MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan accepted a severance package on her way out as chair of the Minnesota Republican Party on Thursday, turning a page on a scandal that threatened to consume the party ahead of a pivotal election year.
Carnahan leaves as the head of the party amid allegations that she created a toxic workplace environment, one that blurred personal and professional lines, ignored concerns about sexual harassment and retaliated against employees who didn't fall in line.
The party's 15-member executive board voted 8-7 to give Carnahan a severance of three months salary, roughly $38,000, to leave her role. Carnahan, who attended the meeting virtually, accepted the severance.
"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as chairwoman for the Republican Party of Minnesota," Carnahan said in a statement. "I never imagined my life would move from being abandoned as a baby next to the garbage dumpster on the back doorstep of a rural hospital in South Korea on the day I was born to serving as Chairwoman of the Republican Party of Minnesota."
About 15 people gathered outside the meeting at the party's headquarters in Edina, a handful right outside the door of the closed meeting. Some carried signs protesting against Carnahan, who attended virtually.
Sheri Auclair, a GOP activist who organized the protest calling for Carnahan's removal, said the party needs to focus on rebuilding.
"Right now there is no brand," Auclair said of the Minnesota Republican Party's image. "Right now the state party is in ruins."
Six board members sent a letter to central committee delegates on Thursday calling for Carnahan to resign and asking them to encourage other board members to support an investigation and new leadership at the party.
"The road ahead will be difficult but we must take bold action to reform our Party," the letter reads. "The future of our state depends on it."
The drumbeat for Carnahan to step down began a week ago over her close relationship with GOP donor Anton "Tony" Lazzaro, who was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. But the charges opened the door to a flood of allegations against Carnahan, including that she created a toxic workplace environment at the state party, one that blurred personal and professional lines, ignored concerns about sexual harassment and retaliated against employees who didn't fall in line.
Four former executive directors of the party released a statement Wednesday saying Carnahan "ruled by grudges, retaliation, and intimidation" in the party, aiding candidates she preferred and retaliating against those who spoke out against her.
The four former executive directors — Becky Alery, Andy Aplikowski, Christine Snell and Kevin Poindexter — are all well-connected in state Republican politics and said they were able to speak out after the party's executive board voted to void nondisclosure agreements.
Multiple women also detailed in social media posts their experiences when they said they were harassed or spoken to inappropriately by staff in the party. The party pushed back in a statement, saying many of the allegations circulating online were never reported to the chair or the party's HR department.
Carnahan has resisted calls to step down, saying the allegations are part of a "coup" by her detractors to relitigate the April chair race. She's also continued to distance herself from Lazzaro, saying she had no idea about his alleged criminal activities until after his arrest.
"There is no way for us to know the personal background of every contributor to our party — even those donors with whom we have a regular relationship," she said. "To imply otherwise is simply wrong."
Lazzaro got deeply involved in state politics through his connection to Carnahan, hosting a podcast with her and attending her intimate wedding to Republican First District Rep. Jim Hagedorn in 2018.
In an extended account of his experiences on Thursday, Aplikowski said Carnahan once told him that he would "not approve of" Lazzaro's lifestyle. He said a call came into the party on July 19 from a Daily Beast reporter asking about Lazzaro's status as a delegate to the National Convention. It struck him as an odd question, so he directed it to communications staff.
Carnahan called him a few hours later and asked him to "swear not to tell anyone about this, not even my spouse." A few weeks later, the Daily Beast broke the story of Lazzaro's arrest.
The ballooning scandal has prompted nearly 20 legislators, three Republican gubernatorial candidates and the six executive board members to demand her resignation. Prominent conservative women leaders and political groups joined the call over allegations of harassment and intimidation.
"It is unacceptable that any 'leader' diminishes, abuses, and defames members of the Republican Party organization," said PAC Women Lead, which helps elect conservative women to office and called for new leadership in the party. "No one deserves the treatment outlined in the last week. We will redouble our efforts to lift up conservative women leaders.
The scandal has consumed the Republican Party one year before the 2022 midterm elections, where the governor's office, all 201 legislative seats and Minnesota's eight seats in Congress are on the ballot.
The party is trying to end its more than 15-year losing streak for statewide office, but it faces a serious money disadvantage to the state's DFL Party, according to campaign finance reports.
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