that is substantially over and above what other counties and the State of Wyoming charge.”
The censure went on to list that the commission went into executive session to create new policies and then attempted to mislead that they didn’t discuss or create the new policies… entered incorrect minutes into the record…didn’t take action to remove obscene material from the adult section of the library, and discriminated against two citizens by allowing a disqualified member to remain on the Library board.
All Fremont County Commissioners were named, and a majority vote of no confidence was reached for four of the commissioners, excluding Ron Fabrizius. None of the commissioners were present or represented at the convention.
House Representative Ember Oakley had voted against House Bill 50 “What is a Woman” Act. It was also claimed in the censuring resolution that Oakley “scored a terrible 10% on her vote supported by the Wyoming Republican Party platform, WyoRino, and…in 2023 ranked 60 out of 90 legislators, “putting her in solid liberal territory.”
The censure also claimed that “a 2023 evidence-based Wyoming voting analysis” showed Oakley voting with Republicans in the House 51.43% of the time and voting with Democrats 85.87% of the time. They claimed that Wyoming Right to Life gave Oakley “a poor 30% pro-life score for her repeated efforts to weaken two pro-life bills,” citing that, in 2023, the Sheridan County Republican Women Legislative Action Committee gave Oakley a score of 34.7% for her holds on 60 bills supported by the Wyoming Republican platform.
The censure demanded that Oakley claim the Democrat brand, “which suits her voting record more accurately.” Oakley was not present at the convention. A majority vote of those in attendance declared in favor of censuring Oakley’s votes, but not a resignation from office.
House Representative Lloyd Larsen commented that there are five Democrats in the body of 62 in the [Wyoming] Legislature and that Oakley doesn’t vote with the Democrats, “she votes with her colleagues,” Larsen said. “Sometimes they vote with the Freedom Caucus, sometimes you’ll see them vote with others…I think to make the claim that there’s this consistent block of her swinging within is inaccurate.”
“What is a Republican?” Larsen continued. “What is conservative? I get it, you all have your feelings and opinions, but to somehow imply that she’s not dedicated to the party and her constituents, I think, is very wrong and I think it’s a misguided effort…I’m glad to serve with her and glad to defend her.”
Riverton Mayor Tim Hancock, who is also the Resolutions Committee Chair, also said that he was against Oakley’s censure.
“I don’t always agree with Ember,” Hancock said. “I looked at this bill; I don’t really see a lot that is offensive about it. But she did. And without actually asking her to answer for why she said no to it…throwing out a title and saying ‘What is a woman?’ and acting like somehow Ember doesn’t know what a woman is? I’m pretty sure she does…sitting there and saying she should have voted a certain way on this when we don’t even have her saying why she voted the way she did (I don’t think anybody has even asked her)…I don’t think makes sense.”
Representative Larsen was also censured, with the delegates claiming that his votes “have not aligned with the Republican Platform, and…refused to sign that Republican Platform in 2022.” Additionally, it was voiced that Larsen did not support Cloe’s Law.
Larsen referred to a comment that was made earlier during the debate about Oakley, where it was asked: “How do we get with our representatives and let them know how we feel?”
“Nothing impacts your legislator more than you call on them, sitting down with them and asking why they’re doing what they’re doing,” Larsen said. “Entropy. If that’s the worst thing that happens to me, it’s not a bad day. This censure is just to say, I guess you’re unhappy with me. But if your intent is to really try to put into the place of change…calling, coming and visit with me, have these conversations…that’s really how you get your legislator to change.”
Senator Cale Case was also censured by majority vote for his votes not being aligned with the Republican Platform, and for refusing to sign the 2022 Republican Platform; it was additionally stated that Case also had low scores in Wyoming Republican platforms, and had voted against both Cloe’s Law and HB0148. Senator Case was not present at the convention.
For more information about the Fremont County Republican Party, visit their website at fremontcountygop.org.