Seth A. Richardson

srichardson@rgj.com

5:30 p.m. update:

KUNR's Julia Ritchey has further details from the meeting, including possibly racist overtures made toward former Chairman Adam Khan. One member called Khan, who is Pakistani, "Saddam Khan."

Click here to listen to her story.

Original story:

The Washoe County Republican Central Committee meeting Tuesday night erupted into chaos leading to a pushing-and-shouting match and eventually requiring a police response.

Police were called to the Peppermill around 9:15 p.m. to reports of fighting going on between the members, including an altercation between an unknown man and state Sen. Don Gustavson. KUNR’s Julia Ritchey took video of a portion of the incident.



Tensions started rising around 7 p.m. over the election of five at-large executive board committee members and 52 members of the Nevada Republican Central Committee, with people shouting and trying to disrupt the meeting. The group – which Acting Chair Tom Dickman said is around 40 to 50 in size – has become notorious in the party for causing disruptions.

Eight members, including Dickman and Secretary Barb Hawn, described what happened after the meeting was finally adjourned and police had left the scene.

Members cast their votes by 9 p.m. Since the group only had the room at the Peppermill until that time, the group decided to count the ballots this coming Monday evening when the official ballot counter would return from an out-of-town trip.

The minority objected to counting the ballots at a later time as Hawn tried to adjourn the meeting with only half the agenda completed. Compounding the problem was an unofficial minority agenda handed out before the meeting started.

“The minority didn’t want the meeting to end,” Dickman said. “At that point it went from chaos to full-on vitriol with verbal shouting and physical altercations.”

The minority faction started yelling and demanding the ballots be counted.

All 4 Washoe GOP officers resign

The Peppermill agreed to allow the ballot boxes to be stored in its vault until the official ballot counter would return from an out-of-town trip, which caused friction with the minority. Gustavson was taking the ballot boxes to the vault with Hawn when a man he didn’t recognize accosted him.

“I took the two boxes of ballots down the hallway with people around me, but then one person got in front of me, stopped me and told me – I don’t remember the exact words – we’re counting those tonight,” he said.

Gustavson said the man grabbed him and the box fell to the floor.

“He was kind of getting in my face telling me we were going to count the ballots tonight,” he said. “He detained me for some time not letting us take the ballots to the vault.”

Security had to be called. The senator said he wasn’t sure whether or not he would press charges.

“We’ll see,” he said. “I didn’t want to get involved with this. I haven’t gone to central committee meetings lately because of issues with five or six members who are actively involved in creating havoc and making sure nothing gets done.”

Another situation between two women ended with one on the ground and considering going to the hospital for treatment. Update 12:40 p.m.: At least two women sought medical treatment after the meeting, including an older woman who bumped hit her head, Dickman said.

Peppermill security eventually called police to the scene. Officer Tim Broadway said two units arrived at around 9:15 p.m. They took statements, but no charges were filed.

Dickman said the meeting was sad and, while not emblematic of the average everyday Republican, did show what the party has become at the hands of a small minority.

“It’s safe to say this went from bad to much worse than anyone expected,” Dickman said. “Never have I been to a meeting where police had to be called.”

Hawn said she would be reaching out to the Peppermill to apologize for the incident.

The meeting was the first after the new central committee was elected at the Washoe County Republican Convention, which saw little turmoil compared to Tuesday night. It comes several weeks after all four executive board officers, including Chairman Adam Khan, Treasurer Chuck Reno, Hawn and Dickman announced their resignations verbally, citing internal turmoil.

Khan did not attend Tuesday night’s meeting. Dickman and Hawn rescinded their resignations Tuesday night. Reno is staying on in an interim position until there is an election.

Hawn said she and Dickman received numerous solicitations asking them to rescind their resignations.

“We want to see Washoe County be able to elect Republicans,” Hawn said. “We want to see not only a successful presidential process take place, but we want to see the races that are locally important as well.”

The next central committee meeting is scheduled for July 28 in Incline Village. Hawn said an election would take place then for a new chairman and treasurer.