- Salt Lake County GOP removed seven leaders for making false election interference allegations.
- Chairman Mike Carey stated the accusations threatened the party's unity and reputation.
- Censured leaders, including Tracie Halvorsen, criticized Carey, claiming retaliatory actions.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Republican Party removed seven top leaders from their posts on the executive committee for making "false allegations of criminal election interference" against the party, its chairman announced Thursday.
The seven committee members — some of whom have been close supporters of former Rep. Phil Lyman's 2024 gubernatorial campaign and subsequent efforts to have Gov. Spencer Cox thrown out of office — will all be barred from holding offices within the party for at least two years, while all but two will also be restricted from attending any party events, aside from caucus night, for four years.
"The Salt Lake County Republican Party thrives on healthy, spirited debate that advances our conservative values and unites us in purpose," County Chairman Mike Carey said in a lengthy social media post. "However, fabricating baseless accusations of criminal activity by party leadership, only to then be weaponized as lawfare, crosses an unacceptable line."
He went on to say the individuals' actions "not only smeared the many dedicated volunteers who lead our party, but they threatened the very fabric of our organization, sowing division at a time when unity is paramount."
The issue began last year, when the county party endorsed Cyndi Sharkey, who was running for mayor in a nonpartisan race in Sandy, according to Carey's statement. He said a "small group of party members, led by Tracie Halvorsen," sent a letter claiming that such endorsements were illegal, something he said was based on a "misguided interpretation" of state code.
Days after the party voted to endorse Sharkey, Halvorsen and seven others — Cathy Duke, Monica Wilbur, Debbie Gerrity, Kaye Sanderson, Natalie Cline, Laurel Fetzer and Casey Gale — filed a criminal complaint referral with attorneys in Sandy, Riverton and Herriman on Sept. 5, 2025, according to Carey. He said the group also forwarded copies of the complaint accusing the party of violating state election law to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and then-FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
"In the meantime, Tracie Halvorsen proceeded to post public statements across multiple social media platforms asserting the party had committed criminal election interference and posted links to all documents she provided authorities," Carey wrote.
He said the "baseless claims" hurt party operations and damaged its reputation.
Carey said he accused the eight individuals of "conduct tending to injure the good name" of the party during a meeting in January, and the individuals were tried before the executive committee last Monday in a "raucous" meeting that was disrupted by supporters of the accused and that stretched to nearly 3 a.m.
All eight individuals were found to have engaged in injurious conduct. Sanderson and Fetzer were found to have violated their executive committee member duties, and Halvorsen was found to have violated the party's standards of conduct.
"Tracie Halvorsen has a documented history of making caustic and oftentimes reprehensible statements in public forums online, party group chats and in party state central committee meetings, and has repeatedly harassed and threatened to sue those who disagree with her," Carey wrote.
Halvorsen, who is running to unseat state Sen. Dan McCay in this year's elections, was censured, removed from her party office, and barred from holding office and from attending events through May 1, 2030. She will still be allowed to access party resources and attend the state nominating convention as needed for her Senate campaign.
Sanderson, Cline, Wilbur and Gale were also censured and barred from party events for the same amount of time.
It's not the first time Cline has been disciplined in a public role. While serving on the State School Board, Cline was censured by the Utah Legislature for "bullying" a child after she publicly questioned a high school student's gender.
Fetzer and Gerrity were censured and removed from county office until May 1, 2028, while Duke received only a written reprimand from the party.
Those who were disciplined and their supporters have continued to criticize Carey since their removal, saying he retaliated against them for criticizing the party leadership.
"This effort by SLCo GOP Chair Mike Carey to purge myself and others from the Republican party for doing literally WHAT HE TOLD US TO DO & what the SLCo GOP bylaws encourage us to do is the most mental thing on the planet," Wilbur said in a social media post last Monday, ahead of the removal hearing.
"People want the law followed!" Halvorsen said in a post. "They want accountability! When 8 members held to that standard, we were retaliated against and unlawfully removed from our positions."
