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
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...
I have a suggestion for a "backroom deal" that the Watch should investigate. There are rumors circulating that the board has a deal to award the next statewide meeting/event/fundraiser to the Westchester Young Republicans without following the procedures in the Bylaws, Article V. (Allegedly because the Astorino re-election campaign is so important and high profile.) Is this true? Can we compel the rules to be followed?
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
Bob & Carl- if that's who you really are ;)
ReplyDeleteWe have heard similar rumors but have not had enough of our regular contacts report in just yet. Once we get a warm and fuzzy that what you are saying is true then we will do our thing.
As for not following the "procedures in the Bylaws," since when does that matter to the NYSYRs?
We can not compel rules to be followed for all forms of governance are created and run by man, and man is imperfect.
Like with so many other topics covered here at The Watch we return to the simple truth laid out so eloquently here:
"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."
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