The Court’s Decision on Florida FRA Case

By Kat Stansell

September 11, 2025

It’s autonomy over equality in Florida.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FOURTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA, a decision (Filing 229884227, Case No.: 16-2024-CA-6380 Division: CV-C) was handed down last week. It had nothing to do with the initial “cease and desist” order issued to the Florida Republican Assembly (FRA) in April 2024.

The order from the RPOF Rules Committee to the FRA at that time, was to cease using the word “Republican” and the symbol of the Republican elephant.

The reaction of Florida citizens was generally, “you’ve got to be kidding”!

Now, a year later, the decision of the court reveals the real issue. Nobody was “kidding”; the RPOF was reinforcing their power structure.

The court ruled that, because a member of a county Republican Executive Committee was also a chapter President of his county’s FRA chapter, in-house rules of the RPOF were violated. The Court chose to call the FRA a “Political Party” not a club, and RPOF members cannot be members of another “party”.

That is a simple as I can make it. I’m not an attorney, just an observer of people and their political interactions. This one has revealed a LOT about the players.

First, please note that there are 27 active state chapters of Republican Assemblies around the country. To the best of my knowledge, these simply exist to support moral principles in politics in their states. Ronald Reagan had called them the “conscience of the Republican Party.” I can guarantee that members of other state’s Republican Assemblies are members in good standing of their state Republican Parties.

The issue that the RPOF had in the beginning with the FLORIDA Republican Assembly, was supposedly about the elephant and the word. Interestingly enough, THAT was not mentioned in the 13-page opinion.

Frankly, I think it was something else that bothered the RPOF, which, as we know, has been very anti-MAGA throughout.

I believe that the Trump-supporting FRA was expanding fast, and this bothered the Tally RINOs.

Also, in Jan, 2024, the FRA had called for the resignation of SOS Cord Byrd and Dir. of Elections, Maria Matthews, due to the insecurity of the state of Florida’s election machinery, as testified to IN TALLAHASSEE by national voting machine security expert, Clay Parikh, in December 2023. The machines had not been properly security-checked since 2004. This was fact, not baseless accusation.

This was an “inconvenient truth” for the RPOF, so taking it to the courts – under a completely different issue – was the simple solution. “Two birds” (strong MAGA support AND diverting attention from the insecure voting machines) “with one stone”, as they say.

Courts are handy for things like that of late.

“Look over here, not over there.” Run the little peoples’ group out of money with legal fees, and come out looking good in the headlines.

Except for one thing. The RPOF’s email to the state party members, after the decision was handed down, brought up an interesting concept – autonomy. It said:

“This ruling represents a significant affirmation of the RPOF’s autonomy and constitutional protections. It also serves as a clear precedent and caution to those who may seek to challenge future actions of the RPOF Grievance Committee or decisions of the Chairman made in accordance with established party rules.”

Back off, little people. WE run the Republican Party in Florida. Your thoughts are not welcome. Never challenge our autonomy.

Given that email, I thought you might be interested in what I found on the subject of autonomy in politics, in relation to other values.

This from Stanford University…. It’s worth the read especially after the email from the RPOF.

You decide.

E-Mail Kat Stansell: katvanatt@protonmail.com