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...

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

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!

Out with the old, in with the old... [Updated]

There are some of you out there that have contacted us to say things like:

"just wait- change is on the way once the new administration takes over"

"you only know how things were run under the old regime. the new board will change a lot of things."

Well, excuse us if we find that a little hard to believe. You see, the "new board" of the New York State Young Republicans looks a lot like the old one.


2012 Officers

Chair: Giovanni Scaringi (Rockland County)
Vice-Chair: Diana Sepulveda (Kings County)
Treasurer: Jason Weingartner (New York County)
Recording Secretary: Anthony Reinhart (Richmond County)
Corresponding Secretary: Nicole Russo (Nassau County)
National Committeewoman: Kellie King (Westchester County)
National Committeeman: Michael Recca (Westchester County)

General Counsel: John Doyle (Suffolk County)
Regional Chair: John Green (Putnam County)
Regional Chair: Cory Custer (Saratoga County)

Projected 2013 Officers

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 Green (Putnam County)

As you can see the "new board" looks a lot like the old; and they are almost exclusively from downstate.

UPDATE: We erred in posting that there was actually a new member on the 2013 board. It turns out that Cory Custer of Saratoga County was also a 2012 officer. Our bad. 

The "election" (read-fundraiser) will be in Staten Island where 2+ board members are from.

What exactly will change?

Will the "new" chair appoint the same hacks to her cabinet?

Will meetings no longer cost $85 and profits be split between members of the board's home clubs?

Will competitive elections be tolerated?

Will YR County Chairs (read-members) have a say in anything that happens?

Will the NYSYRs follow their governing documents?

Will non-board members have any rights or privileges at all?


We won't hold our breath...

UPDATE: We received a little negative feedback on this post. To those that feel like this is an attack: prove us wrong! If you think that the "new" board (which consists 100% of old board members) can change things then do it. Don't worry about what this or any other blog(s) may say. 

Until then we will continue our work.

Next post: "Fake Clubs/Fake Members [of the board(s)]"

Cohesive and Collective...

Chairman's Message 2013 

NYSYR Convention

Fellow New York State Young Republicans,

It has been an amazing two years, and we have moved our organization forward, in so many ways, and it is because OF YOU. You have made the last two years, remarkable, successful, and unforgettable. As you may have already heard, I started my Ph.D. last September, and it has been an amazing personal experience. However, due to this new commitment, running for reelection this term would be impossible. I have been humbled and honored to serve as your Chairman for the last two years and have made and strengthened relationships that will last for many years to come. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for giving me the honor to serve in the capacity of Chairman.

 Moving forward, as we always should, our 2013 NYSYR Convention will be held Saturday, May 18, 2013, at 9:00AM in Staten Island, NY. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Richmond County Young Republicans who have done an amazing job of planning what I know will be an amazing convention. We will run our board meeting, elect new officers, and review our governing documents. Below, please find registration information and agenda information regarding our next Convention.




I hope to see you then, and if you have any questions, please feel free to let me know. Again, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for everything you have done, everything you will do, and your commitment to this organization.

Cohesive and Collective,
Giovanni Scaringi
Chairman
New York State Young Republicans

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Price to "vote" in this year's non-competitive election: $85

Remember, your money will be split between the Staten Island Young Republicans and the New York State Young Republicans.

What a joke.

2012 NYSYR Holiday Party Debacle

The New York State Young Republicans held a "Holiday Party" (read- fundraiser) on December 15th, 2012.

The cost was $75 per person.

So what?

Well, the Association of New York State Young Republicans lost a $h!tload of money!

According to New York State Board of Elections disclosure reports the NYSYRs at best collected $4200.

They in turn paid the NYC Young Republicans (host club) $6799.64 as a "Holiday Party Reimbursement."

Political Math 101:

$4200 (collected)

minus (-)

$6799.64 (the cost of the event)

equals a fundraising total of:

-$2599.64*

*This does not include "other" costs associated with the fundraiser which would push that number further into negative territory.

How did this happen you ask?

The board(s) of the NYSYR selected the time, location, and cost of the event without any input from the duly elected County Chairs (members). Like most decisions, the Chair (Giovanni Scaringi) and a majority of his appointed officers spent your money without seeking advice or consent. As for the other "elected" officers, (all of which ran unopposed) they didn't say squat.


According to the NYSYR Bylaws (you can view them on the tab at top of page):


ARTICLE V  MEETING / BIENNIAL CONVENTION HOST RULES

B.                The NYSYR Responsibilities

6.                To pay to the host club 50% of gross profits raised at the meeting and events as determined by the NYSYR Treasurer in return for the host club’s compliance with their responsibilities listed in Article V, Section A of these Bylaws, with a right of appeal to the Governing Board.

Coming Soon

Transparency will live here.

Warning to RINOs in the NYSYR: 

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

&

Your resignations are encouraged and will be accepted.