Independence Party Corruption by Louis Corrigan

Endorsement fights often signal the beginning of a war within a political party. And, there are two reasons for wars;first is disagreement over policy or mission statements; and secondly, the resulting corruption over money and power in the leadership. These wars are often ended by the removal (from party office) of one group or the other. This independence party web-site was founded  to remove  Anthony Orsini as Chairman of the Erie County Independence Party for corruption in that office and disloyalty to the party. On March 2, 2006, the county secretary, Louis Corrigan, presented a set of seven charges to the State Chairman for approval by the state committee. Mr. Corrigan read those charges at the state committee meeting  in Albany on March 5, 2006. He then proposed a motion of acceptance to investigate Orsini. (The motion won 500+thousand to 200+thousand votes.) Then, at a second meeting on March 25, 2006, moved Orsini case before the removal committee.

The charges against orsini follow:

 
ER IE COUNTY INDEPENDENCE PARTY

County Secretary

83 Bryant St, Buffalo, NY 14209    Tel: 716 884-3402

Fax 886-9325  - Email loosesea@msn.com

 

 

2 February 2006

 

Frank McKay, Chairman

NYS Independence Party

 

Subject: Charge that Anthony Orsini Jr., Vice Chair-State Committee, Chair- Erie County Committee, has conducted these offices in a corrupt manner and has been disloyal to both the purpose and stated mission of these committees.

 

These charges are limited to the current term of office (2004 –06). The practices have, however, existed since 2002.

 

1. Two hours before the Sept. 2004 County Organization Meeting, Orsini secretly met with a Democratic party county chair (Lenihan), permitting him to name 4 0f 13 members of the executive committee; and, permitting him to control the swing vote and control of our authorization process.

 

2.The sign-in process had not confirmed a quorum at the reorg meeting. Yet Orsini started the meeting. Then, at meeting conclusion, all records and proxies had disappeared and remain lost to this date. (Orsini later admits he destroyed them.)

 

3. Orsini has tightly controlled fundraisers for his own pacts and the county treasury. Yet, no executive committee meeting has ever seen a written income or expense report or financial position statement.

  

4. After a complaint about the lack of financial data from a county committeeman, we got an oral report of bills paid and balances. An exec committee member questioned the validity of a paid item (Politics Western New York, AKA the Illuzzii Letter) and for which no known service was performmed  – to which a corrupt swing member said we have the vote lets just pass it – The info requester was told to look in the filed county/state reports. What we do know is that well over 150 checks had been issued; and, that we don’t know to whom or for what they were issued

 

5. Since we do not know how much money has been given to the party and to Orsinis’ pacts, or why it was given – there arose a question of preventing a public perception of corruption, bribery, and, in particular a felony violation of State Election Law, Article 17 Section 158  etc. on the part of countywide officials of the IP. As the county secretary, I issued to each designation-nomination- authorization meeting a meeting waiver certifying that committee members and candidates were neither a beneficiary or grantor of prohibited actions, services, and/or property specified by NYS election law (Article 17, violations of the elective franchise, section § 17-158 corrupt use of position or authority.) None of the committee members has been willing to sign that waiver.

 

6. Because of that waiver, not a single candidate appeared before any screening committee in the year 2005 and 2006. Nor, was Orsini ever required to recuse himself, even where there was the appearence he had been a beneficiary under article 17.

 

 

7. To avoid the waiver altogether, Orsini has usurped the duties of the county secretary. This is done by calling executive committee meetings special meetings, and, using major party moles to install parliamentarians to install one-time secretaries. And as a result Orsini, in the name of local control, has managed to disenfranchise and fraud every single IP voter in Erie County.

 

 

Attachment meeting waiver 

 

 

Louis P. Corrigan, Secretary

Erie County Independence Party