Skip to main content
The standoff between two factions of the Multnomah County Republican Party—one of which has openly aligned itself with the Proud Boys—is growing increasingly bizarre.
The two sides plan to hold rival meetings June 3 to separately elect a party chair at two hotels 2 miles apart near Portland International Airport.
On May 6, then-chairman Stephen Lloyd was recalled by the more radical faction of the party after Lloyd said he wanted the Multnomah County GOP to be more inclusive. At the recall meeting, WW learned, self-described Proud Boy Daniel Tooze provided security with 10 or so of his associates.
Since that meeting, more moderate members of the party have distanced themselves from those who signed a security agreement with Tooze, which WW obtained. The county party fully splintered May 17, when Lloyd’s supporters stormed out of a party meeting at a Gresham church and attempted to vote Lloyd back in as chair in the church parking lot.
Since that split, it has remained unclear who is actually chair. After WW asked vice chair Alan Conner and secretary Sean Yates about the May 17 meeting, an anonymous emailer responded aggressively, saying the other faction’s attempt to reelect Lloyd wasn’t legal.
Three baffling emails were subsequently sent to some members of the party on May 25 by Tim Sytsma, a precinct committee person who’s aligned himself with the Proud Boys faction. (Sytsma coordinated Tooze’s volunteer security services.) In those emails, which were shared with WW, Sytsma targets James Ball, a party member who largely spearheaded the effort to reelect Lloyd.
Excerpts from the three emails provide a flavor of the discourse within what was once one of Portland’s two main political parties. In a particularly alarming line, Sytsma says he has both Three Percenters and police officers at his beck and call.
The emails have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity. Some spelling and capitalization remain as found in the original documents.
EMAIL #1
“Quit Lying to our PCPs on such issues. Before you threaten ‘Libel’ or ‘Slander’ we have this all documented. So no running to Stephen now....you are a big boy now. You and the SUCCESSFULLY Recalled FORMER Chairman can spin tales, tell falsehoods, threaten, weedle or cajole allllllll you want.”
EMAIL #2
“First of All, James Ball III, you are full of poop. That is a legal term used by bible believing Christians who want to say something much much stronger but err on the side of caution.”
“Our successfully legally RECALLED FORMER MCRP Chairman Stephen Lloyd can flee to Bumpers, Declare himself Ruler (by Illegal actions) and say whatever he wants. It doesn’t make it true. He can beat his chest and choose to act like Tarzan King of the Insurrectionists alllllll he wants. The RECALL was Valid.”
“Our PCPs are overwhelmingly Christian. You and the FORMER RECALLED Chairman never talk about God. You never put forth concern for our PCPs. Why is that…exactly? BECAUSE you wish to either take OVER the party by force, or destroy it and rebuild in your flawed ideals.”
EMAIL #3:
“I have been lied about, accused, maligned, hacked, doxed, documents stolen from the Recall (you know who you are JR.. we have sworn witnesses) My Address and Phone given out to The Daily Beast, The Associated Press, and The Leftist Willamette Week…”
“I have no fear. I have friends, neighbors, 3%ers people, my Proud Boy and Plain Clothes ‘security friends’…some who live within 6 blocks of me.…both in Uniform and OUT, I have contacted my local Precinct, they won’t be responding to any ‘Swat calls’…I enthusiastically practice my 2nd Amendment Rights,.…so frankly.…A phone call and I have more pals at my aid in literally single digit minutes than I can ever need.”