歪歪漫画

MOORHEAD 鈥� A man who Clay County Republicans maintain was legitimately ousted as chair of their group in 2022 is fighting back in a lawsuit brought against him by the Republican Party of Minnesota.

Edwin Hahn, of Moorhead, said he's "advancing a countersuit" against the state party in a dispute over member voting rights and for control of the county group, according to a news release he sent to The Forum. Hahn's counterclaim is tied up in a motion still pending in court.

On Monday, Dec. 11, during a remote court hearing, the two sides argued another portion of the motion as to whether the rightful basic political organization unit, or BPOU, is one of the plaintiffs 鈥� Clay County Republicans 鈥� or one of the defendants 鈥� Republicans of Clay County, with which Hahn is associated.

Seventh Judicial District Judge Tammy Merkins took the matter under advisement.

Reid LeBeau, attorney for the Minnesota GOP, said there is only one BPOU recognized by the state party, and it is not the one Hahn claims to lead.

鈥淥ur position is, his claims are completely and wholly without merit, and we plan to vigorously defend the party and the people within the party. Mr. Hahn was duly removed, and now 鈥� they're sort of trying to rewrite history on this,鈥� LeBeau said.

Hahn鈥檚 attorney, Matthew Schaap, said the meeting where Hahn was removed from the Clay County Republicans in 2022 was "illegitimate," using procedural maneuvers orchestrated by the Minnesota GOP; therefore, Hahn is still Clay County chair.

Schaap said the state party didn't like the conservative direction Hahn was taking with the organization and worked with Clay County Republicans to remove him and take his name off of the organization's bank accounts and contracts.

"That's not how things should function," Schaap said.

Elected as chair of Clay County Republicans in early 2021, following what it described as his 鈥渋rrational and unprofessional public conduct.鈥�

A few weeks later, the county group canceled its convention slated for March 26,

With a group of supporters, Hahn

Kris Kerzman / Forum file photo

David Hann, chair of the Minnesota GOP, said Hahn still won鈥檛 accept he鈥檚 no longer in charge.

鈥淗e sort of created his own parallel world or universe out there,鈥� Hann told The Forum.

The state party鈥檚 lawsuit filed in January lists grounds for Hahn's removal in 2022, which included making a scene in public and private settings, harassing members and delegates, attempting to enforce nonpolitical beliefs on others, and calling for the group to separate from the Minnesota GOP.

The suit seeks to force Hahn to stop representing himself as the official Clay County GOP chair; stop using the party鈥檚 name, logo and letterhead; and to return property belonging to the county organization.

鈥淗e has caused great harm to people up in Clay County by confusing ordinary Republicans as to who is supposed to represent the party up there,鈥� Hann said.

Anna Mathews, executive director of the Minnesota GOP, said the county organization had the right to remove Hahn despite the fallout.

鈥淚t's an unfortunate situation, I'll just say that. But I think that everything has been done by the book here,鈥� she said.

Hahn maintains the chairmanship dispute is intended to defame him and distract from 鈥渞eal issues,鈥� which include 鈥渦nlawful and gross misconduct鈥� by state party chair Hann, Clay County Republicans Chair Rodney Johnson, the county organization鈥檚 secretary, Laurie Christianson, and others.

Johnson was elected following Hahn鈥檚 ouster in 2022 and was reelected after two rounds of voting at a county convention in February of this year.

He said the two disagreed on numerous points, mainly over Hahn

Michael Vosburg / The Forum

Johnson said while he agreed with most of the protesters鈥� stances, Hahn should not have portrayed himself as the voice of the protests given his position at the time.

He also took issue with Hahn trying to direct him and others to sign a 鈥渓oyalty pledge,鈥� avowing the party was engaged in 鈥渟piritual warfare鈥� on behalf of Jesus Christ.

Johnson said Hahn has continuously blamed different, outside factors for his removal.

鈥淗e just likes to sensationalize things,鈥� Johnson said.

Christianson said Hahn was the one who contacted local media in 2022 about his removal.

鈥淗e鈥檚 the one that defamed himself by putting it out there,鈥� she said.

Hahn has not responded to The Forum's request for comment for this story or any previous story.

Instead, he asked a number of his supporters to reach out, including Corey Malko, of Glyndon, who said Hahn encouraged him to get involved in politics.

Malko said he was present during those meetings in March of 2022 and witnessed 鈥渄eception and shady tactics鈥� by those who voted to remove Hahn.

Afterward, Malko said, he and others tried to attend conventions to have their voices heard but weren鈥檛 recognized by those in the state party.

"The people running the show ... they just made a fool of all of us by having everybody vote just by yelling, and ... 'the yeas have it.' You guys aren't real," he said.

The Minnesota GOP took its first step in legal action against Hahn in August 2022,

Then, Hann said Hahn acted in a 鈥渄angerous, erratic, and illegal manner, including threatening party leaders, interfering with legal contracts, and refusing to return party property.鈥�

Christianson said Hahn eventually returned some of the organization鈥檚 property 鈥� in the dark of night Easter Sunday.

The items were thrown onto someone鈥檚 driveway, Hann said, but it was unclear whether everything was returned.

Hahn refers to himself as "chair" in communications with supporters and others but says he is part of the Republicans of Clay County rather than Clay County Republicans.

His email address includes that phrase and the word 鈥渃hair鈥� and is very similar to Johnson鈥檚 email address.

However Hahn identifies himself, Hann said he鈥檚 confident the state party will prevail over Hahn in court.

鈥淗e has no standing in the Republican Party. He is not a delegate to anything in the Republican Party. He is not a party official in any way, shape or form,鈥� Hann said.