Someone (Everyone) On The Board(s) Read(s) "The Watch" ;)

Latest from NYSYR.US below the picture.

(We took the liberty to bold a few words.)

So what % of the $ collected will go to the USS Arizona Restoration?

Not a lot.  

Judging by the failed fundraising effort for Republican NYC mayoral candidate Joe Lhota (and his embarrassing Election Day performance) by a past NYSYR and current YRNF chair, there won't be much money raised for the USS Arizona.

Unless of course the YRNF is holding a vote there... LMAO.

Come celebrate the Holiday Season with friends in New York City!

This year marks our 17th Annual Holiday Party. 

The party will be held on Saturday December 7th at Fagiolini, located at 120 East 40th Street in Manhattan, and will be from 7 pm to 10 pm.

Cost: $75 Per Person

The dinner includes unlimited beer, wine and soda, as well as passed hors d'oeuvres, 3 course sit-down dinner & dessert. 

We will also be collecting donations for the National Park Service's USS Arizona Memorial Restoration in honor of Pearl Harbor Day.

For more information on the USS Arizona Memorial, please visit Pacific Historic Parks.

Dinner tickets, as well as sponsorship and Pearl Harbor Day donations, 

Happy Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day and "The Watch" thanks all of the brave men and women who have served or are serving in this nation's armed forces.

Shame on the patriots, professors, historians, & RINOs of the NYSYRs for not showing any sign of recognition on this most special of American holidays.

On the official NYSYR website the following events/dates are advertised:

1) YRNF Quarterly Meeting (November 15-17)

2) 17th Annual Holiday Party (December 7th- Pearl Harbor Day)

3) Meet The Officers of the NYSYRs

Not a word about veterans day on their website and not an email/tweet sent.

Nice. Either none of them have served in the military, know anyone that has, or they simply do not care.

Shame on the "elected" officers of the NYSYRs:

Chair Diana Sepulveda (Kings County)
Vice-Chair Cory Custer (Saratoga County)
Treasurer John Doyle (Suffolk County)
Recording Secretary Anthony Reinhart (Richmond County)
Corresponding Secretary Nicole Russo (Nassau County)
National Committeewoman Kellie King (Westchester County)
National Committeeman John Greene (Putnam County)

As of this post (6pm on Veterans Day) no word from the NYSYRs. Let's see if this post motivates them!

This Just In: NYSYRs Fire Back At Brooklyn YRs

The NYSYRs fired back at the "credentialed" Brooklyn YR Club by openly inviting the "non-credentialed" club to their Pearl Harbor Day fundraiser.

We were sent this screenshot by someone close to the parties involved and can only surmise that NYSYR Corresponding Secretary Nicole Russo sent this invite to the non-credentialed Brooklyn YR Club headed by Glenn Nocera as a way to send a clear message to the NYSYR Chair/ credentialed Brooklyn YR Club President, Diana Sepulveda.

Rumor has it that many of the "officers" of the NYSYRs are plotting a power grab to remove Diana Sepulveda from her perch and blame her for the existence of this blog.

Let's see what happens next.

Credentialed Brooklyn YR Club: http://www.brooklynyrs.com/

Non-credentialed Brooklyn YR Club: http://www.brooklynyr.com/

A site dedicated to Glenn Nocera (President of non-credentialed Brooklyn YRs): http://thenoceratapes.blogspot.com/

December 7, 1941—A Date Which Will Live In Infamy. And a NYSYR Fundraiser?

The patriots, professors, historians, and RINOs of the NYSYR's various boards have decided to hold their Christmas Fundraiser on Pearl Harbor Day.

At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time (12:55 p.m. EST) on December 7, 1941, Japanese fighter planes attacked the U.S. base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, launching one of the deadliest attacks in American history. The assault, which lasted less than two hours, claimed the lives of more than 2,500 people, wounded 1,000 more and damaged or destroyed 18 American ships and nearly 300 airplanes. (http://www.history.com/news/5-facts-about-pearl-harbor-and-the-uss-arizona)

The attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. On December 8th, 1941, war was declared against Japan. And three days later on December 11th, 1941, war was declared against Germany and Italy.

Fast forward 72 years and it is only fitting that the liberals YRs of today hold a Christmas Fundraiser on Pearl Harbor Day at an Italian Restaurant in NYC.

Our grandfathers would be so proud of our tolerance.

2013 NYSYR Holiday Party

Saturday, December 7th, 2013

7-10pm

Fagiolini on 40th

120 East 40th Street

New York City

$75

Is it too soon to hold the Fall Meeting/Fundraiser on September 11th at a Middle Eastern Restaurant?

We hope they actually bring a flag to the fundraiser (they forgot it at the meeting in Orange County) and maybe invite some of the very few living WWII veterans for free. We also would like to see ALL "PROFITS" donated to a charity for veterans.

We will keep an eye on this as it develops.

Delegates: Super/Secret/Lists [UPDATED]

Super-Delegates

The NYSYR Bylaws say "Elected Officers of the NYSYR shall be considered “super-delegates” and shall have one (1) vote each at any meeting, but not at the biennial convention."

The Bylaws go on to say "All voting by any member club shall be by unit rule determined by a caucus of the delegates belonging to the member."

At the meeting in Orange County more than 1/2 of the live-bodies present were officers of the NYSYR and at least 7 could have voted as super-delegates. At a meeting where only 24 or so votes were cast by those actually present almost 1/3 of all votes cast could have not been bound by unit rule.

[UPDATE]

Of the 7 officers that could have been super-delegates only 1 voted as such due to their home club's failure to submit a delegate list.

Bylaws: Super-delegates cannot also be delegates for the member club to whom they belong and cannot hold the proxies for those delegates. However, they may give up their “super-delegate” status to become a delegate of their club without giving up the office that gives them status as a super-delegate.

In addition the "officers" meet prior to every general meeting of the NYSYR to discuss what and how they will be voting on any given topic when the unwashed masses come in for the general meeting.

Regardless of how the duly elected or selected delegates from a county club decide to vote during their caucus, super-delegates can cast their vote for whatever they wish.

So which political party utilizes this system of super-delegates? You probably guessed it- the Democratic Party!

Excerpts from: http://uspolitics.about.com/od/2008elections/tp/super_delegates.htm

The Democratic Party has three types of delegates; two types are elected at the state level. The third is less well publicized or understood: the super-delegate.

The Democratic party also has a third type: super-delegates. A super-delegate is a leader in the National Democratic Party who has a vote at the national convention; they not selected by state party members. 

 In 2008, a candidate needs 2,025 votes to win the Democratic presidential nomination. There are about 850 super-delegates.

About 1/3!!!

Secret Ballots

A delegate is elected or selected by a county club to represent them at a meeting of the NYSYR. Since they are NOT individuals and actually representatives of their home club they are NOT entitled to a secret vote or ballot.

Delegates at political conventions or legislative bodies DO NOT have secret ballots. The mere thought that a delegate should be able to cast a secret vote against or in favor of something is anti-democratic (SMALL D!). It isn't surprising that the vast majority of NYSYRs believe they are entitled to cast their votes secretly.

It is rather cowardly if you ask us.

ICYMI: Executive Summary and Justification for Attached Proposed Bylaw Amendment

This just popped into the old inbox. Enjoy.

H/T to JW

 Justification:

The right or freedom of association implies the converse, disassociation, to also be a right in a free society. The proposed amendment will guarantee that right to both current members of this organization and to their posterity. 

No club or organization except the military can force someone to remain a "member" for any period of time once the member no longer feels the club or organization is, or has become something other than, what they thought when they voluntarily joined.

This proposed amendment simply codifies that right.

I hope that each of you reads the entire amendment AND discusses it with your clubs before forming an opinion.

Freedom of association is the right to join or leave groups of a person's own choosing, and for the group to take collective action to pursue the interests of members. It is both an individual right and a collective right, guaranteed by all modern and democratic legal systems, including the United States Bill of Rights, article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and international law, including articles 20 and 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organization.

Side Show: NYSYRs Give Sepulveda a Smackdown

In a stunning move at the biennial convention in Staten Island back in May, NYSYR Chairwoman Diana Sepulveda was removed from a Board of Directors required by the Incorporation Document drafted and signed in 1934 via a Constitutional Amendment.

The Board of Directors is limited to 6 members. The amendment, which passed unanimously, lists the Vice Chair, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Male YRNF Committeeman, and Female YRNF Committeewoman as the official Board of Directors.

For those of you keeping score that means that the NYSYRs have a Board of Directors, a Governing Board, and an Executive Board!

The interesting thing is that if you look at the NYSYR official website you will find that the NYSYR Chairman in 1934 was George H. Sibley (1932-1935).

He was also the first person listed on the incorporation document and presumably the first member of the so-called Board of Directors of the NYSYR.

So why was the Chair removed from the Board of Directors in 2013? Was it for a legitimate reason? Something personal? Something sinister? Something sexist? Something racist? Revenge?

Clearly the precedent was to have the chair on the board.

Things that make you go hmm...

In Case You Missed It

This email was sent to what appears to be the board(s) of the NYSYRs as well as to all YR county chairs/presidents.

We were asked to post it in its entirety and are happy to do so since we suspect many of you regular untitled YRs have not gotten a chance to read it.

Submitted by Russell Gallo.

I am a member in Good Standing and respectfully submit the following proposed amendment for consideration by the membership of the NYSYRs.

Justification:

The right or freedom of association implies the converse, disassociation, to also be a right in a free society. The proposed amendments will guarantee that right to both current members of this organization and to their posterity. 

No club or organization except the military can force someone to remain a "member" for any period of time once the member no longer feels the club or organization is, or has become something other than, what they thought when they voluntarily joined.

This proposed amendment simply codifies that right.

I hope that each of you reads the entire amendment AND discusses it with your clubs before forming an opinion.

Amendment attached and pasted below.

Proposed Bylaw Amendment

Addition to Article I

G   Any Member can voluntarily relinquish its “credentialed status” (de-credential) by submitting written notification to the Corresponding Secretary who will forward the same to the Governing Board within seven days of receiving such notification. De-credentialing shall not preclude any Club from requesting credentialing at a later date.

     1       The notification must include the following information.

          a)      De-credentialing Club’s Meeting Minutes showing that a vote was taken to de-credential with the New York State Young Republicans and passed by two-thirds of the Club’s Members present.

          b)      A list of Members present and written confirmation from the President/Chairman of that club stating that there was a quorum.

          c)      The Member Club seeking to de-credential may submit an updated membership list with the notification.  

     2       The Member Club shall be deemed to have de-credentialed within seven days of the Governing Board’s receipt of the notification from the Corresponding Secretary if all required information is submitted.

     3       There shall be no vote by the Governing Board except as to whether or not all of the required information was submitted by the Member Club.

     4       If the Governing Board determines that there is required information missing, the Corresponding Secretary shall notify the Member Club within three days of such determination to submit any missing information.

     5       The Member Club may submit to the Corresponding Secretary the identified missing information or can withdraw its request to de-credential within 90 days. After 90 days the Member Club seeking to de-credential must submit a new notification with the information required in Section 1, a and b.

     6       Upon receipt of any missing information the Corresponding Secretary shall forward the same to the Governing Board within three days and the Governing Board shall have three additional days to request any further information required in Section 1, a and b.

     7       If any of the above time deadlines are missed by the Corresponding Secretary and/or Governing Board or the de-credentialing packet is deemed to be complete, the Member Club shall be considered de-credentialed immediately and all reference to said club shall be removed immediately from all media and correspondence generated or controlled by the NYSYRs with the exception that an email must be sent to all other Member Clubs identifying the de-credentialed club by name and stating that said club voluntarily relinquished its credentialed status.

     8       De-credentialing Clubs shall forfeit their credentialing fee and must submit a new credentialing fee in full if the Member Club seeks to credential at a later date.

Meshugganah!

We have been engaged in an interesting back and forth with a Jewish young republican. He has raised many interesting questions that we frankly do not have the answers to.

His club has been informed that there is a NYSYR meeting to be held on Saturday, October 5th. The problem for him and several other members of his club is that they are Sabbath observers and can not attend meetings on Friday nights or Saturday mornings.

We informed this Jewish YR that there is a proxy system set up by the NYSYRs. The system allows a delegate to carry one proxy for another member of his or her club up to a maximum of 5 live bodies with 5 proxies.

He then asked- what if my club is predominantly Jewish? How could we possibly be represented at a NYSYR meeting? How could any of us ever hope to be officers of the NYSYRs if all their meetings and elections are held during the Sabbath observances and proxies are not allowed at elections?

We don't know either.

They don't offer kosher lunches so we guess it isn't on the NYSYRs' radar yet.

Shootout in the OC Corral

Congratulations to Chairwoman Diana Sepulveda and the officers of the NYSYRs for holding a meeting that is affordable.

Although we received several complaints that Diana's buddies in Staten Island made a pretty penny from "profits" at the convention and that Orange County's YRs would not get the same treatment, we here at the Watch think this is a step in the right direction.

We encourage all to attend this General Meeting. From what we are hearing it promises to be something you won't want to miss.

New York State Young Republicans Fall Meeting October 5, 2013 10:30am to 3:30pm

Please join us for our 2013 Fall Meeting in Orange County! Agenda: Friday - October 4th 7:00pm - ??: Welcome night out on the town in Orange County Saturday - October 5th 9:00am - 10:30am: Governing Board Meeting 10:30am - 3:30pm: General Fall Meeting (Registration opens at 10am) -Registration fee of $15, includes lunch 6:00pm - 9:00pm: 3rd Annual Orange County Election Countdown Dinner - YR Rate of $45 (separate from meeting registration fee)  Sunday - October 6th  GOTV effort to support Team Orange NYSYR Fall Meeting registration fee: $15, includes lunch To register via paypal, click here  To register by mail, send your check to: New York State Young Republicans, c/o John Doyle, 23 Cypress Lane, Shirley, NY 11967 For those wishing to stay over in Orange County,  the OCYRs have a block of rooms available at the  Ramada Newburgh, 1289 Route 300, Newburgh, NY. Rate: $109 per night Code: Young Republicans Group - CG0276 Cut-off Date: Sunday, September 15th Call 845-564-4500 or click here!

Backroom Deals: You Can't Make This Stuff Up

Who knew what, when?

The delegates sent to the YRNF Convention in Alabama by the NYSYRs had their registration fees paid for them indirectly by "candidate for YRNF Chair" Jason Weingartner.

In a contested race (this one was until the last minute) it would create a conflict of interest if a vote-casting delegate receives any financial compensation or advantage from a candidate either directly or indirectly before casting his or her vote.

We have already chronicled the lack of any endorsement mechanism in the 3 NYSYR governing documents as well as the shady backroom endorsement of Mr. Weingartner by the current/past NYSYR officers so we won't go into any more detail on that in this post.

Before we get any hate mail or silly comments, let us be clear: This is just another example of the true nature of the current and recent past NYSYR leadership and their convoluted and poorly written governing documents. This is not necessarily about Mr. Weingartner (though he makes it so easy).

Someone with a spine should have objected to this series of transactions and from what we can tell no one did.

Pay to play?

Conflict of Interest?

Unethical?

Shady?

Money Laundering?

Violation of Election Law or at least the spirit of the Election Law?

Those are questions for you to ponder.

Here are the facts:

New York State Election Law

Sec. 14-120. Campaign contribution to be under true name of contributor

1. No person shall in any name except his own, directly or indirectly, make a payment or a promise of payment to a candidate or political committee or to any officer or member thereof, or to any person acting under its authority or in its behalf or on behalf of any candidate, nor shall any such committee or any such person or candidate knowingly receive a payment or promise of payment, or enter or cause the same to be entered in the accounts or records of such committee, in any name other than that of the person or persons by whom it is made.

So can someone tell us if the "contribution" to the YRNF was given in the true name of the person giving it?

Did anyone accept a payment or promise of payment for any purpose other than a legitimate contribution to a political organization?

On 7 May 2013 the NYSYRs made the following expenditure/contribution to the YRNF:

Payee/Recipient	Amt	Expense Code	Date	Disburser	Filing	Sched	Office	Dist
ANEDOT 450 LAUREL STREET, SUITE 2105 BATON ROUGE, LA 70810	2,000.00	OTHER - 2013 YRNF CONVENTION REGISTRATIONS	07-MAY-13	ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK STATE YOUNG REPUBLICANS	2013 July Periodic	F	N/A	N/A
Total Expenses	2,000.00

Then on 21 June 2013 the NYSYR received the following contribution:

WEINGARTNER, JASON 20-64 46TH STREET ASTORIA, NY 1105

2,000.00

21-JUN-13

ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK STATE YOUNG REPUBLICANS

$2000 out, $2000 in.

The money was used to pay the registration fees of the officers/delegates representing the NYSYRs at the YRNF Convention in Alabama where Jason Weingartner was (s)elected YRNF Chairman.

As in most (s)elections in which the NYSYR leadership are involved, the result was unanimous. 

We wonder why...

Cancelled: 2013 NYSYR Annual Saratoga Day at the Races

Saturday, August 10th & Sunday, August 11th 

Due to the recent changes in regards to political fundraising laws on NYRA property (including Saratoga Race Course), it is with deep regret that our Annual Day at the Races event has been canceled. 

We are working on a future fundraising and networking event and will provide information once the planning is complete.

____________________________________

Questions:

1) Why can't the NYSYRs still hold an event there? Just don't charge everyone double the price to make a "profit." Hold it as a social event and have everyone pay their own way. Sounds too republican for the NYSYRs though.

2) What are the NYSYRs (the officers) doing with all the money they already have? Meetings still cost a small fortune to attend, even the ones where elections are rumored to be allowed.

3) Shouldn't meetings where max participation is supposedly the goal be reasonably priced or free?

The NYSYRs have $15,919.15 on hand. 

Expenses:

The vast majority of the NYSYRs expenses (approved by who we ask) are for fundraising activities. Again, for what???

Here are a few examples

NYSYRs in Alabama

5/17/2013- $2000 for YRNF Registrations (Alabama)

Hypocrites? Expensive registration fees paid for by NYSYR (your $) funds.

5/1/2013- $288.78 for a "Chairman's Gavel." 

WTF?


SECTION 2:  The Governing Board shall set the policy of the NYSYR and bring business before the NYSYR. All withdrawals of funds, by check or otherwise, shall require the authorization of the Chair or the Governing Board. The Governing Board must approve all financial expenditures over $100. All expenditures must be presented to the membership for ratification as part of the Treasurer's report.

____________________________________

Food for thought:

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

Read More Here

YRNF Follows New York's Lead!

It's unanimous!

New York has pulled off a power grab.

The Young Republican National Federation has unanimously (s)elected its new chairman in another uncontested contest.

Jason Weingartner will lead the nation's young republicans in the same way he has lead his local and state republican organizations.

After all, New York State's model is to be envied (not even gonna mention the Queens, NY model*- his home county).


Here's our stats:

There are 18* credentialed county clubs (some of which do not exist in any form resembling an actual club) out of the 62 counties in New York State. (29%)

We recently passed gay marriage and an arguably unconstitutional anti-gun bill in New York with the help several republican senators.

President Obama won New York State with 63% of the vote and our candidate for senate received a measly 27% of the vote.

*Queens, NY is Jason Weingartner's home county and has not had a functioning YR club for as long as anyone can remember. Their former county organization vice-chair, Vince Tabone, is still awaiting trial in a bribery case.


With a track record like this we are confident that a New York republican from Queens, NY is exactly the right person to help rebuild our party from the ground up.

Congratulations.

Who is Pulling the CINO's Strings?

As we have chronicled here at the Watch the current state chairman of the NYSYRs, Diana Sepulveda, is considered by many (almost all of her board members) to be a Chair In Name Only (CINO).

We have illustrated how every single member of the new board(s) were also members of the old board(s).



This is known on the streets as a shell game or three card monte. You see, no matter who you put in the top spot the organization is still run by a core group of dirtbags, some of whom may or may not secretly refer to themselves as the founding fathers of the new-NYSYRs that was born circa 2003.

Don't believe us?

Check out this email that was forwarded to us by a good friend of the Watch.

Who lives at the address at the bottom of this email in Astoria Queens?

Our sources tell us it isn't the current Corresponding Secretary.

So who is it?

Former Chair/Treasurer and current candidate for YRNF Chair (endorsed by the old/new board(s) in secret on a teleconference) Jason Weingartner lives there.

So we humbly ask again- who is pulling the CINO's strings?

We suspect everyone knows.

Happy Independence Day...

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

Read the rest here

More Secrecy/Incompetence On Display

We have it on good authority that the election selection of officers at the NYSYR convention held in Richmond County, costing $85 per vote, on May 18th 2013 was conducted using a combination of Unit Rule and Secret Ballots.

You see, the county clubs caucused and then were handed ballots. The election tellers opened and counted the secret ballots. A final count was read aloud of the total votes cast by all counties combined and winners were selected.

There is no public record of how each county cast their unit of votes. The dummies in attendance don't even know how each county voted, including the candidates themselves!

This was probably done because there are several cowards in the NYSYR that did not want to upset Mr. Doyle or Ms. Belle (or others like GS, EL, JW, JG, NR, etc) by being on the record with their vote for one or the other.

So instead of doing the right thing the NYSYR did the easy/shady thing.

RINO Alert!!!

Jason "Gos" Weingartner Here they go again folks. Jason Weingartner (former NYSYR Chairman and Treasurer) is running for YRNF Chairman against a good friend of not only the Republican Party but also New York and many of you reading this. The problem is that Jason handpicked a "YR" from New Jersey to be on his slate as OUR Regional Vice Chair named Tony Howly. Mr. Howly proudly endorsed a Democrat running for state senate when there was an actual YR in the race named James Sanford. What makes matters worse is the way in which Mr. Weingartner was "endorsed" by the NYSYR. You see, Jason was "endorsed" on a conference call by the so-called officers of the NYSYR. Since the 3 Governing Documents oddly lack any mechanism to endorse candidates this was seen as legitimate by the outgoing/incoming (same people) board members even though Mr. Griffiths was never given an opportunity to speak to the members of the NYSYR. We guess you all don't matter. At a later meeting it has been reported that Jason was endorsed by the members present at a quarterly meeting after some in attendance voiced their objection to the backroom endorsement. The officers present at that meeting made no mention of any other candidates running for the seat. Why would they? They prefer an ignorant membership. After all, was the amount of money lost at the 2012 holiday party (Jason was treasurer at the time and oversaw the finances of the event) ever disclosed to the membership? Would that have made some members question his qualifications to run for higher office? Was Jason's obstruction of the 2013 NYSYR electoral process ever disclosed and was the question ever asked by anyone as to why he would care if certain candidates ran for certain offices against certain incumbents? (more to come on that later) Here's how the current Chairman, Diana Sepulveda sees it: I am very excited to share with you some information about the Young Republican National Federation's 2013 Convention in Mobile, Alabama next month. As many of you know, our former Chairman of the New York State Young Republicans (2003 to 2000), Jason Weingartner, is running for Chairman of the YRNF on the YRNow2013 ticket.      Jason (or "Gos" as many of us know him) was the former President of the New York Young Republican Club, Inc. (2001 to 2004) and former Treasurer of the New York State Young Republicans (2001 to 2003 and 2007 to 2013). He is currently the Vice Chairman-at-Large for the YRNF since July of 2009. The New York State Young Republicans have officially endorsed Jason and the YRNow2013 ticket. To learn more about Jason's platform & ticket, visit their website: YRNow2013.com Question to her and the other officers: Do you support endorsing Democrats over Young Republicans too? We do not and we suspect you don't either. It is because of Mr. Weingartner's lack of judgement as treasurer and his blatant anti-Republican stance illustrated by selecting a NJYR that endorsed a Democrat over a Young Republican in a state senate race to be OUR Regional Vice Chair that we here at the Watch proudly endorse Brian Griffiths for YRNF Chairman and urge anyone attending the convention in Alabama to think long and hard before casting a vote for someone because of where they live. By the way- Jason Weingartner lives in Queens, NY. There hasn't been a functioning county club there in years. Maybe he should start there. We will be watching and will let you know how anyone from New York votes in Alabama next month so you can decide if they are fit to lead your organization. To read Brian Griffith's message click the "read more" button below.

Post-Convention Edition: Voter Intimidation and the NYSYR CINO

 

From an emailer:

The Chair of the Westchester County YRs (Matt McCarrick) publicly endorsed a candidate (John Doyle) during his county report. He was the only chair to do so.

Two teenage YRs in his delegation voted for Meredith Belle (the only real candidate running for any NYSYR office) and had their votes voided and changed to John Doyle.

Members of the new old board were aware of what happened and promised to do something nothing.

From several credible sources:

The new Chair In Name Only (CINO) Diana Sepulveda, has had her status as a member of the Governing Board Executive Board Board of Directors revoked through a bizarre amendment to the NYSYR's constitution.

Under the new provision the 6 members of the Governing Board Executive Board Board of Directors will be the Vice-Chair, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, YRNF Committeewoman, and YNNF Committeeman.

This effectively neuters the Chair making her a CINO.

This amendment went through the Rules Committee and passed without any debate/dissent from anyone. It makes us at the Watch wonder if anyone trusts the new CINO to lead the group. (We don't)

We are told that the proponents of the amendment pushed for this to force the NYSYR to be in compliance with a third governing document (an incorporation document) which is not posted on their website. For the record, the updated constitution is still not posted even though other updates touting the newly elected selected officers have been made.


There will be more to come on this as we work to secure a legible copy of that document and explore the legitimacy off all decisions/elections made in violation of it prior to stripping the Chair of their vote on the Governing Board Executive Board Board of Directors.

We believe that the NYSYR Bylaws are still in violation of the incorporation document since there are still many references to a Governing and Executive Board in it which includes more than 6 members.


Stay tuned.

Pre-Convention Edition

Any Young Republican (YR) attending the NYSYR Convention this weekend needs to stay sober long enough to ask the following question before casting any votes.

Has the Credentials Committee actually "credentialed" anyone? 

We have received some tips that most of the YRs on the committee (not even gonna mention those of you that aren't on it) are in the dark as to what is going on. No discussions as to eligibility have been had. As a matter of fact we were told that the Credentials Committee basically functioned as the Membership Committee by calling and/or emailing counties to get them to credential.

Clubs have submitted packets and will likely be credentialed that are not real. As we mentioned in an earlier post there are several "credentialed" clubs that are fake. Their "members" serve on the board(s) of the NYSYR and/or on various committees including the Credentialing & Rules Committees!

There are rumors that previous officers of the organization were never actually qualified to hold the office to which they were elected. As a matter of fact there is some doubt as to whether one or more of the current "candidates" (only one real candidate- Meredith Belle for Treasurer) are qualified to be elected and/or carry out duties that their office implies/requires.

We ask that you come out of the dark and ask questions. Find out which club the members of your organization are from and then ask them which county they actually live in.

Some of the loudest mouths have no clubs in their own counties yet are running the NYSYR! How can anyone that can not create or maintain a county level club possibly know what's best for you?

They can't.

And if you are hoping that the "new" board will straighten things out then you are probably already drunk. (see: Out With The Old, In With The Old)

The governing documents appear to give each of you a right to vote (as long as you pay) but there are no elections or decisions ever put before you as a body.

Do you get to vote on a new club credentialing?

No. The board(s) do/does.

Do you get to vote for your officers?

No. There is only one candidate for each office. (except Ms. Belle)

Do you get to approve any spending that the NYSYRs do?

No. And you don't even get an accurate report after the fact.


Are you an officer of the NYSYRs and upset with what was written?

Probably. But you are the problem!

Many of you blame one person or another. Collectively you all looked the other way and will do the same over the next two years. Some of you have contacted us saying that you "disagreed with lots of decisions that were made in the past 2 years."

So what the hell did you do?

At last count there were 17 officers in the NYSYR. That is more officers than most county clubs have members.

What are the day to day activities of the NYSYR that require 17 officers?

There are 3 meetings a year and no business is discussed.

The 17 officers are the club. The rest of you are the useful idiots that pay for their activities.




Note to NYSYR- Update your website. It isn't up to date. We are trying to find the "Albany YRs."

Who Knew What & When?

So the NYSYRs released this today:

Dear Young Republicans, It will be a pleasure to have you all in Staten Island with us this  weekend for our 2013 NYSYR Convention. I hope that you will be able to join us. We will be presenting our annual awards, reflecting on the last two years, and get up to date training on grassroots campaign engagement with the Leadership Institute. I want to thank the members of all the Young Republican Counties as well as the New York State Young Republicans, and the Richmond County Young Republicans for hosting what will be an incredible weekend. It's been a pleasure to serve you as State Chairman, and I am humbled and honored to have been given this opportunity. I hope that you know that not just my words, but my actions always bend toward the backbone of our organization, YOU. The visibility and viability of the organization, is because of everything you do. Thank you, Giovanni Scaringi Chairman, New York State Young Republicans

2013 NYSYR Summer Meeting/Biennial Convention Staten Island, New York Saturday, May 18th, 2013 Hilton Garden Inn 1100 South Avenue, Staten Island Agenda Friday, May 17, 2013 05:00PM - 7:30PM: Cocktail Reception at Lorenzo's, located in the Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South Avenue, Staten Island (Dress: Casual) Saturday, May 18, 2013 08:00AM - 9:00AM: NYSYR Executive Board Meeting in the Convention, Room of the Hilton Garden Inn (Dress: Business Attire) 08:45AM - 09:00AM: Registration in the Lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn (Dress: Business Attire) 09:00AM - 12:30PM: NYSYR Convention [INCLUDED IN  REGISTRATION] in the Convention Room of the Hilton Garden Inn (Dress: Business Attire) 1:00PM - 3:00PM: Lunch at Canlon's Restaurant  1825 N Railroad Avenue Staten Island [INCLUDED IN REGISTRATION] (Dress: Business Attire)  3:30PM - 5:30PM:  Leadership Institute [INCLUDED IN REGISTRATION] at Staten Island GOP's HQ (2300 Richmond Avenue Staten Island). "Grassroots Campaigning" by Chairman Emeritus of the California Republican Party, Ron Nehring.  5:30PM - 6:30PM: Free Time  7:00PM - 10:00PM: Dinner Reception*** [INCLUDED IN REGISTRATION], Henry's Steakhouse, 2187 Richmond Avenue, Staten Island (Dress: Business-Semi Formal)  10:00PM - ??: After Party TBD (Staten Island/NYC)    ***We will be having a silent auction at the Dinner Reception. Some auction items will be a basket of cheer, autographed books, and brunch for two. If you would like to donate an item to the auction, please contact Diana Sepulveda at  XXXXXX@XXXX.XXX --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here are the questions: 

1) Why do NYSYRs who are paying $85 + tolls (minimum $15) plus gas and hotel expenses [for some- actually very few ;-)] to attend a convention fundraiser need to travel across Staten Island to have lunch and then to the GOP HQ to take a class?

2) Why wasn't this done in the hotel convention room?

3) Who reviewed this contract and who voted to approve any of this?

4) How much is the Richmond County GOP organization charging? Or the Leadership Institute? (if anything)

5) How much money will the Staten Island YRs make off this?

6) How much money will the NYSYRs lose on this debacle?

7) What changes (if any) will be made to the governing documents?


Answer Key*:

(1) It's a fundraiser silly.

(2) See answer (1). Raising Losing money is what the NYSYRs do best. Cutting corners helps raise lose funds.

(3) No one.

(4) Probably nothing. It's a convention fundraiser  fund-loser.

(5) See answer (4)

(6) Guess we will find out when July's disclosure statements are posted since our treasurer's reports are usually inaccurate-at best.

(7) We are guessing a total meltdown. If anything gets changed we predict a fractured/disgruntled board(s).

*All answers are educated guesses based on past practice of the NYSYRs.


In all honesty it sounds like a decent deal but we at the Watch anticipate another fund-loser here.


The only hope for the organization is radical change.

Vote Belle and throw all the other bums out!

Unit Rule And An Endorsement For Meredith Belle

According to the NYSYR Bylaws the method of casting votes at the convention fundraiser on May 18th is unit rule (Article II, B, 6). This means that each county should hear the candidates speak, caucus, and then cast an internal vote to decide who gets "all" of their weighted vote. (Currently weighted by geography. One source tells us that the host county- Staten Island- will have and cast the most votes)

To this point there seems to be some confusion as to how to conduct an election in this manner.You see, there has never been a competitive election under these rules which were adopted in 2003. That's 10 years with no competitive elections!

An insider tells us that it won't matter anyway because the county chairs have already selected "delegates" that have been given their instructions as to who to "vote" for.


We have received emails from someone who said we could post his/her name but we won't. He/she wrote that there were going to be other candidates but they were bullied out of the race by other incumbent board members.

The tactics used were lies, distortions, and outright threats. More to come on that later.

The only person to stick it out and move forward with her candidacy was Meredith Belle.

Meredith is motivated, smart, and dedicated. She is running for Treasurer after Jason Weingartner decided to run for YRNF Chair this year. Is he under 40?

She is running against John Doyle who has been a member of the board(s) under the outgoing/incoming (same people/different titles) administration. He serves(d) as General Counsel.

There will be more to come on John Doyle once we can confirm some stuff sent to us which links him to the fundraising debacle of 2012 (check our archives) and the predicted fundraising debacle in Staten Island this month.

It is because of the above statements and numerous emails that the NYSYR Watch enthusiastically endorses Meredith Belle for Treasurer of the NYSYRs. She will be the only non-incumbent if she wins and the only new set of eyes on the board(s).

If you seek change- vote Belle!