California College Republican Chairman Michael Antonopoulos  writes about President Obama’s recognition of San Francisco DA Kamela Harris’ “successful” anti-gang programs, which he notes have been a total failure, on the front page of The Flash Report. Mr. Antonopoulos gives a re-cap of Harris’ shameful record and her campaign for California Attorney General.

Over 400 College Republicans from nearly 30 CA universities took to the streets of San Francisco last weekend at the Caliornia College Republicans convention. CRs, led by CCR Co-Chair Leigh Wolf and CR veteran Chandra Sharma, marched from Fisherman’s Wharf to Pier 39, protesting new taxes, the increased weight of the government on our generation, and Barack Obama’s socialist policies.

With all their San Fracisco class, liberals met the CRs with cries of “fascist” and “racists,” opting to wave the middle finger instead of the classic hippy peace sign. CRs were chanting slogans including “hey hey, ho ho, Barack Obama’s gotta go!,” and “say no to the Dems, we are not your ATMs!”

Some people are talking about the 15 minutes of drama at the California College Republican convention, but everyone else is talking about how much fun it was. Here’s a little re-cap:

Friday, after most everyone checked-in and started getting to know each other, we got to listen to a great line up of speakers including CRP Vice Chairman Tom Del Beccaro, and Mason Weaver, a conservative activist and the author of It’s OK to Leave The Plantation.

Mason Weaver with CA College Republicans

Friday night was the CCR party, held at a nearby Irish pub called Fielder’s Green. It was a great party, everyone showed up, drank, danced and mingled regardless of who they supported for the election.

Saturday was the first full convention day. There were training sessions run by CR veterans, speeches from Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, CRP Chaiman Ron Nehring, activist and author David Horowitz.

CCR "Godfather" and resident "Old Guy" Chandra Sharma Giving a Training Session

David Horowitz at CCR Convention

CA College Republicans With Gov. Candidate Meg Witman

Then there was the Anti-Tax rally, a Tea Party after Tax Day. Hundreds of College Republicans took to the streets in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, protesting the Obama Administration’s bankrupting of our country, and the government’s theft from our generation. Republican’s held signs reading, among many slogans, “Spread my work ethic, not my wealth,” and “You keep the Hope, I’ll keep my Change.”

CA College Republicans Rally Against Obama's Socialist Policies

CA College Republicans Rally Against Obama's Socialist Policies

The CCR Convention banquet took place Saturday night, it included awards (The Dana Report got one! no picture but I’ll scan the award in soon) and a line-up of great speakers including CA Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, Gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner, the favorite speaker Greg Gutfeld from Fox News’ Red Eye, and the most important speaker Bush OLC Attorney and law professor John Yoo. Poizner won over the crowd at the beginning of his speech with a text message poll asking who your least favorite CA Democrat was (Pelosi by 81%), among other questions. Gutfeld was fantastic, the crowd laughed uncontrollably and enjoyed his humorous and …interesting anecdotes, one saying that “Liberalism is like herpes, it’s incurable, and it comes and it goes. Conservatism is like Valtrex, it can’t cure the disease, but it can suppress it.”

Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher at CCR Banquet

Gov. Candidate Steve Poizner at CCR Banquet

Red Eye's Greg Gutfeld at CCR Banquet

CA College Republicans With John Yoo

The night ended (really, it started) with the convention’s slate parties. The Red State Rising party was held in a ballroom the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf, where CRs partied to the music of an awesome live band. The Revolutionize CCR party was held at a bar a few blocks from the hotel, hundreds of CRs were there dancing and singing to Karaoke all night, with an open bar for the first few hours until the tab ran out.

Live Band at Red State Rising Party

Red State Rising Party at CCR Convention

Revolutionize CCR Party at CCR Convention

Greg Gutfeld With Some CRs at Revolutionize CCR Party

Sunday brought the elections, which are covered in an earlier post, with election results in an even earlier post. The weekend was amazing; can you think of anything more fun than hundreds of College Republicans in the heart of the Soviet Union, err, San Francisco? Thank you to the convention organizers and all of the CRs and speakers that made last weekend so great!

Congratulations to Michael Antonopoulos and the Revolutionize CCR team, we hope to see great things from CCR in the next year! We also hope to see Adam Ellison and the Red State Rising team help bring success to both CCR and CA Republicans over the next year, a loss is difficult but we’re all working for the same cause… Thank you all!

h/t to Tierney Burke, Lauren Korbatov and Megan Rodriguez for many of the pictures (stole ‘em off of Facebook). If you have more pictures send them over.

I had the pleasure of attending the California College Republican convention this weekend. It was organized to a “T,” by Convention Director Michael Antonopoulos and was a great chance for CRs from across the state to meet, interact, and obviously party. We heard speeches from Steve Poizner, Meg Whitman, Ron Nehring, Tom Del Beccaro, Shawn and Michelle Steel, David Horowitz, John Yoo, Greg Gutfeld, and although this list is long, many more fantastic speakers. There were training sessions, parties, an anti-Tax rally, and a run-in with Bay Area anti-war nut-jobs. After all the fun it’s disappointing that I’ll have to write about the good stuff tomorrow, tonight I’m writing about CR drama that for some reason still continues after the election.

Michael Antonopoulos of Saint Mary’s College won the California College Republican election with a landslide vote of 416 to 18 against Adam Ellison of University of the Pacific. All of Antonopoulos’ Revolutionize CCR slate was elected, while Ellison’s Red State Rising slate failed to win a significant number of votes for any single position. The drama and infighting in CCR built up until the convention, which ended today. Apparently some CRs, on the losing side, still can’t get over the loss.

Adam Brickley, who’s not a College Republican and has been covering the infighting with a one-sided and deeply angry perspective on his blog “The Brickyard”, posted some news today that is both misinformed and misleading.

Election rules state that only registered delegates have a voice on the voting floor, because of this, “UCSD College Republicans” and “UCLA College Republicans” and “UC Berkeley College Republicans” were not allowed on the floor and sat in the viewing gallery at the back of the room. During the time allotted for motions and business, Marshall Roe from Pasadena City College, who received an extension himself to complete his chartering documents at the Friday night Ex-Comm meeting, motioned to charter UCLA. The UCLA CRs had more than 30 days to submit chartering documents, and three extensions were allowed for all CCR chapters; UCLA failed to submit their documentation by the Friday night deadline, arriving two hours late. The Chairwoman called for a voice-vote on UCLA’s chartering and it was defeated. Video will show that the “nays” definitively won the vote. The entire UCLA chapter walked out of the room, along with the UC Irvine College Republicans. Adam Ellison attempted to motion for a roll call vote, but UCLA had already stormed out of the room and a motion never made it to the floor.

Roe then moved to charter the “UCSD College Republicans,” who did submit documentation but were not chartered following a 6-1 Ex-Comm vote in favor of the “Triton College Republicans” last month. Again a voice vote was held and chartering was resoundingly denied by a majority of the delegates. CRs agreed UCSD was not disenfranchised, they were never franchised, Triton CRs was. This again prompted a walk-out of almost all of the delegates that supported the non-chartered chapters.

UC Irvine and Saddleback College voluntarily withdrew their charters, disenfranchising themselves.

The vote tallies leave the disgruntled chapters with little defense; their criticisms sound serious, but are unjustified, what is more fair than a vote of the entire state organization? UCSD CRs claim to have been “disenfranchised” or “overthrown” by the “corrupt establishment,” however, all of UCSD could have voted if they had resolved their internal problems, instead they decided to embarrass themselves and the entire organization. Either way, their votes would have had no significant effect on the outcome of the election; this fact leaves them with little more than a conspiracy theory. CRs is about a bigger picture, a cause that involves millions of Americans, it’s just not all about you.

College Republicans know about and are involved electoral politics–when the votes come in, the winner wins and the loser loses–that’s it; grievance mongering only damages the reputation of the organization. It’s time to move on.

Note: Brickley discusses the alleged withdrawal of $500 from the UCSD CRs bank account, an issue that I have not covered on this blog; it’s troubling, but, it’s being dealt with by the parties involved and I hope they’ll come to a satisfactory agreement.

The California College Republicans got some media attention at the convention this weekend after one of America’s greatest legal minds, distinguished attorney and professor John Yoo, was invited to speak. Here’s a video of the protest and the reaction from CRs  from KTVU – “Protesters Confront Berkeley Prof. Over Torture Docs.”

The video says there were dozens of protesters, there were really about a dozen at most.

Blogger and USC CRs Chairman Joshua Sharp covered Mr. Yoo’s speech and the protest on AOL’s Politics Daily.

Developing…

Voice vote to charter UCLA delegation, who missed all three chartering deadlines: Nays have it.

Adam Ellison calls for roll call vote…

Voice vote to charter “UCSD College Republicans”: Nays have it. Resoundingly denied.

CCR Chairman: Michael Antonopolous, Saint Mary’s

Michael Antonopoulos 416
Adam Ellison 18

If UCLA and UCSD had chartered and voted for Ellison: 398-47

Co-Chair: Falicia Mandel, USC

Falicia Mandel 403
Ben Myers 19

Administrative Vice-Chair:

…motion to adopt a voice vote.

Megan Rodriguez, UCSD wins.

Secretary: Rene Rodgers, Sac State

Treasurer: Tierney Burke, UC Davis

Regional Vice-Chairs:

Southern: Chasen Bullock
Los Angeles: Liran Machlouf
Central Coast: Kayleigh Bodan
Central Valley: Scott Raab
Capital: Izaak Pichardo
Bay Area: Jonathan Craig
Northern: Brian Lovatt

Full Revolutionize CCR slate elected.

The crazy libs at IndyBay and Berkley’s “No to Torture John Yoo Must Go!” plan to protest John Yoo and the “College Republican Fascists” at the CCR convention this weekend in San Fransisco.

From IndyBay:

The “California College Republicans” are having their statewide intolerance conference this weekend in San Francisco. John Yoo is speaking a their evening banquet saturday at 7 pm! Before that they are having a racist “tea party” protest at Fisherman’s wharf. Join us in standing against intolerance and racism in San Francisco. 

Intolerance, fascism, and racism, yeah…That’s exactly what the convention is about (sarcasm).

John Yoo, who will be speaking at the convention, is a distinguished attorney and international litigation professor, he is also one of the authors of the OLC memoranda on enhanced interrogation methods. I’m looking forward both to hearing him speak, and seeing the freak parade that this protest will bring. As a Southern California CR, I’m not used to the insane and offensive leftist attacks that CRs up north are confronted with every day.

The convention will be fun, if you’ve been following CCR news, you know this will just add to the fun. Follow the convention here on the blog and on Twitter. Stay tuned and check out, @TheDanaReport, @AlanDana and @SteveHagemann–we’ll be up there in the belly of the beast bringing the news to you live. For a convention schedule including the list of awesome speakers, click here.

In a previous entry about the Red State Rising website, I posted some corrections including one that stated that Wade Holden was no longer the Chair of University of the Pacific College Republicans. That correction was made after Maria Klingenfuss was elected Chair, made a new website, and announced it on Twitter, where I picked up the news. No comment was made about the new PCR website which included a reference to  Maria’s election.

When Maria, her executive board, and members of PCR decided to pull their endorsement of RSR, and announce one in favor of Revolutionize CCR, things changed. Adam Ellison, who is at the helm of RSR, posted a comment saying that Wade Holden was still the Chair at Pacific, and that the endorsement of RSR stood.

Something fishy was clearly going on at Pacific.

This video, accusing Revolutionize CCR and the current leaders of CCR of corruption, was posted by Wade Holden on Facebook, yesterday:

Beyond the creepy music, the video lacks in hard evidence against anyone on the Rev slate let alone the CCR E-Board. So, Maria and her Vice-Chair are friends with the Rev candidates, is that not allowed?

This video was released by PCR Vice-Chair elect Justine Speegle  and her board:

From what I can see on the documentation from Pacific and PCR’s meeting minutes from 5 March, Adam Ellison presided over the meeting where Maria and her team were duly elected. Wade and Adam were rightfully angry when they found that their own club, and even their hand-picked successors pulled their endorsement citing poor leadership.  They pulled a power-play, and according to the RSR video and Pacific Student Orgs., it looks like Wade is the Chair until Summer. What of it?

What’s the point of spreading this inane and endless drama and bickering–accusing friends and collegues of corruption and dirty tricks? It looks terrible. CRs are still going to work together after this weekend. Regardless of who the Chair is or, who rightfully gets the endorsement, CRs should vote for the candidates that will best lead CCR over the next year. Then, move on and get back to work spreading conservatism on campus and electing Republicans to office.

Note: Is blogging for Townhall so unbearably boring that Matt Lewis has nothing better to do than this: “California College Republicans Persecuted by Their Own Leadership“? “I’m not there, so maybe I’m missing something, but this looks really bad from where I sit,” says Lewis. Yeah, you missed half the story Matt.

From a Red State Rising press release:

SAN BERNARDINO – (22 April 2009) On Tuesday night the state board of the Young Republican Federation of California unanimously endorsed the Red State Rising team for election to the California College Republicans Executive Committee. The YRFC state board voted during a statewide Board meeting called by Chairman Ben Lopez.
…

“It is Adam Ellison and his team’s commitment to restore the brand of CCR’s that has earned the support of the YRFC Board,” Lopez said. “They share our belief that an effective GOP volunteer organization is one that does not compromise principle nor shies away from proclaiming those principles in bold colors. Leaders set the standard and carry the banner of our conservative principles. YRFC pledges to stand with Ellison and CCR’s to mutually grow our ranks so that the younger generation of conservative activists maintain our place at the table and our force that commands respect and are reckoned with.”

The YRFC’s official support follows YRFC Chairman Ben Lopez’s endorsement late last month and comes as Red State Rising is preparing for the 2009 CCR Convention to be held in San Francisco this weekend. For more information please visit http://RedStateRising.org.

The California College Republicans convention is coming up later this month, Revolutionize CCR announced the endorsements of the State Assembly’s Republican leadership:

Sacramento, CA – Several of California’s prominent Republican leaders announced their endorsement of Michael Antonopoulos and Revolutionize CCR, including Assembly Leader Mike Villines, Caucus Chair Cameron Smyth, and Republican Whip Nathan Fletcher.

“As Administrative Vice-Chair, Michael Antonopoulos has a proven record of building new clubs. I am confident that when elected to Chair of the California College Republicans he will continue to expand the organization across the state”, said Assemblyman Fletcher.

Assembly Leader Villines, Caucus Chair Smyth, and Republican Whip Fletcher all join Michael Antonopoulos and Revolutionize CCR’s growing list of supporters, including party leaders, elected officials, conservative activists, and College Republicans. For more information on Revolutionize CCR visit www.RevolutionizeCCR.com