Turmoil amid the Butler County Republican Committee continued Tuesday in Butler Common Pleas Court.

The struggle over control of the Republican leadership has played out publicly since early May, when the established county GOP committee sued three members of the Butler PA Patriots group who formed a nonprofit of the same name. Now, two of the men who founded that rival group are among those claiming leadership positions in the established party.

On Tuesday, Attorneys Gary Vanasdale and Jennifer Gilliland-Vanasdale filed a motion for dismissal of civil contempt actions related to that rival faction for failing to dissolve.

“It’s over. They lost. I won,” said Vanasdale, who claimed he had recently won the chair position for the established committee. He also is co-chair of the faction group.

Following the hearing, Vanasdale said the case was filed by the committee under its former leadership, and it should be dismissed as new leadership takes over. Among the slate of proposed leaders is Bill Halle, who is listed as president on a document dated July 14 with rules and bylaws said to be adopted by the established committee.

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