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!

If You Build It, They Will Come

We here at the "Watch" want to welcome all the new visitors. Our hits have spiked this week as well as our incoming emails.

We have it on good authority that some of the current/future (all the same people) board members are not too happy with what has been posted so far.

To them we say- too damn bad.

Stay tuned.

NYSYRs Announce Their Liberal Keynote Speaker: Campbell Brown

There he goes again. NYSYR Chairman Giovanni Scaringi proudly announced that liberal hack Campbell Brown will be the keynote speaker at the NYSYR 2013 Convention Fundraiser. This is quite a revealing pick as it speaks volumes as to his true ideology.

Fellow New York State Young Republicans, 

It is a great honor for me to announce our 2013 NYSYR Convention Keynote Speaker. I hope to see you in Staten Island! 

Giovanni Scaringi
Chairman
New York State Young Republicans 

Campbell Brown attacking Sarah Palin and her daughter. Ms. Brown never asked any of these questions of Obama or Biden.

Things that make you go hmmm...




Following is the an excerpt:

BROWN: Yeah. I want to begin by asking, you know, what we've been discussing before you sat in the chair. Governor Palin sharing a difficult personal story today. The news her unmarried teenage daughter is pregnant. She plans to have the baby, marry the father.

BOUNDS: He learned about it during the vetting process before his selection. He did not consider it a disqualifier. Governor Palin has a long record of reforming Alaska, taking on the establishment for 13 years. she started out as a civic activist in the PTA, went to the city counsel, on to the mayor of the small town, took on big oil in the oil and gas commission in Alaska then to the governor's office. Her personal family matters never disqualified her from serving public office, serving a higher office in a cause greater than herself. That's John McCain's message. She fits it perfectly and we're happy to have her.

BROWN: Tucker, though, this obviously putting this young woman, Bristol Palin smack in the media spotlight at what's already got to be a very challenging time in her life. I mean, how do you respond to people who wonder why her mother would have subjected her to this scrutiny by accepting this high-profile position? 

BOUNDS: I think Governor Palin understands these are serious times with series challenges and it's time to shake up Washington. It was the reason she was have happy to take John McCain's position. She understands we need an approach that includes the alternatives in the renewable fuels. This is an important decision. i think it's dangerous to confuse her decision to get involved and make a difference in the country with a family matter --

BROWN: I recognize that. In an ideal world, it would be private. You know, this is a presidential campaign. Nothing is private. The world is watching. and if we, you know, as much as everyone might want to give this young woman her privacy, you know that's not going to happen. And so you do risk putting her through an incredibly difficult process by accepting this job if you're her mother. You can't deny that, right? 

BOUNDS: The Palin family made clear in their statement that they continue to hope this will be a private family matter. That was their intention from the very beginning. Media inquiries and attention are going to happen in the campaign. They understand that. It's important for us as we have a conversation with voters of how we can change Washington, how we can move forward and take on the challenges Americans expect of their public officials. We keep a private matter private among their family. Certainly all of us, the members of the media would expect that from Americans. that's the way we're proceeding.