The Salt Lake County GOP Executive Committee removed Casey Gale, a paid supporter of gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman, from a party leadership position earlier this week over his use of a homophobic slur in a social media post.
Sources confirm to Utah Political Watch that the Salt Lake County GOP's executive committee kicked Gale out of his position on the Utah Republican Party's State Central Committee after he used an anti-gay slur to refer to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is homosexual.
According to a source with knowledge, the post attacking Secretary Buttigieg was "the last straw" for party leadership.
Gale confirmed his removal on his X/Twitter account, threatening a possible lawsuit in response to the decision. He said he had received an "outpouring of support" from "Libertarians, Independents, and an awful lot of Republicans."
It is true, that yesterday the @SLCountyGOP wrongfully removed me in a shame kangaroo ambush to remove me from the @UtahGOP State Central Committee.
— Casey (@gale_kc) September 27, 2024
I firmly stand by my convictions, and offer ZERO apology. I believe I’m 100% right.
I’ve had an outpour of support from… pic.twitter.com/6IiGiwKcRW
In his post, Gale bragged that he had been offered a book deal and a "major conservative organization" offered him a job. It's unclear what organization that might be since he was removed from a leadership position with the Republican Party, which happens to be the most prominent conservative organization in Utah.
His removal is only temporary, though. Gale is not prevented from running to regain his position on the State Central Committee at next year's Salt Lake County GOP convention.
Gale relentlessly promoted Phil Lyman's unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign on social media, often insulting or mocking Lyman's opponent, Spencer Cox. He also frequently attacked other Utah Republicans for being insufficiently loyal to Donald Trump. However, Gale never disclosed that Lyman's campaign was paying him.
According to financial disclosures, Lyman's campaign made a pair of $10,000 payments for "advertising" to an LLC named Liberty Line Consulting. That company was registered with the state on May 2, the same day as the first payment from Lyman. According to Open Corporates, Casey Gale is the only person named on the business registration.
Lyman lost the Republican primary election to Cox but is mounting a write-in campaign.
Gale has a history of irritating other Republicans on the State Central Committee. Some members have described his habit of "derailing" meetings by introducing resolutions that reduce the time available for other business. Gale was behind the resolution calling for Utah to withdraw from the multi-state voter verification database known as ERIC. Several GOP county parties adopted the resolution earlier this year.