Young Republican infighting continues
The first of two competing meetings scheduled by rival factions fighting for control of the New Hampshire Young Republicans Federation was held Saturday night in Manchester. The NHYR has been in limbo since an effort to elect new officers in April ended in chaos and the group lost its charter.
A faction led by former Hillsborough County Treasurer and two-time executive council nominee Bob Burns met to approve new bylaws, elect an executive board and submit a delegation for the national convention.
The group selected Burns to chair the organization and elected a seven-member executive board that includes GOP gubernatorial candidate Andrew Hemingway, former state Rep. Shaun Doherty and Free Staters Keith Carlsen and Dan Hynes.
In a release, the group said they will be announcing additional appointments to the organization and a plan to involve young Republican voters in the presidential primary.
State Rep. Joe Sweeney (R-Salem), who was competing with Burns in April to lead the organization, disputed the validity of the election. Burns “held his own meeting tonight,” he tweeted.
“The [Young Republican National Federation] recognizes [Burns] and the meeting held today,” fired back Doherty. “Any other meetings are invalid and past deadline.”
Doherty was referring to an upcoming meeting scheduled by a rival faction led by former NHYR president Molly Sanborn. That group also plans to approve NHYR bylaws and elect a new executive board.
“This meeting will be a continuance of the meeting of April 18, 2015, which the NHYR chairman adjourned because of uncertainty regarding the eligibility of those persons in attendance to vote or otherwise conduct the business of the NHYR,” Sanborn explained.
“The board is no longer in existence and no members of the former board approved this action,” Doherty responded. “This July 18 meeting is beyond the deadline and invalid.”
“Unfortunately, the full executive board wasn’t willing to move things forward respectfully and didn’t return my phone calls when I tried getting everyone on board for a date,” Sanborn answered, “this date was chosen by those who were looking to re-organize following the April 18th meeting.”
17 young Republicans have signaled their intent to attend the meeting to choose a second NHYR executive board.