GOP officials may be punished for supporting Dems

• Republican Doug Ducey and Democrat Fred DuVal are vying for the governorship.
• Republican precinct committeemen who have publicly endorsed and supported "non-Republican candidates" may be stripped of their voting rights, LaFaro's letter states.
• It's unclear how many letters were sent to GOP precinct committeemen.

The Maricopa County Republican Committee will decide whether to strip the voting rights of precinct committeemen over their support of Democratic candidates this election cycle.

The move is the latest effort by a wing of the county party to purge members who don't strictly support GOP candidates and adhere to the party platform.

In a letter obtained Tuesday, panel chairman A.J. LaFaro wrote that it is a violation of the group's bylaws to endorse "Non-Republican Candidates" and could lead to removal of their voting rights at all legislative district and committee meetings through the end of their terms.

The targeted GOP committeemen can attend a Nov. 6 executive guidance committee "to defend your bylaws violation" prior to a vote. Those who lose their voting rights also could be ineligible to be a candidate for state committeeman or any legislative district, the county GOP panel or state party elected office, LaFaro wrote.

LaFaro said 12 letters were sent to GOP precinct committeemen, but would not say who they were sent to, citing confidentiality rules. He said he had "no choice in the matter," given the committee's bylaws.

Susan Charlton, a Republican precinct committeeman from Legislative District 28, endorsed Democrat Fred DuVal for governor. She received LaFaro's letter Tuesday via certified mail.

When Republicans recruited Charlton to run for re-election last summer, she recalled telling them she was supporting DuVal and was told that was her right.

"This is not the Republican Party that I signed up for," Charlton said "And I wouldn't do it any differently — I would still support Fred. I'm always going to vote my conscience."

GOP activist and blogger Barbara Espinosa also received a letter from LaFaro. She's been a vocal DuVal supporter and has been critical of his rival Doug Ducey in her writings. She is a precinct committeeman in Legislative District 23.

Using LaFaro's "nonsense," she said, the county committee would expect Republicans to support a GOP drug cartel member over a Democratic minister.

The committee made a similar move in 2010 when its then-chairman attempted to strip former Attorney General Grant Woods and two others of their voting rights after they publicly backed Democrat Felecia Rotellini for attorney general.

Then-County Attorney Rick Romley wrote to the chairman that a party bylaw that allows for such a penalty if members endorse candidates of other parties conflicts with state law.

That opinion was later rescinded by now-County Attorney Bill Montgomery, said Daniel Ruiz II of the county Elections Department.