Fredi Simpson, the Republican national committeewoman from Washington State, told the RNC to lay off Michael Steele in an e-mail earlier today. Referring to Solomon Yue’s “Anybody But Steele” coalition, Simpson wondered whether the group remembered that Democrats were the enemy. Furthermore, she alleged that members had informed candidates for lower committee offices that they would not support them unless they publicly denounced Steele. Simpson decried these tactics and criticized the crop of challengers.

Or at least three of them. Speaking of Reince Priebus, Simpson accused the “former RNC attorney” of being a turncoat. “When [Priebus called me] for support I asked ‘I believed you this past 1 ½ years so if you are elected, how will I know which side of your attorney’s mouth I will be listening to?’” she related. She praised Ann Wagner and Maria Cino for their experience, but worried that “many within the grassroots feel [they] are too close to the DC ‘elite’ and inner circle.” Finally, she mentioned Anuzis: “a man who I supported 2 years ago, and even though he didn’t win, chose not to ‘take his ball and go home’. He has run a clean campaign, not signing on to the ‘anyone but Steele’ pledge and not speaking ill of any of the candidates.”

Frustrated with some of the members’ tactics, Simpson offered an ultimatum: “I will not be supporting a candidate who has signed the ‘anyone but Steele’ pledge or any other pledge that remotely resembles it.” In other words, it sounds as if she’s supporting Anuzis.