By Al Dozier
The Lexington County Republican Party passed two resolutions at a March 7 meeting to censure West Columbia City Councilman Mike Green.
The first resolution alleges that Green “has been taunting, harassing, and yelling at others” during Lexington County meetings. Those actions came after he had received an earlier warning from Chairman Craig Caldwell to stop harassing others at county party meetings, according to the resolution.
Another censure was adopted in a second resolution, faulting Green for voting for mask mandates and promoting COCID vaccines for children as young as five-years-old.
When asked for a response, Green issued a statement refuting the charges.
“This resolution does not represent the majority of the party. It was an attempt to use the party for personal retribution rather than the true purpose of the party which is to elect more Republicans. I refute the charges of the resolutions and I continue to remain a conservative member of the Republican Party and believe in its platform of lower taxes, less government spending, and more freedom for all. This resolution was narrowly adopted (by a vote of 22-18) during a two-hour meeting after many regular members of the party went home. The matter underlying this is being handled by the courts and they will determine who is at fault.”
The censure comes in the wake of a conflict that occurred at a Dec. 6 GOP gathering at O’Hara’s Public House between Green and Angus Godwin, a voting member at county party meetings.
The two had an exchange over political issues and Godwin allegedly slapped Green in the face. He was later charged by Lexington police with assault and battery in the third degree.
The conflicts between Green and Godwin helped lead to the censure, according to Zoe Warren, a former vice-chairman of the party. He said Green continued to speak out loudly at Godwin during party meetings.
“He sounded like a bureaucratic bully,” Warren said.
What concerned party officials was that Green “thinks he can do whatever he wants to do and get away with it,” Warren said.
He said the second resolution citing mask mandates and COVID vaccines for children is a reflection of new positions adopted by the party that were not supported by Green.
