Rockland GOP Committeemen Call for New Leadership
Rockland County Republican Committeemen, are calling for new leadership for consistently horse-trading the Republican line with incumbent Democrats despite previous promises to stop this practice.
The group calling themselves the “Rockland Republican Academy” released a list of indictments today that was mailed to GOP committeeman and posted on their website to rally support for their cause.
Why the urgency? On a date TBD this coming September, all Republican leadership seats will be open to challenge. July 9th will be the last day petitions will be accepted by the board of elections to become a new Committeeman. If Republicans miss this chance, it will be 2 years before Rockland Republicans get another chance to become Committeeman and vote for new leadership.
In a letter to fellow Committeeman representatives: Jean Black of Orangetown, Joseph Ciardullo of Clarkstown, Anthony Mele of Ramapo and aspiring Committeeman of Stony Point and spokesman for the group, Lawrence Stone called for a whole new slate of GOP leadership.
The letter states: “We believe that 22 years of ineffective leadership has reduced our party’s relevancy. The erosion of Republican core principles led to the financial calamity we now have in Rockland County. What is the long term impact on the tax payer, when we no longer have an opposition party to challenge Democrats? The role of the opposition party is to protect the taxpayers from uncontested power of the majority over the minority. The party leadership has forgotten that they work for us and not the other way around. As a result, we are forced to take this less than conventional route to restore these principles by replacing the leadership.”
The group is insisting all new candidates for leadership take a pledge, available on their website, that is in line with their core principles. Stating: “If we are to restore the relevancy of the Republican Party in Rockland County, new leadership is a must. Anyone accepting to lead this party moving forward will not win our support without having first signed and embraced this pledge themselves.”
The core indictments they make of the current GOP leadership are as follows:
2012 June 6th – Chairman Reda gives Nomination to Democrat: Without a convention, Chairman Reda Nominates Democrat Ossining Trustee, Janis Castaldi for NY State Senate, 38th District; then instructs Republican Committeemen to carry petitions for her without divulging her affiliations.
2012 March - Reda suppressed Candidates interviews and caused a primary to occur. Republican Convention for the 17th District Congressional district excludes all other candidates. Committeemen were only given one person to vote for!
2011 – Chairman Reda Nominates a Republican candidate at Convention but gives the line to Democrat: Thomas Zugibe for District Attorney.
2010 Dec 28th - Chairman Reda MORTIFIED THE PARTY when he was Arrested for Shoplifting {NY POST, News 12 }
2009 – Chairman Reda gives the Republican line to Democrat: Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack offering zero opposition. Gromack had every line on the ballot.
2009 – Chairman Reda gives the Republican line to Democrat: Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, and suppressed the Republican Challenger.
2007 - Chairman Reda gives the Republican line to Democrat: LD 14 VJ Pradham
2007 – Chairman Reda gives the Republican line to Democrat: Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack
The letter goes on to say that “…there is no point to a Republican Party that gives the line to Democrats” and urges those interested in becoming a Republican Committeeman or running for leadership to join them by signing up on their website: www.RocklandRepublicans.org
http://money.cnn.com/2012/06/22/news/economy/obama-spending/
maybe republicans should stop fighting over who the
real republicans are and solve the crisis that is
coming the first of the year...
Posted by: anon e moose | June 22, 2012 at 13:18
How. About the fact that chairman reda has had a bo show job so the senate for 25 years.
Posted by: Harvey | June 22, 2012 at 15:29
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/22/florida-guv-we-need-a-whole-immigration-policy/
obama wins florida..and wins the election
los latinos vas a votar por el presidente in estados
como florida nuevo mexico y nevada por que el presidente es sympatico con el deseo ser nacionales
de los estados unidos y las republicanos son viejo's
blancos quien son miserables que la poblacion esta
cambiar
Posted by: anon e moose | June 22, 2012 at 17:57
The Yonkers GOP should also do the same thing as in Rockland, they desparately are in need of new leadership with too much playing around with Dems. The Yonkers Republicans recognize they too, do not have a strong party, which is making the County Republicans nervous. Get Jacono out people.
Posted by: A TRUE YONKERSITE | June 22, 2012 at 21:04
Rockland County, with a republican county executive at the helm for almost 20 years, is essentially bankrupt and begging NYS for an 80 million dollar loan. Who are you delusional tea baggers kidding?
Posted by: Keep drinking the coolaid | June 23, 2012 at 08:45
the republican party is in disarray and not just in
rockland and in yonkers....its all over the nation
as this story makes clear
http://www.salon.com/2012/06/22/its_not_mitts_party/singleton/
the tea party has made it virtually impossible to get
elected..whether its immigration or solving the deficit
by both raising revenue and cutting spending as simpson
bowles recommended they simply do not want to come to the table....and moderate republicans understand that
without the independents voting for romney he cannot win jeb knows it, W knows it the father knows it and rove knows it....not only do you need rino's on your side you need moderates in battleground states and taking the position that romney did on immigration in
the primaries..."self deportation" is ludicrous
Posted by: anon e moose | June 23, 2012 at 11:20
The letter goes on to say that “…there is no point to a Republican Party that gives the line to Democrats” and urges those interested in becoming a Republican Committeeman or running for leadership to join them by signing up on their website:www.RocklandRepublicans.org
The role of the minority party is to counter balance the majority party to prevent unchecked power and avoid having a ONE PARTY SYSTEM!
What the Chairmen did was horse trade the Republican party in return for patronage jobs, as if he were the Reda Employment Agency.
The result over time is the fiscal calamity we all are experiencing. Every voter, no matter what party you identify with, understand the role and importance of a two party system.
What we all have now is dangerously close to a one party system, thanks to a failure of leadership. No American, Republican OR Democrat can disagree with this observation because it is simply true.
I care about my country enough to bring this to all of your attention in the public forum. I expressed this to the Chairmen's face in private and within our Republican Committee. If our system fails, it will not be because I stood by and did nothing about it.
At least, I am putting my name and face out here trying to fix it. Lead, follow, or get out of our way. Anthony Mele, Republican Committeeman
Posted by: Anthony Mele | June 23, 2012 at 12:28
Harvey: I disagree with the Chairman's practice of horse-trading the line. I will not make unfounded accusations against him and will defend him from such. If you have solid proof, then by all means disclose it. But it is a dis-service to what we are trying to accomplish by defaming the man with rumors. If there is proof, show it. The proof we have presented is in our opinion, enough to call for new leadership. Thanks for expressing your self. What do you think of our ideas in calling for a pledge of honor?
Posted by: Anthony Mele | June 23, 2012 at 12:34
Cool-aid: I am thankful that our message moved you to express your opinion in the public forum. Undeniably, Rockland County IS in a fiscal calamity. The County Executive is one registered Republican AND the Legislature is overwhelmingly Democrat, which proves our point. The Majority Party ran amok. They actually ran out of OTHER PEOPLE's MONEY! They cannot borrow a penny even if it cost a dime in interest. The Republican Chairmen suppressed competition within their ranks, let Democrats run unopposed, and cross endorsed them. Look at the result.
Your derogatory term that is a vulgar reference to a homosexual act is out of line. I am sure you were simply parroting a phrase you had no clue to its meaning.
Calling for the adherence to the US Constitution and Republican principles of less government, less taxation, less spending because it results in stronger fiscal health and entreprenuership is worthy of our efforts.
If anyone can demonstrate abandonment of the US Constitution, more government, more spending, more taxation results in greater fiscal health and freedoms.. well.. do it without name calling.
At least, we Republicans are honestly and openly, cleaning up our own house.
Posted by: Anthony Mele | June 23, 2012 at 12:46
what percentage you lost by when you ran for congress last time ?
Posted by: curly | June 23, 2012 at 15:32
Curly: Thank you for your question. We won. We won the Republican Primary against the same shenighans we are moving to fix now.
We won the respect of our peers and neighbors.
We won the day by carrying our message to all corners of the 17th Congressional District in 2010.
We won your curiosity and earned every vote that was cast by hard work and a message that resonated across party lines.
Now that the district lines have been redrawn we will endeavor to win more of our neighbors with a message of adherence to the US Constitution, and stop government, over-spending, over-taxing and over-reaching.
I hope we earn your confidence and vote in the future.
Posted by: Anthony Mele | June 23, 2012 at 16:01
What do you think of our ideas?
Posted by: Anthony Mele | June 23, 2012 at 16:06
your ideas are way too rigid for most of the nation
you represent the tea party and the tea party doesn't
believe in compromise..you say you believe in the constitution but you only interpret it when it serves
your purposes...for example you want to constitutionally ban abortion when the government should stay out of our bedrooms..you believe in the
2nd amendment and use it to justify opposing gun control laws that even our police departments want and need...your message hasn't resonated with most voters
let alone most republicans...jeb bush george hw bush
and ronald reagan are and would have been uncomfotable
with your inflexible and antiquated views and your ryan
deficit reduction plan is laughable...you want seniors
to accept a voucher for medicare so that means that
all increased costs are shifted to them..and i suspect
that even hardened tea party acolytes won't like that
the problem with the hard right of the party is that
math doesn't seem to be one of your strongpoints..
while others like allan simpson of simpson bowlesalso without paying for it and cutting taxes at the same time caused a financial meltdown....
understand that to get out of the mess that was primarily caused by W starting two wars and not paying
for them and signing a medicare prescription drug bill
it is necessary to both increase revenue and cut spending and you cannot accomplish balance by only dealing with 18% of the budget as you tea party types
have proposed...and finally your signing on to the grover norquist no tax pledged has put you and your friends in a box even ronald reagan raised taxes some 10 times..so no your ideas will not solve the problem
and your candidates will lose
Posted by: anon | June 23, 2012 at 17:58
Anon: The idea I was referring to related to the article posted here about calling for new leadership in Rockland County, for among others, the reasons stated here.
As for your post, I find it interesting, where I agree with alot and where we diverge is related to dis-information.
My positions are well published in my writings and speeches. Many of which, I think you would agree with in principle.
But, for this thread, let's discuss the virtues of protecting the two party principle and agree that the outcome of the one party system resulted in Rockland's fiscal calamity.
Posted by: Anthony Mele | June 23, 2012 at 18:42
if you want to protect the two party principle in
new york state the answer is very simple ban cross
endorsements by minor parties and eliminate the ability
of ideological and job extortion by a few who control
those lines....only 6 states permit cross endorsment
the rest do not because it totally compromises the two
party system
Posted by: anon e moose | June 24, 2012 at 15:57
This is what we are working towards. Thank you.
Posted by: Anthony Mele | June 24, 2012 at 19:26
then get one of your state legislators to propose
it in a piece of legislation..thank you
Posted by: anon | June 25, 2012 at 10:04