Republican authorities in Saline County issue a statement following fistfights at a party gathering

Saline County, Arkansas – Following the viral release of a video showing an altercation at a party meeting, a joint letter from Saline County’s Republican elected officials takes a strong stance against the party’s leadership.

The letter, dated Friday afternoon and signed by officials, demanded that the Saline County Republican Party’s leadership be removed by the Arkansas State Republican Party. Twenty elected officials, including the county’s 12 justices of the peace and judges Matt Brumley and Rodney Wright, have signed the letter.

The yelling fight that broke out at the county party meeting on Thursday night resulted in a punch being thrown, which set off the conflict. After the punch was delivered, others can be seen racing to break up the brawl in the footage.

“The Saline County Republican Committee meeting last night turned chaotic, resulting in a physical fight between two people and a heated discussion among others in the room,” the letter reads.

After that, the group criticizes the county party leadership.

The letter states, “As Saline County’s Republican Elected Officials, we categorically reject both the toxic culture fostered by the leadership of the Saline County Republican Committee as well as the disgraceful actions of these individuals.”

In order to oust the county party’s leadership, the letter requests that the state party “take immediate action.”

The letter also denounces the county party leadership for more than a year’s worth of “behavior that is shameful and embarrassing.” In addition, it makes reference to “a radical faction” that aims “to tarnish the values we hold dear” within the county party.

The Republican Party of Saline County has been in the news a lot during the past two years due to its advocacy for social conservative causes including library regulation.