Font ResizeOrem » Taylor Oldroyd will hold on to his post as Utah County Republican chairman.
The GOP's executive committee unanimously voted Thursday night to throw out charges that Oldroyd embarrassed the party by aggressively campaigning against Provo Municipal Councilwoman Cindy Richards.
Oldroyd was the founder of a political committee that targeted Richards.
"The Executive Committee unanimously dismissed the counts because the alleged infractions did not violate the party's constitution or bylaws," said Mark Cluff, the party's vice chairman.
Had Oldroyd been found guilty, he could have been removed as party chairman.
Oldroyd only gave a thumbs-up when asked about the results, referring all questions to Cluff, who was serving as the party's spokesman.
Cluff said that Oldroyd participated in the vote as a member of the committee. Cluff said Oldroyd was allowed under parliamentary rules to vote on his own fate.
The committee also conducted its vote by a raise of hands instead of by secret ballot as originally agreed upon. The committee also deviated from its hearing rules and allowed Oldroyd to sit in on the deliberations while his accuser, Kerri Witte, had to leave.
Witte, the Legislative District 61 education officer who filed the charges, also declined to comment.
In her charges, Witte alleged that Oldroyd disparaged the party's name by his involvement in the
"Taylor is the face and the voice of the Utah County Republican Party, and he is widely recognized as such," Witte wrote in her complaint. "His involvement in this campaign automatically implicates the party."
But two months later, Oldroyd formed a political action committee and Web site, stopcindy.com, that actively campaigned against Richards. Among the charges Oldroyd raised through stopcindy.com was that Richards' family operated an illegal duplex near the BYU campus, and that Richards used her council post to quash attempts to close it.
Richards has denied the charges, saying the house was in compliance with city codes. Provo Mayor Lewis K. Billings also said that Richards' family received no preferential treatment from the city.
Oldroyd's committee also put up numerous anti-Richards signs around the city and distributed fliers urging voters to turn her out.
Richards lost to Sterling Beck 779-680.
Oldroyd earlier said he campaigned against Richards as a private resident. He said that, in his role as head of the Utah County Association of Realtors, he was involved in municipal races throughout the county.
