Julie Harris, President of the National Federation of Republican Women, issued the following statement on December 14, 2024: 

The National Federation of Republican Women has been made aware of the unfortunate events that occurred at a recent local club meeting in Utah. These events resulted in law enforcement being called and disrupting a local restaurant that has been a valued community business partner of our local Republican Women's Club. We regret the inconvenience and distress caused to this local establishment. 

My responsibility to truth supersedes the pressure for instant reactions. The era of “react first, verify later” does not serve our Party or nation's best interests, and NFRW will continue to uphold our standards of measured, fact-based communication. 

Important Facts: 

The club held a private meeting open only to existing members of the club. A number of people who were not members of the club attempted to attend the meeting and were not permitted to do so. 

For that meeting, the club engaged a non-member to serve as parliamentarian. Under Robert’s Rules of Order, a parliamentarian’s only role is supposed to be to provide non-binding advice to the chair on parliamentary procedure. Contrary to some claims being circulated, the individual the club engaged is not a member of the club. 

NFRW has affirmed its commitment to remaining a women’s only organization and to supporting women and girls in sex-designated spaces like athletics. Key resolutions adopted at the 42nd Biennial Convention are attached [Specific to this issue refer to Resolution number 7, 9, &10]. National leadership stands by these resolutions. 

The National Federation of Republican Women along with local clubs and all state federations operate under strict bylaws and Robert’s Rules of Order. These guidelines exist to ensure fair, orderly, and legitimate proceedings for all our clubs and protection of all members’ rights. Regardless of the size of any gathering or the volume of social media activity, these established procedures must be followed to maintain the integrity of our Federation. 

While we understand the passion and commitment of all those involved, we must emphasize that proper organizational processes cannot be circumvented, even in the face of public pressure or social media campaigns. The NFRW Bylaws exist to guide and protect our federation while maintaining consistency. 

This isolated incident does not reflect the values or operating standards of the NFRW. We remain committed to empowering women in the political process while respectfully maintaining order and proper procedure in all our activities.

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