-----Original Message----- From: To: Sent: Thu, Jan 5, 2017 11:11 am Subject: Violation of RNC Rules/Request for Immediate Action

Dear RNC Committee members Davidson, Dicke and RNC Legal Counsel Ryder:

Please forgive the informality of this "email letter"(hard copy to follow), but the urgency of an upcoming election this Friday morning requires this. You are undoubtedly aware that is in the midst of a very heated race for Republican State Chairman. That said, it is with great regret that I must lodge a formal complaint against the actions of Robert Paduchik, Deputy Co-Chair of the RNC.

Unfortunately Mr. Paduchik's actions have been in clear violation of RNC Rule 11 a during the course of this campaign. Quite public in his support of one of the candidates for Party Chair, he has written State Central Committee members , helped organize her campaign, and made very public and private statements in support of his candidate while at the same time openly disparaging the current Chair and candidate for reelection. I have attached for your review just one example of this open interference with the state party's election, while using his role as RNC Vice Chair to influence members of the State Central Committee. I am a member of that committee and received a copy of this letter. Other clear violations can also be shown, but in the interest of getting immediate relief from these violations, I have supplied this irrefutable one, in which he uses his title and position to try to affect the outcome of the election.

His violations of this rule are clear. Rule 11a's prohibition is clear . The circumstances and pre- appproval processes in which such involvement is permitted are also clear. Bob has engaged in widespread prohibited "in-kind aid to ...(a)candidate for...party office".

The time is late but I would ask that you immediately bring this violations to the attention of the RNC and its Chair. I would ask that Mr. Paduchik be instructed to IMMEDIATELY cease such activity and that he cease all communication with State Central Committee members , county chairs and donors on the subject of this election. Further, I would also ask that he be instructed not to engage in using surrogates to do such communicating and organizing. As for further discipline after the election tomorrow, I would ask that the RNC consider these violations as serious breeches of the appropriate role of the national party in state political matters and take appropriate action.

The Rules pay great deference to the state parties-their responsibilities and their prerogatives. I would ask that RNC enforce its rules and honor this necessary and long standing deference to the states.

Sincerely,

Betty Montgomery Ohio State Central Committee Member Former Ohio Attorney General (1995-2003)

PS I have also included several newspaper articles which are evidence of Bob Paduchik's involvement in this State Chairman's race: 1) From: Robert Paduchik Date: December 18, 2016 at 3:33:38 PM EST To: Robert Paduchik Subject: Dear State Central Committee Member:

Critical mid-term elections are 23 months away and we must begin to prepare for the Presidential reelection. President-elect Trump asked the Republican National Committee to consider me for the position of Co-Chairman and the Executive Committee took the first step in the process by naming me Deputy Co- Chairman. I am honored for the opportunity to serve the RNC and look forward to continuing to work with you to build on the success of the 2016 election cycle.

Thank you for everything you did these past months to elect Donald J. Trump President of the United States. President-elect Trump often asked me if we could still win Ohio without the state party’s support. I guaranteed him a win because, as experience has taught me, the true grassroots power in Ohio comes from committee members, county parties, and locally elected officials.

Ohio’s victory was made unnecessarily more difficult because of Chairman Borges failure to support and defend our nominee. At times, Chairman Borges’ comments to the press were hostile and played into the narrative of the Clinton campaign’s message. As a reminder of his comments I’ve attached a few press clips. While Chairman Borges was promoting himself on CNN and MSNBC, the volunteers were knocking doors and making phone calls. While Chairman Borges was hosting a reporter in his home, the grassroots were attending a Trump debate watching party. Chairman Borges’ actions have divided the State Central Committee and he can no longer effectively lead the Ohio Republican Party.

As you know, the Trump campaign took the extraordinary step of severing ties with Chairman Borges just weeks before Election Day. We took that unprecedented step because Chairman Borges was telling the candidate one thing and telling the press something different. To be clear, we cut Chairman Borges out of the campaign because he couldn’t be trusted. Trust is an important thing in politics. I’ve spoken with many committee members and GOP county chairs that have also lost trust in Chairman Borges.

President-elect Trump supports Jane Timken to be the next chairman of the ORP. He has directed me to assist her campaign and has offered his support as needed. Jane Timken will be a chairman that unites the committee. She has served as the Stark County Vice Chairman for the past six years and understands what it takes to win elections. Jane was loyal to President-elect Trump; she raised more than $1M and played a leadership role in a target county for our campaign. Many of you have met or spoken with her and know she will be a chairman that the committee can trust to do what’s best for the ORP. Jane has no conflicts of interest, and she is committed to serving the GOP—not a specific candidate, officeholder or lobbying client.

Tomorrow Ohio’s 18 electors will cast ballots for the President-elect and we will be one step closer to ending Obamacare, fixing bad trade deals and overturning executive orders to Make America Great Again. We could not have done it without you, the county GOP chairs and elected officials, and the county Trump chairs.

Respectfully yours,

Robert A. Paduchik Deputy Co-chair Republican National Committee

2) http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2017/01/03/Borges_challenger_says_she_has_votes_to_b e_GOP_chair.html

3) Public Articles:

12/25/16 In an email one week ago to all 66 Republican state central committee members, Mr. Paduchik said that Mr. Trump’s Ohio victory was made “unnecessarily more difficult” by Mr. Borges’ “failure to support and defend our nominee.” He said Mr. Borges’ comments to the media were “hostile,” played into the Clinton campaign narrative, and promoted himself at the expense of Mr. Trump. http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2016/12/25/Donald-Trump-win-sets-stage-for-shake-up-in-Ohio-GOP- State-party-chair-faces-challenger.html

12/18/16 "President-elect Trump supports Jane Timken to be the next chairman of the ORP. He has directed me to assist her campaign and has offered his support as needed," Paduchik wrote in the email, a copy of which was forwarded to cleveland.com. http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2016/12/donald_trump_is_backing_challe.html