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November 25, 2025
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Brevard GOP in Turmoil: A “Secret” 7-Person Meeting Claims to Install New Leadership—But the Rules Say It’s All Invalid
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Brevard County’s Republican Party, already reeling from the removal of its former chairman, faces fresh chaos over a disputed “election” that sidelined most members in favor of a tiny splinter group. Eyewitnesses and official documents reveal procedural failures at every turn. This isn’t just infighting—it’s a hijacking of democratic processes that demands immediate correction.
The Brevard Republican Executive Committee (BREC) was meant to hold a straightforward special election on November 24, 2025, to replace ousted Chairman Rick Lacey. Instead, what unfolded was anything but ordinary: Seven members abruptly left the main meeting room, retreated to a separate space, and declared themselves the “legitimate” body. There, they purportedly elected John Dittmore as chairman and Josiah Gattle as state committeeman without ballots, quorum, or input from the dozens attending the noticed meeting.
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Acting Chairman Dave Fosdick fired back the next day with a pointed letter to all members: “The election was not valid… Seven (7) people in a secret meeting does not constitute a quorum.” His analysis, grounded in the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) rules, holds up under scrutiny. Yet a pro-election newsletter crowed about the results as “legal and without incident,” and even Florida GOP Chair Evan Power congratulated the pair on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday.
As of November 25, 2025 noon the day after public reactions from members from the main meeting are furious: “We never saw a ballot or heard an election was happening,” one told me anonymously. This article reconstructs the events, dismantles the defenses, and shows why the “election” must be voided before it fractures the party further.
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What Really Happened on November 24
The stage was set by RPOF Rules of Procedure, Rule 6: Upon a chairman’s removal, the vice chair (Fosdick) becomes acting chair and must call an election within 60 days. Notices went out November 2 and 13, properly alerting members per the County Model Constitution, Article VIII (email suffices).
Tensions boiled over roster disputes some members reinstated by RPOF, others sidelined by local bylaws. The main room filled with 158 attendees (per witnesses), expecting a vote. Of those, 151 voted. But instead of proceeding, seven exited, claiming the “meeting” continued elsewhere. No announcement. No inclusion. The main group handled non-election business like roster approval, unaware of the parallel “action.”
A celebratory newsletter from the pro-Dittmore faction, distributed post-meeting, paints a rosy picture: Dittmore, a Navy vet and former West Melbourne councilman, “brings decades of service.” Gattle, chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Brevard, fills the vacancy from Randy Fine’s resignation. They also claim to have passed a 2026 budget, committees, and an “emergency bylaws resolution.”
But eyewitnesses say the main room saw none of this. The splinter group’s moves? A procedural house of cards.
The Defenses Don’t Hold Water: Breaking Down the Pro-Election Arguments
State Committeewoman Marie Rogerson, a key backer, issued a “Nov 24 Meeting Rules” memo post-event, arguing the gathering was ironclad. Her points? Let’s compare them to the rules.
- “The meeting couldn’t be canceled once noticed.” Mostly true. Fosdick’s attempted cancellation lacked full notice (County Model, Article VIII). But this validates the main meeting, not a secret offshoot.
- “RPOF rules override BREC bylaws.” Accurate (County Model, Article XII: State committee has “final authority”). That’s why the November 24 “emergency resolution” invalidating conflicting bylaws (e.g., attendance requirements) might have legs if properly adopted. More on that below.
- Quorum isn’t required? Rogerson’s memo implies flexibility via a vague “sample procedure,” but no such RPOF doc exists (searches of official rules yield nothing). RPOF Rules, Rule 6(C), mandates elections at a “duly called meeting” which demands quorum.
- Reinstated members could vote. Yes, per RPOF as the “competent tribunal” (County Model, Article III). Roster games couldn’t block them.
- Treasurer presided when Fosdick refused. Unsupported. Robert’s Rules of Order (RONR, adopted via County Model, Article X, §47) requires assembly election of a pro tem chair, no auto-switch to treasurer.
These claims crumble when facts hit the rules. The splinter wasn’t a meeting; it was a caucus.
Six Fatal Flaws: Why the Election Is Dead on Arrival
Under RPOF and BREC rules, validity demands precision. The November 24 actions fail spectacularly—any single violation voids it all. Here’s the breakdown:
- Wrong Venue: Not the “Duly Called Meeting” County Model Constitution, Article IV, §5: Vacancies fill via “majority vote of a quorum present at the duly called meeting.” (Which was also adjourned) The noticed event was in the main room. The seven’s “rump session” in a side room? RONR §9 calls it unauthorized—no power to act for the body.
- No Quorum—Period BREC Bylaws, Sixth Bylaw: “A quorum… shall consist of forty percent of the total membership” (~80-100 for BREC’s ~200-250 precinct-based members). Even RONR’s default (majority, ~125) laughs at seven. No RPOF waiver exists for chairman elections (unlike precincts, Rule 5(D)). Zero business transacted.
- “Emergency Resolution” Was a Sham To nix conflicting bylaws, it needed County Model, Article IX: 24-hour written notice, Executive Board review, agenda placement, and 2/3 quorum vote. Seven in a side room? Unanimous or not, it’s null.
- No Secret Ballot—Open Violation BREC Bylaws require “all elections… by secret ballot” with tellers and a box. Witnesses: None. Acclamation in secret? Invalid.
- No Legitimate Presiding Officer RONR §47: The chair presides unless the assembly elects otherwise. Faction fiat doesn’t count.
- Members Robbed of Their Vote Article III guarantees voting rights to eligible members. Dozens in the main room? Excluded. That’s not democracy—it’s disenfranchisement.
The Quorum “Explanation” That Backfired: Rogerson’s Own Words Seal the Deal
In a November 25 Facebook post—posted amid rising backlash—Rogerson took to educating on quorum, urging skeptics to “Google or read Robert’s Rules.” Intended as a shield, it became a smoking gun.
Key excerpts:
- “A quorum is the minimum number of voting members required to be present at a properly convened meeting to legally conduct business.”
- “Bylaws are primary: … if [they] state a different quorum, that number takes precedence over the ‘majority’ rule.”
- “Default is majority: If no specific quorum is defined… For example, if there are 7 members, the quorum is 4.”
- “Quorum is the number of members present at the meeting.”
Applied here? BREC bylaws demand 40%—not met. The “properly convened” meeting was the main room, where quorum was present. The splinter? Self-evicted, powerless. Her 7-member example? Ironic, but irrelevant—BREC isn’t a club of seven.
This post doesn’t defend the election; it indicts it. As one X user noted in a rare skeptical reply to Power’s congrats: “Bright day? Only if you ignore the rules.” (Echoing low-engagement chatter; full search shows leadership support but grassroots grumbles.)
Randy Fine’s Resignation Stands—But the Vacancy Lingers
One silver lining: Fine’s resignation as state committeeman is valid and immediate (RPOF Constitution, Article V: Resignations create vacancies; RONR §32). It moots prior removal pushes over attendance (Rule 25). But filling it? Requires a valid election (Rule 11(E), tying to County Model §5). Gattle’s “win” fails that test—the seat stays open.
What Comes Next: A Roadmap for BREC Members
According to the acting chair, this isn’t over—RPOF’s State Executive Committee holds “final authority” (County Model, Article XII). He says to act now to reclaim legitimacy:
- Refuse Recognition: Email/text Dittmore (johndittmore@gmail.com, 321-917-7029) and Gattle (josiahmgattle@gmail.com, 321-806-5862) per Fosdick’s letter. State: “Your election lacks quorum and due process.”
- Demand Minutes and Audit: Article VII, §9 requires filing with RPOF within 30 days—insist on accuracy showing no valid vote.
- Call a Redo: Petition for a special meeting (Article VII, §3: 40% of members). Fosdick retains convening power—urge him.
- File Grievances: RPOF Rule 22 offers 30-day dispute resolution. Escalate to the State Committee if needed.
- Amplify Publicly: Share this on X/FB (tag @FloridaGop, @EvanPower). With minimal coverage so far, your voice can tip the scales.
Brevard deserves a GOP that’s transparent, not tangled in backroom deals. The rules from RPOF Constitution to RONR demand a do-over. Ignore them, and trust erodes. Honor them, and unity rebuilds. Some of the same people involved in the secret meeting on election also claimed that Democrats disregarded the Democratic process when they took away the voice of the people establishing Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee. 
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