A.J. LaFaro
Candidate First Vice-Chairman
(Maricopa County)
Under LaFaro's "leadership"
Maricopa county lost over 12,000 registered Republican voters.
While Lori Urban wants to blame the state chairman for the loss of registered voters and Precinct Committeemen, state committeemen should take note that it's the responsibility of the county chairmen to do voter outreach and PC recruitment in their own counties. Neither were done in Maricopa as the numbers show.
Maricopa county lost over 540 PCs. There was no focus on any recruiting effort to increase the number of PCs.
While Lori Urban wants to blame the state chairman for the loss of registered voters and Precinct Committeemen, state committeemen should take note that it's the responsibility of the county chairmen to do voter outreach and PC recruitment in their own counties. Neither were done in Maricopa as the numbers show.
Maricopa county lost over 540 PCs. There was no focus on any recruiting effort to increase the number of PCs.
$5,000 from the MCRC bank account given to LaFaro's attorney to cover legal fees. Attempted to coerce the Executive Board to authorize a check to himself in the amount of $5,000 as compensation for legal fees in a lawsuit triggered by his actions, without consulting the Executive Guidance Committee as required in MCRC bylaws.
He's a big talker passing resolutions, but not much of a doer. When Lafaro talked tough about party discipline, that he would enforce the county bylaw that PCs not endorse Democrats, he capitulated. When threatened with legal action, Lafaro backed down letting PCs who supported Fred Duval to vote in our county party elections.
Attempted to overturn a properly conducted LD election unilaterally, with no authority to do so. The only reason he didn't follow through with this is because he was threatened with more legal action.
Doesn't abide by the bylaws but expects other to. He submitted 108 PC appointments to the County Board of Supervisors without honoring the process outlined in the bylaws which read:
Vacancies will not be filled by appointment until after the State Organization Meeting. The District Chairman and the Precinct Captain are charged jointly with the responsibility of appointing PCs to fill vacancies.
Did not appoint non-voting officers as required per bylaws. Went a full year without an Executive Director, and nearly the full term without a Parliamentarian, and never had a Finance Director.
Never created a budget for the MCRC as required per bylaws. It is the responsibility of the Chairman to produce a yearly budget. Just like our federal government has been operating with no budget, LaFaro didn't put forth a budget either.
Hypocrite now running for First Vice-Chairman of our State Party on a platform of following the bylaws. Past performance proves that LaFaro only follows the bylaws when it suits him and his personal agenda. (below is his team's campaign banner)
He's a big talker passing resolutions, but not much of a doer. When Lafaro talked tough about party discipline, that he would enforce the county bylaw that PCs not endorse Democrats, he capitulated. When threatened with legal action, Lafaro backed down letting PCs who supported Fred Duval to vote in our county party elections.
Attempted to overturn a properly conducted LD election unilaterally, with no authority to do so. The only reason he didn't follow through with this is because he was threatened with more legal action.
Doesn't abide by the bylaws but expects other to. He submitted 108 PC appointments to the County Board of Supervisors without honoring the process outlined in the bylaws which read:
Vacancies will not be filled by appointment until after the State Organization Meeting. The District Chairman and the Precinct Captain are charged jointly with the responsibility of appointing PCs to fill vacancies.
Did not appoint non-voting officers as required per bylaws. Went a full year without an Executive Director, and nearly the full term without a Parliamentarian, and never had a Finance Director.
Never created a budget for the MCRC as required per bylaws. It is the responsibility of the Chairman to produce a yearly budget. Just like our federal government has been operating with no budget, LaFaro didn't put forth a budget either.
Hypocrite now running for First Vice-Chairman of our State Party on a platform of following the bylaws. Past performance proves that LaFaro only follows the bylaws when it suits him and his personal agenda. (below is his team's campaign banner)
Demanded members' email addresses from the State Party to use for his personal campaign, in violation of MCRC bylaws he cites as criticism of the State Chairman.
Put members of the MCRC in financial peril. With no budget and no D&O insurance this left the volunteer leadership team vulnerable especially as lawsuits were being threatened.
Lost the west valley MCRC GOP office. Lafaro didn't have the money to even fund his county office in the West Valley. When the office was forced to close due to insufficient funds, LaFaro did nothing to help save it and keep it opened. Thankfully the state party team funded and opened a new office.
Campaigned that he, personally, would raise $100,000 (see campaign flyer below) - Only fundraiser -- Bill Whittle event -- MCRC netted approximately $400. Instead he has costs the MCRC thousands of dollars and to this day, the county party owes the state party for unpaid bills.
Campaigned that he, personally, would raise $100,000 (see campaign flyer below) - Only fundraiser -- Bill Whittle event -- MCRC netted approximately $400. Instead he has costs the MCRC thousands of dollars and to this day, the county party owes the state party for unpaid bills.
Attempted to instruct PCs of a Legislative District not to obtain signatures for certain Republican candidates in the primary election.
Attempted to instruct the Board of a Legislative District to remove certain Republican candidates from its slate in the general election.
Applied personal "litmus test" to PC appointments forwarded by District Chairmen.
Wants to "purge" the party. Using the bylaws to go after other Republicans but then he doesn't follow the bylaws when it comes to his responsibilities.
Attempted to instruct the Board of a Legislative District to remove certain Republican candidates from its slate in the general election.
Applied personal "litmus test" to PC appointments forwarded by District Chairmen.
Wants to "purge" the party. Using the bylaws to go after other Republicans but then he doesn't follow the bylaws when it comes to his responsibilities.
Promises made - NONE kept.
NOT ONE campaign promise made was kept.
Was ALL TALK.
NOT ONE campaign promise made was kept.
Was ALL TALK.
REMEMBER:
These are HIS promises to Maricopa Precinct Committeemen when he campaigned two years ago.
1. All PCs were not supported.
2. No attempt to unify groups was ever done.
3. No community outreach was done.
4. No fundraising was done.
5. No elections were won because of his effort. We lost CD9, Diane Douglas lost Maricopa county by over 1,200 votes, lost a possible pick up GOP seat in LD28 and more that 80 school board races went either uncontested or had no candidate running.
6. Arizona was kept red due to the efforts done by the state party. LaFaro had nothing to do with it.
_________________________
1. No PC opinion survey was ever done.
2. No visits to LDs.
2. No visits to LDs.
3. No update or change in the MCRC technology.
4. No PC or LD training was ever conducted.
4. No PC or LD training was ever conducted.
5. Over the top insults and bomb-throwing did not help to strengthen any relationships. It's difficult to strengthen relationships when LaFaro calls our Governor, Judas and announces that legislators “need to be punished” and that they "should be thankful the Republicans here in Arizona haven’t built a gallows in Prescott’s Town Square.”
6. No outreach to clubs.
7. Never saw a "my turn" published.
8. No PC letter writing team.
9. Did NOT raise $100,000 all on his own as he promised to do. In fact, he has cost the MCRC over $5,000 due to a lawsuit because of his actions. To this day, the county party owes the state party for unpaid bills.
10. Not aware of candidates interviewed and recruited through his efforts.
11. Did not adhere to staying neutral in the primary. Announced at an EGC meeting that LD Chairs could do what they wanted to do.
12. Did not implement any "best practices" for GOTV.
A.J. LaFaro is NOT fit to be the 1st Vice Chairman of the State Party.
Can you imagine him and his behavior being one seat away
from running our entire State Party?
