GOP finally removes St Johns Republican Executive Committee Chair Blake Paterson

After months of mismanagement and abuse, observed and previously reported by Historic City News, the Republican Party of Florida has removed St Johns County GOP Chairman Blake Paterson.  An election will be held within the next 60 days to determine who will fill the remainder of Paterson’s term, but the suspension and other penalties are effective immediately.

A report by the state Grievance Committee details specific instances where Paterson was accused of using his authority as county Chairman to satisfy personal grudges.  Duly elected Vice Chairman Jamie Parham has been reinstated and resumes his position on the Executive Committee – this time as “Acting Chairman”.  Paterson wrongfully suspended Parham, and then called the police to remove Parham from Republican Executive Committee meetings.

“You are prohibited from holding any position within the St Johns GOP, the Republican Party of Florida, or any Republican Party of Florida chartered club in St Johns County for two (2) years,” Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power wrote in an email notifying Paterson that he was removed. “As such, you are also not eligible to be a member of the Republican Party of Florida State Executive Committee, the Republican Party of Florida State Executive Board, nor hold any position within a Republican Party of Florida Congressional District Caucus for two (2) years.”

The report said Paterson allowed the St Johns GOP’s official social media to “disparage Republican elected officials and promote and support their opponents without the endorsement of the Republican Executive Committee,” a violation of state party rules.  Paterson notably has made headlines for controversial remarks, like allegedly telling a Black Republican he could not win a House seat because of his race.

“In the estimation of the Grievance Committee this is only the tip of the iceberg as it pertains to the problems in St Johns County and the inability of Mr. Paterson to adequately perform his role as Chairman,” the report reads. “The number of grievances this Committee has received from one County alone — St Johns — indicates a failure of leadership at the top.”

• Paterson accepted blame as party chairman but blamed the offending social media posts on Natalie Lewis, who chaired an ad hoc social media committee.

• Paterson also said the entire Republican Executive Committee decided to suspend Parham, but state party rules don’t allow a vote without notice on suspending an officer elected to a county post.

• The Grievance Committee called the violations “egregious” and unanimously recommended his suspension.

The role of the Grievance Committee under the Republican Party of Florida Rules is to recommend solutions to fix disputes between members of a county Republican Executive Committee when such disputes cannot be resolved by the members.

“The St Johns Republican Executive Committee is broken. And while Mr. Paterson may not have caused everything wrong with the Republican Executive Committee, as Chairman, he is responsible,” the Grievance Committee said.

According to the State Chairman, with responsibility comes accountability.  Power said that here we find a serious situation that demands the Republican Party of Florida’s attention.