To the editor:
I served as Chairman of the Auburn University College Republicans from December 2009-November 2010, stepping down at the end of my term following the unprecedented Republican victories in the midterm elections. I have been involved with College Republicans since my freshman year at Auburn and dedicated most of my college career to the success of AUCR.
Recent revelations concerning the conduct of current AUCR and Alabama state chairman Michael Lee have prompted me to speak out against his behavior and share my experiences. With the most important election in the history of the republic looming in 2012, it is critical that AUCR, the College Republican Federation of Alabama and the College Republican National Committee have the most competent and capable leadership possible.
I have known Michael Lee and current CRNC Vice-Chairman Alex Schriver for several years. I met Michael in the spring of 2009 and worked with Alex Schriver as far back as the 2008 elections. During the course of this time, I have come to know them and their leadership decisions well.
It is with a heavy heart and great disappointment that I must set the record straight.
Given that Alabama is the "reddest of the red" states, AUCR and the CRFA should be among the most potent and significant CR institutions in the nation. Unfortunately, the current leadership uses these organizations as launching pads for their own careers at the expense of the organization and its members.
Chairman Michael Lee has depleted the financial foundation of AUCR for purposes that do not benefit or include the general membership. Expenditures include dinner and drinks at local Mexican restaurants, personal lunches and dinner at the most expensive steak house in the state.
He loosely justified these expenditures by tying them to AUCR, but he never notified the membership or the executive board of these finances. In fact, he went out of his way to hide the bank statements from the executive board for almost four months, including his road trip to New Orleans which utilized nearly $500 in AUCR money in support of an event for Alex Schriver. In total, Michael Lee's spending spree constituted nearly $1800, which is 38% of the AUCR budget.
Furthermore, Michael has prevented the general membership from participating in their own organization's activities. Michael never notified the organization that appointed officer positions were available, preventing paying members from becoming involved in the management of their organization. As if this were not egregious enough, it has been discovered that a $600 AUCR check was embezzled by Michael Lee to the personal bank account of CRNC National Chairman-candidate Alex Schriver. Such actions present a clear picture of the dishonesty, financial abuse and unethical behavior of Michael Lee and the "Move CRNC Forward" leadership.
During the 2010 election cycle and my chairmanship, I witnessed AUCR volunteers work hard to establish a solid footing and reputation for their organization. Now that hard work has been stolen and squandered by the actions of Lee.
Republicans were swept into office in 2010 not because they were suddenly popular, but because they promised to restore fiscal sanity, integrity, transparency and responsibility to our nation's budgetary crisis. The actions of Lee and the willing beneficiaries of these dishonest actions within "Move CRNC Forward" are precisely the opposite of what our nation needs. The CRNC and CRs across this country cannot afford to be represented by those who are willing to steal and manipulate their way to power. We deserve better from those who seek to lead us. That is why I am calling for the immediate resignation of Chairman Michael Lee from his leadership positions and the resignation of CRNC National Chairman-candidate Alex Schriver for being a willing participant in these activities.
--Allison Kajs, former chair, Auburn College Republicans
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