It’s been a rough first week for Tony Campbell, new chairman of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee, who was sworn in last Monday.

Today, Campbell, who was sworn in last Monday, sent an email to the committee saying they should begin impeach proceedings if they don’t want him to head the party.

“Clearly they don’t want me as chairman,” Campbell said. “I don’t want to spend the next four years beating my head against the wall for people who don’t care what the voters of Baltimore County want.”

Campbell has faced criticism for suggesting that his committee support Democratic Councilman Ken Oliver as County Council chairman, and also for requesting to be compensated if he organized a fundraiser for Republican candidates back when he was chairman-elect. Area bloggers have covered the flap in detail.

Though Campbell said he expected to find detractors after beating longtime chairman Chris Cavey in September, he didn’t expect a “smear campaign.” Now, he’s not sure if the relationship with the executive board can be repaired.

Al Mendelsohn, the party’s first vice chairman, said he hasn’t heard anyone discuss impeaching Campbell.

“We’re interested in the good of the party. I know of no one who wants to impeach Tony,” said Mendelsohn, who’s known Campbell ever since he was a member of the Young Republicans. “There isn’t a movement afoot.”

However, member at large Chris Defeo suggested otherwise.

“I would like to see us get past this, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen,” Defeo said. “He seems to be dividing the party rather than bringing the party together.”

Tom Henry, the group’s second vice chair, said he was “blindsided” by Campbell’s impeachment talk. He’s hoping the executive board can meet soon to resolve the issue.

“He does not have to feel that he’s been wounded or hurt or that someone is out to get him,” Henry said. “We need to keep things internal so that we can build the party structure and get away from this sniping. This is not helping.”

Another member, Hillary Pennington, said she believes the party can move forward.

“The idea that there’s this coalition [against Tony] is just ridiculous. He knows I’m not a fan of his [but] I never heard the word ‘impeachment,’” she said.

-Raven L. Hill