Republican Club of New York Ousts Pro-Trump Board Members

Officials with a long-standing conservative organization in New York, the Manhattan Republican Club, took a sidestep into Democratic territory during a recent meeting and actually sent its pro-President Donald Trump members packing.

The group, which lists Republican Committee head Ed Cox and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg among its membership rolls, was gathered for one of its regular meetings on East 83rd Street.

Talk grew tense.

And apparently, all the pro-Trumpers were asked to leave.

The New York Post has the story:

“Tensions at the Metropolitan Republican Club on East 83rd Street … had been festering for months over Trump’s ascent to the presidency.

“After his surprise victory in November, sources said, the club’s old guard launched a campaign to cleanse Trump supporters.

“‘They hate Donald Trump, and they were really pissed when he won,’ said expelled executive board member Sandra Chase.

“Club President Debbie Coughlin, former club President Peter Hein, Bob Morgan III and Ian Reilly colluded to boot Trump backers — and flagrantly violated longstanding bylaws in doing so, the sources allege.
Dismissed members likened the move to a Soviet political purge.”

Allan Stevo, an ousted member, said to the New York Post he was shocked to see a security guard outside the next meeting, serving as “a show of force and intimidation,” he said.

The establishment in the group handed Sen. Ted Cruz and his wife, Heidi, the “keys to the club” during campaign season, the newspaper reported, citing another ousted member. And that’s when some of the Trump supporters became concerned the club was turning into little more than a political action party for one candidate over another.

Another member said the ousting violates all the club’s bylaws, particularly the one in which members are supposed to receive 30 days notice for removal.

The New York Post quoted Stevo – who had been a member of the Met Club for five years, one of which was served on the board – at length:

“The cronyism of the Met Club board, like similar county and state boards, is a perfect example of a swamp that needs draining.

“Met Club members should be outraged because a small group of extremists have created needless discord in their club and have taken over their board, removing dedicated members who demanded change and called for more accountability in the club and in our country.

“On Jan. 31, I was thrown off the board of the Metropolitan Republican Club, along with four other Donald Trump supporters.

“While no one can be certain what another person thinks, the reason we were thrown off a Republican board appears to be our support for Trump.

“The low level of support for Trump among some that remain on the board, and the high enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton well into the fall of 2016, was disappointing.

“One of the people who helped throw us off, club President Deborah Coughlin, according to federal records has donated four times to ‘Friends of Schumer’ in amounts over $1,000.

“Whatever happened to politely agreeing to disagree?”