Local Republican women’s group sued by member

The Bonneville County Republican Women’s group is being sued by one of its own members.

Diane Jensen filed a complaint against the group, accusing it of manipulating the election meeting in October to make sure hand-picked candidates won. Jensen says she and several other women joined the group the night of the meeting, but were told they were not members yet, meaning they could not speak or vote during the meeting. She says this is a violation of the group’s bylaws; the group says differently.

“The Bonneville County Republican Women’s club was following its bylaws,” said Stephanie Mickelsen, who was the group’s president at the time of the meeting. “We had contacted the state organization to make sure that we were well within our bylaws when we ran our election. We were excited about the people that have been elected for the new leadership of the Bonneville County Republican Women. I think it’s really sad that people that have served in a service capacity within the community trying to make the community a better place, are going to be attacked by people that don’t agree with them by frivolous lawsuits.”

Jensen says she is doing what needed to be done.

“I contacted my lawyer (who) explained to me that when the Bonneville County Republican Women accepted my dues, they entered into a contract with me,” Jensen said. “The terms of that contract is set by their bylaws. Well, they violated those bylaws in so many ways during this whole process that they were in breach of contract.”

Monday, reporter Katie Keleher will give a more in-depth look at the lawsuit and what went on in the meeting.