UPDATE: emails from Bouldin and Riddleberger now posted after the jump.

Rich Brenner's funeral will be held at 1PM tomorrow.

The Guilford County GOP convention was scheduled for the same time.

Local GOP leadership called the state party for approval of a two-hour delay of their convention, so that people could attend both the funeral of the popular local sportscaster, who was active in GOP politics, and the convention.

Brenner, in fact, was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the convention; the text of his speech will be read there by David Long, a local pastor. GC GOP chair Al Bouldin tells me, "None of us could have gotten through reading it aloud ourselves."

But a complaint about the delay was filed with the NC GOP by Jodi Riddleberger, the prominent C4GC figure.

The state GOP ruled in favor of  the local party's request for a delay, and will send a legal representative tomorrow to answer any questions or challenges. All of the above was confirmed to me by Bouldin.

Brenner was dragged into an ugly controversy last year after Jodi Riddleberger started accusing people of digging up dirt on her husband, Barrett "Bret" Riddleberger (details of Brenner's seemingly blameless role here).

I have sent a message to Jodi Riddleberger, requesting her side of the story, but have not yet heard back from her.

Bouldin's email to local party members:

Fellow Republicans,

Rich Brenner, a beloved member of the Guilford County GOP family, passed away earlier this week. Friends will be received at the Sedgefield Hanes Lineberry chapel beginning at 5 pm on Friday, March 2. The funeral service will be held at Aycock Auditorium on the campus of UNC-G at 1 pm on Saturday, March 3.

To allow individuals to attend the funeral service, the following revised schedule will be in effect this Saturday at Vandalia Christian School (3919 Pleasant Garden Rd., Greensboro, NC):

9:00 am - Registration for 2012 Guilford Co. GOP Precinct Organization Meeting

10:00 am - Precinct Organization Meeting begins

3:00 pm - Registration for 2012 Guilford Co. GOP Convention

4:00 pm - County Convention begins

Jodi Riddleberger's email to state and local party officials (highlighting and color scheme hers):

Sent: 3/1/2012 12:03:47 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Re: Time Change for County Convention

ARTICLE II
PRECINCT ORGANIZATION

A. ANNUAL PRECINCT MEETINGS

Call for Meeting

In every year, the County Chair shall call Precinct Meetings for the 3rd Tuesday of the month of February or no later than 10th day of March, after giving 10 days written notice to each Precinct Chair and by notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the County as provided for in Article V.A.4 and that the Precinct Chairs also be informed as to the number of registered Republicans entitled to cast votes at the precinct meeting, and in accordance with Article V.A.6.b.

:),Jodi Riddleberger

Founding Mother of Conservatives for Guilford County

Conservative Community Organizer - www.myc4gc.com

If you Love Liberty please ask me about what you can do to help...

It was for freedom that Christ has set us free... Galations 5:1

I'm told the state party's response in overturning the technical point was, "After all, a man died."

Comments

[Mick]

Cant wait to hear why Riddleberger complained of a delay due to a funeral.

[prell]

"But a complaint about the delay was filed with the NC GOP by Jodi Riddleberger, the prominent C4GC figure."

Wow.

[Janet Wright]

That is indeed a sad and unbecoming response to the honoring of a wonderful local hero.

REAL classy, Riddleberger!

[rob kinlaw]

so is this thread. Real classy. Let's let the body cool a little first, shall we?

[David Hoggard]

Love the red, white and blue fonts in Jodi's signature. Very patriotic, looking.

I will miss Rich Brenner.

[Ed Cone]

RK, it is a distasteful business.

But as it involves events scheduled for tomorrow, posting in real time seems like a necessary course.

[rob kinlaw]

Oh absolutely. There is only a finite time window from which to effectively score political points off a corpse. Well played.

[Ed Cone]

I'm sorry you feel that way, RK, although it seems to me that at least some of your ire should be directed at the people actually doing the things written about here.

[Andrew Brod]

As someone who's active in no political party, I'm unclear about the difference between a precinct meeting and a county convention. But the provision highlighted by Jodi is about the former and the event that got delayed was the latter. Am I missing something? Or is Jodi?

[Tony Wilkins]

This confirms Riddleberger for the arrogant, egotistical, media hound that some of us have known for a while. She's all about Jodi and those TMZ-like press conferences.

A self-appointed leader is self-appointed for a reason and is usually only a leader in their own mind.

Now would be a good time for people who have associated themselves with the little c4gc sandbox like Joe Guarino, Jim Lewis, Pam Hanzaker, Brenda Formo, Joanne Wittenborn, Ernie Wittenborn, Jeff Phillips, George Hartzman, Jeremy Williams, etc. to come out publicly and condemn Jodi's actions or support them. What say you?

[sean coon]

joe guarino can't bother, he's busy piling onto nelson johnson. priorities, priorities...

[Joe Guarino]

I support Jodi.

But at this particular moment, I won't get into a debate as to the circumstances of this particular episode. I agree with Rob Kinlaw that the discussion here is unseemly.

[Andrew Brod]

That makes sense.

[Andrew Brod]

Not.

[Billy Jones]

Jodi is young, if she learns how to pick her battles there will be hell to pay. Jodi, you can't fight every one, pick and choose wisely.

[Dan]

Grand Old Popcorn.

[Ed Cone]

So, Joe, you support the effort to keep the convention from being moved a couple of hours so people can go to the funeral of a beloved friend and colleague, but you find discussion of that effort unseemly?

[Account Deleted]

Technically only delegates elected at a precinct meeting can become delegates at the county convention. Because it is rare to have more active people in a precinct than the allowed number of delegates from the precinct to the county convention, the two are generally held on the same day to satisfy the formality.

In more Republican areas and also back when the population of registered voters was lower (and thus the delegate slots more competitive) they have the precinct elections days or weeks prior to the convention.

Hope that answers Andrew's question.

Delaying the convention a couple of hours given the circumstances is hardly something to fuss over.

[Joe Guarino]

Ed, the answer is yes.

[Andrew Brod]

Thanks, Jeff.

As for Joe, wow.

[David Hoggard]

Joe is one of those Compassionate Conservatives we read so much about.

I'm sure he has a good reason for supporting Riddleberger. I'm guessing spite.

Jeffrey, it seems that with the various layers of Republicans lately, EVERYTHING is something to fuss over.

[sean coon]

this from a guy who's more than willing to publish a post about nelson johnson receiving 30lbs of weed when he has zero information on the exact nature of what went down/what is going down. but, you know, that's different because nelson was a communist in the 70's for about 13 hours prior to the klan shooting.

[Aspadeisaspade]

"you can take the girl out of the trailer park, but you can't take the trailer park out of the girl". Way to keep things classy Jodi. You are trailer trash, you married sex offender trailer trash and [REDACTED; WE WILL NOT BE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S CHILDREN HERE, THNX -- ED]

[Andrew Brod]

Dude...

[Aspadeisaspade]

I do believe Mr. Wilkins has omitted some c4gc members, they include: Larry Lapple, Patricia Sullivan, Kevin & Elizabeth Smith, and Bob Grenier.

[prell]

Seriously, is anyone really surprised by Joe's comments?

[sittinginthemiddle]

"This confirms Riddleberger for the arrogant, egotistical, media hound that some of us have known for a while. She's all about Jodi and those TMZ-like press conferences.

A self-appointed leader is self-appointed for a reason and is usually only a leader in their own mind."- Tony Wilkins

Tony, I find it surprising that you would personally attack a 110 lb woman from behind your computer screen. Being as you see this woman on a regular basis at many Republican functions, wouldn't you find it prudent to address her to her face? Or is it possible that you have a fear of what swallowing your teeth would taste like if her husband was near? My bet would be the latter as most Liberals are Cowards.

[Martha Washington]

Founding Mother?

[sittinginthemiddle]

Aspadeisaspade:

My guess is you easily identify Trailer Trash either because you were raised by it or married it. Which is it?

[Elliot]

Maybe time to shut this down for a little while.

[Ed Cone]

Let's leave kids out of this, on pain of getting kicked off. Thanks.

Tony is a liberal? Huh. I hope they have a uniform in his size.

[cheripickr]

Nothing like a good old Friday Night free-for-all, tonight's substrate kindly provided by the freshly deceased and our own Don King.
The barstools are flying! The ratings are tops! Whoopee!!!

Does the ambition to influence local politics eventually just suck the decency out of everybody it touches?

[Martha Washington]

and he's outta here........

[Brenda T Formo]

Jodi Riddleberger or anyone else has the freedom in our country to write a letter.

[Tony Wilkins]

Ed, I publicly apologize to Brenda Formo who has informed me by phone that she is not a member of c4gc. She is retired military whom I greatly respect and I mistakenly, through erroneous information provided to me, lumped her in with the group. I would ask that you redact her name from my comment above and redact her name in this comment as well.

To sittinginthemiddle who says:"Tony, I find it surprising that you would personally attack a 110 lb woman from behind your computer screen. Being as you see this woman on a regular basis at many Republican functions, wouldn't you find it prudent to address her to her face? Or is it possible that you have a fear of what swallowing your teeth would taste like if her husband was near?".

There's an easy answer to that question sittingin. Scared of her. I don't give a rat's ass about her husband, but I'm scared of her.

[Axelskater]

Mrs Riddleberger does not attend Republican events, with the exception of conventions.

[Mick]

And others are free to question and criticize why someone would even bother to fire off an email about protocols or somthing when a political function has been delayed two hours for a funeral. Was it really worth the trouble and ill will? What little regard I had for C4GC is now completely gone.

[sittinginthemiddle]

"Mrs Riddleberger does not attend Republican events, with the exception of conventions."-Axelskater

I am pretty sure what was said was Republican functions not Republican events. Mrs. Riddleburger is a leader in alot of Republican attended functions. For the reading comprehension impaired.

[sittinginthemiddle]

"There's an easy answer to that question sittingin. Scared of her. I don't give a rat's ass about her husband, but I'm scared of her."= Tony Wilkins

Tony,

Does this mean you will be willing to repeat your above statement to her face with her husband in attendance?

[Mick]

Joe,

Why do you think the timing of the event should not be altered?

Seems petty and heartless to me.

[grammernazi]

"alot" isn't a word, sittinginthemiddle.

[sittinginthemiddle]

Thanks Grammernazi, I should have said several

[Joanne Wittenborn]

I am a proud hardworking member of C4gc and of the GGRWC. I am also a proud Republican. I refuse to be defined by such a divisive person as Tony Wilkins and blogger Ed Cone whom I do not even know. Jodi Riddleberger has the right as an American Citizen to ask for a clarification of a written rule in the Plan of Organization. She said nothing about Rich Brenner or his funeral. She merely pointed out the rule in the GC GOP's Plan of Organization. Now, the leadership at the GC GOP could have cancelled the Convention and notified the membership that it would be held in 10 days - per the plan of organization that those at the GC GOP are so quick to quote. I am totally disgusted at some of the comments in this thread. I truly hope that whomever reads all of these comments has the clarity and discernment to see who are the truly divisive.

[Andrew Brod]

Yes, you've made that clear.

[prell]

@Joanne: Cool story!

[Janet Wright]

I thought it touching and appropriate that the GOP would wish to honor Rich by making it possible for his many friends to both participate in the party that Rich supported as well as honor and remember him at his funeral.

"She said nothing about Rich Brenner or his funeral. She merely pointed out the rule in the GC GOP's Plan of Organization." What, if not Rich's funeral, was her reason for bringing this up then?

This is a time for us to join together to pay respect to someone who did a great deal for this community and if that means dispensing with some rules in order to do that, so be it.

[Axelskater]

Perhaps the reason you mistakenly thought B Formo was a c4gc member is because she gave them a thousand dollars ( I believe that was the amount) a few weeks ago. She is free to do that. But geez just own it.

[Blah blah blah]

Who cares if you are disgusted Joanne. Who cares what you think at all? It is a shame that Brenda is too ashamed to own up to her donation to C4GC, or maybe she thinks people are not smart enough to read reports. Put a sock in it Joanne, for once.

[bubba]

"I refuse to be defined by such a divisive person as Tony Wilkins and blogger Ed Cone whom I do not even know."

.....which means that you refuse to be marginalized, a practice used here against anyone whose beliefs are just not convenient to the accepted agenda.

[Hartzman.blogspot.com]

"You are trailer trash, you married sex offender trailer trash"

Apoligize.

"most Liberals are Cowards."

Stereotypical Generalization.

"Does the ambition to influence local politics
eventually just suck the decency out of everybody it touches?"

Great question.

"Jodi Riddleberger or anyone else has the freedom in our country to write a letter."

Agreed.

"fear of what swallowing your teeth would taste like
if her husband was near?"."

Having met both men,
of whom I find good conversationalists
and relatively bigger than me, I would think a fight between them
may be amazingly entertaining as long as I would not be involved.

"I'm scared of her."

For good reason.

She has played many for fools on multiples of occations
with deftness and relentnesnes.

"Mrs Riddleberger does not attend Republican events,
with the exception of conventions."

If so, what does it mean?

How much text in tommorow's paper?

Can you feel how she absorbed energy?

Some may be playing a different game.

Some may not understand the initiative.

Does the name "Pavlov" ring a bell?

"She merely pointed out the rule in the GC GOP's Plan of Organization."

If so, Ed and friends just had a blast with it.

"...if not Rich's funeral, was her reason for bringing this up then?"

Legit question.

"This is a time for us to join together to pay respect
to someone who did a great deal for this community
and if that means dispensing with some rules in order to do that,
so be it."

Moral relativity issue.

What other rules are dispensable?

"Who cares if you are disgusted Joanne.

Who cares what you think at all?"

The person who said "who cares",
otherwise blah wouldn't have written it.

"Put a sock in it Joanne, for once."

Apoligise.
.
.
.
FYI...I am a pro-choice, anti marriage ammendment
Jewish/Cuban fiscal conservative
who is registered UNA.

I asked to speak on Tea Party Tax day
but have not heard back yet.

I also hope Ed, Andrew and Jeffrey
come to my class on March 13th.

I talk to Fec.

I talk to Sharon Hightower.

I talk to myself.

Very disturbing.