In a press release, the entire Executive Board of the MA College Republicans rescinded its endorsement of Charlie Smith for Chairman.
The release cited "significant issues and inappropriate tactics" which caused this action. One presumes that Massachusetts is referring to the accusations of delegate tampering and chairman intimidation in Mississippi.
Massachusetts' action comes even though former MA CR State Chairman Mike Miltenberger is a candidate for National Treasurer on the New CRNC team.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 28, 2007
To: College Republican National Board Members
In light of recent events and in the interest of preserving the political and moral integrity of the Massachusetts Alliance of College Republicans, the Executive Board of the MACR hereby unanimously rescinds its April 14 endorsement of Charlie Smith of Colorado for Chairman of the College Republican National Committee.
Several significant issues and inappropriate tactics have been brought to the attention of the National Board only recently which in a fully respectable campaign would not have been hidden or suppressed.
Perhaps most surprising are Ethan Eilon’s simultaneous roles as Executive Director of the CRNC and Campaign Manager of the New CRNC. This open expression of support by the CRNC hints not only at a general lack of respect for the election process described in the College Republican Constitution, but also makes inauthentic any calls from any member of the New CRNC team for honesty, accountability, transparency, and distinction from the current administration.
Rather than constraining our delegates before the convention, we believe that they should vote on their own instinct and not be bound to any particular candidate, as they alone most appropriately represent College Republicans in Massachusetts.
We strongly urge other state federations to take similar measures to respect the intelligence and independence of their delegates.
In that spirit, former MACR Chairman Michael Miltenberger, also a candidate for CRNC treasurer, will be removed from the Massachusetts delegation to the convention due to a potential conflict of interest. We sincerely thank him for his service to the MACR over the past two years and wish him well.
Thank you for your time and understanding. We reiterate our call for honest and respectable campaigns and elections and look forward to meeting many of you at the convention in July!
Signed,
Brian Gwozdz, Chairman Jacob Ventura, Executive Director
Trevor Lair, Executive Vice Chairman
Samantha Lewis, Secretary
Stephen Regan, Treasurer
Katherine Scott, Central Vice Chair
Brian Murphy, Western Vice Chair
Becky Echevarria, CWC Director
Gregory Collins, Blog Director
