A Townhall blog post, was passed to us today concerning the University of California San Diego College Republicans. Infighting at the UCSD club has been raging since last semester, we hadn’t reported on it until now because we thought it better to let them deal with their problems rather than drag them into the public. So, what’s up at UCSD?
Adam Brickley at The Brickyard, covers the UCSD infighting in a one sided and lengthy post this morning (read it for background). The story was also picked up here. The full story is not necessarily what’s relevant here, more important are the allegations of corruption and dirty tricks that Brickley levels at the CCR Executive Committee.
From what I can see, if the former Chair of UCSD CRs Dejah Stanley was actually impeached, the melt-down of UCSD CRs was caused by Inez Feltscher and her friends when they supported Dejah in illegitimately removing several officers from the UCSD operations website and pushing Megan Rodriguez out of the club apparently for vindictive personal reasons. It’s hard to discern, not having been there, whether Stanley was impeached or not. Allegedly the impeachment was a circus, attended by non-UCSD students and non-CRs, many of whom cast “provisional” ballots against impeachment. (Updated from reader comments) Even if the impeachement was indeed invalid, the club’s actions under Stanley and Feltscher were turned towards removing Rodriguez from the club completely and reconstructing the chapter.
Everything went downhill from there for the UCSD chapter, External Vice-Chair Megan Rodriguez, and Secretary Ronsen Yako were “kicked out” of the club at an impeachment meeting at which they were not present, the new leadership drafted a new constitution, and aimed their attentions at tarnishing Rodriguez’s name in public. Rodriguez and the ousted officers, no longer able to conduct business after being removed from the UCSD student organizations site by the impeached Dejah, decided to open a charter called “Triton College Republicans” with UCSD to continue the legitimate club–something that was no longer possible at the re-made club headed by Feltscher.
When both “College Republicans at UCSD” and “Triton College Republicans” submitted chartering documents with the State Federation, the Executive Committee was forced to make a decision on which group would be recognized for the next year. In a heated conference call held last Thursday, described by one CR present as a “shit show,” the Executive Committee invited both Rodriguez and Feltscher to present their cases. According to sources, Rodriguez was calm and composed, basing her case for chartering on the claim that theirs was the original club, only renamed by necessity after the club headed by Feltscher crumbled. Feltscher, on the other hand, repeatedly insulted the Executive Committee, claiming that they were corrupt and that the vote was unjust and unconstitutional–It was actually required constitutionally.
It happens that some of the members of the CCR Executive Committee are running on the Revolutionize CCR slate, including Rodriguez, while Feltscher and her group have endorsed their opponents, Red State Rising. What this has to do with the outcome of the vote is beyond me, unless you’re prone to conspiracy theories.
The Chairwoman of CCR abstained from voting, as did RevCCR candidate Michael Antonopoulos, Ms. Rodriguez and the CCR Secretary. Triton CRs was chosen to be recognized in a 6-1 vote. The one vote for Feltscher was from Executive Committee member Ryan McNicholas, who read a prepared statement calling the vote unjust before voting.
It is unfortunate that the decision had to be made, and that UCSD had such a terrible internal struggle, but it happens, and everyone should try to move on for the good of their clubs and in the interest of working together across the state.
Just received a statement from Cheyenne Steel, Chairwoman of CCR:
It has come to my attention that several political blogs have taken interest in recent events that have transpired within the UCSD College Republicans and the California College Republicans. The statements made in these blogs, fed by a group of disenfranchised opportunists, are inaccurate and substantially misrepresent the situation. The decision of the California College Republicans Executive Committee with regard to the UCSD College Republicans was made out of
constitutional necessity and done so without bias or personal interest. Two clubs, each accredited and claiming the distinction that they were the legitimately chartered College Republican chapter at the university, submitted information for credentialing at our annual Convention.
After hearing accounts from representatives of both clubs, a vote took place to determine which club would assume the chartering expiring at the upcoming annual Convention. No chapters were un-chartered, and no one removed from the organization. The vote was simply to determine which club was the rightful owner of the original UCSD charter based on the facts presented and the actions of those involved. We clarified to everyone on the call that all parties involved were still invited to Convention and all discounts and privileges would be honored.
The impact, if any, the situation has on the designation of delegates from UCSD for Convention is a matter of internal discretion within the club. I am extremely disappointed in the actions taken by those unsatisfied with the decision and strongly encourage those involved to work together to resolve the situation internally.
UCSD College Republicans posted a statement on their website regarding the CCR decision.
