ROCKLAND — An intraparty political dispute is brewing at the Knox County Courthouse, where a former Republican county official has requested a protection from harassment order against a state party leader.

On May 18, Heather Sprague, former chairwoman of the Knox County Republican Committee, filed the court order against Scott Rocknak, state party vice-chairman.

In court documents, Sprague accuses Rocknak of engaging in “a pattern of harassment, manipulation and intimidation.”

She states that he called the police during a committee meeting and accused her of lying. She also said he is “participating in a long term coordinated effort to damage my reputation and remove me from office.” 

In response, Rocknak told Spectrum News that “everything will come out” during a court hearing on Aug. 11. He said he was not able to say anything more prior to the hearing.

His attorney, Nicole Milam, is out of the office until June 22 and is unable to respond to messages, according to an email auto reply.

Sprague did not return a phone call seeking comment.

On April 30, according to court documents, Sprague wrote a letter to Rocknak revoking his invitation to serve on the county executive committee. In that letter, Sprague says he coordinated a “protest walk-out” of an executive committee meeting and conspired with others to undermine her position as chairwoman. 

On May 14, several members of the executive committee wrote to Sprague to say they disagreed with several assertions she was making about other committee members.

The letter references a recall resolution for Sprague and reminds her that she would get a chance to address concerns before a vote by the members.

“We have no desire to drag this through the state party, through the press, or anywhere else,” the letter states. “We would much rather resolve it among the people who were elected to govern this committee, following the rules we all agreed to operate under.”

Four days later, the committee voted to remove Sprague as county party chairwoman. 

A hearing on the protection order is set for 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 11 in Rockland.