 "Photo:")
In an election year, Michigan's umbrella organization of College Republicans-The Michigan Federation of College Republicans (MFCR)-has effectively crumbled, reflecting the controversial tenure of U-M student Justin Zatkoff as the organization's chairman.
After transferring from Oakland University to the University of Michigan in early 2007, an ambitious Zatkoff embarked on a path to power that has been marked by strong-arm tactics, rancorous presidential politics, and, critics say, potential violations of Michigan campaign finance law.
Since his early 2007 election as MFCR chairman, internal MFCR disputes have resulted in the withdrawal of several major chapters of College Republicans (CR), including-temporarily-the University of Michigan's own College Republicans (the oldest such chapter in the country), and most recently, Michigan State University's College Republicans, the largest CR chapter in the state.
Hail to the Victor?
Zatkoff arrived as a student in Ann Arbor on the heels of a national controversy, in which he claimed injuries sustained in a September 2006 assault were the result of attacks by "liberal thugs" from the pro-affirmative action group BAMN. Ann Arbor Police later said the injuries were a result of a fight with Zatkoff's friends.
A longtime conservative activist, Zatkoff had made himself known for almost single-handedly turning Oakland University's College Republicans into a powerhouse in the state. Nonetheless, he transferred to U-M, where he would stage his bid for MFCRs chair.
During his time at U-M, Zatkoff spent virtually no time involved with University of Michigan College Republicans (UMCR). According to several sources with knowledge of the matter, Zatkoff attended only one meeting the semester he ran for state chairman. Nonetheless, when then-UMCR Chair Robert Scott emailed UMCR members, asking who would like to travel as delegates to the convention electing the next MFCR chairman, Zatkoff exploited an opening in the UMCR constitution to his advantage.
The University of Michigan's College Republicans are typically granted 70-75 delegates to such conventions-an allotment which is rarely filled-said Chris Irvine, the 2007 Chair of UMCRs.
The delegation to the MFCR convention was determined on a first-come, first-served basis, which, according to multiple sources, Zatkoff used to his advantage by filling the delegation with his loyalists, offering to personally pay CR membership dues for those who would attend and vote for him.
Zatkoff became Chair of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans, winning by a vote of 118-64. He told The Michigan Daily that the election was "very exciting."
Andrew Boyd, the Secretary of the MFCRs, said that Zatkoff has worked "tirelessly" since taking office.
"You're talking about a kid [Zatkoff], right now," Boyd said, "where if I were in the position as chairman, that there's no way I'd be putting in as much time as he is."
Criticism of Zatkoff, Boyd said, is driven by a small cadre, who he said have a "tabloid mentality."
McCainiac
Since his first election, Zatkoff has become increasingly involved with presidential politics in the state of Michigan. Zatkoff cast his lot with the eventual Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, even though McCain's campaign had appeared to flounder. This contrasted with many conservative activists, including those in Michigan, who flocked to other candidates, notably Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. Fred Thompson.
Zatkoff's support of McCain allied him with Chuck Yob, the powerful former Republican National Committeeman from Michigan whose son, John, is the director of the McCain campaign in Michigan.
Zatkoff showed strong support for Yob in his ultimately unsuccessful bid to be reelected as Committeeman.
On his website, "Turn Michigan Red," Zatkoff wrote glowingly of Yob. In a blog post on Monday, September 10, 2007, Zatkoff wrote, "I, Justin Zatkoff, support Chuck Yob in all that he has done and all that he will do."
A day later, Zatkoff's site announced an official endorsement of Yob for reelection, writing that Yob had "promised to help raise money for us."
Asked more recently about his relationship with Yob, Zatkoff wrote last week in an email, "Chuck is our Republican National Commiteeman, and is very supportive of efforts to get youth involved in the political process. I work with a broad range of elected officials, both in government and within the GOP, to support the mission of MFCR."
But Zatkoff's involvement with the McCain campaign extended well beyond an endorsement.
Matt Hall, the Youth Vice Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and a friend of Justin Zatkoff, established a Political Action Committee (PAC) in Michigan on September 18, 2007, called the "GOP Youth Scholarship Fund." The Fund was established to finance trips to the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, which took place September 21-23, 2007.
"Matt Hall, the Youth Chair of the MIGOP, and I work with together on a regular basis to organize youth efforts," Zatkoff wrote last week in an email message, adding that both him and Hall supported Sen. John McCain in the Republican primary.
The conference had a $100 attendance fee for participants over the age of 16 and featured an influential straw poll. McCain eventually placed second behind Mitt Romney in the poll.
The current chair of U-M's chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), Sarah Ledford, was a recipient of one such scholarship.
"The first day we went [to the conference], there was a line out the door of the McCain cabin, with people waiting to receive the 'youth scholarships,'" Ledford said in an interview at the Michigan Union. She said people who asked for the scholarship received $100 for the registration fee.
"They urged you to vote a certain way," said Ledford, adding that recipients would get another $50 if they said they voted for McCain in the straw poll. (While Ledford told the group she voted for McCain, in reality, she voted for Rep. Ron Paul.)
In an email to YAF on September 18, 2007, then-YAF Chair Boyd wrote the group's members, saying, "there is a $150 youth scholarship available to anyone going. This is basically like getting paid for going. If you are interested, please contact Justin Zatkoff."
Hall has been a longtime ally of Zatkoff and Yob. Hall, like the other two, was a McCain supporter. "The only thing Justin Zatkoff is good for is to follow Matt Hall to the end of the earth," Zatkoff wrote on his website on September 10.
In its initial filing with the Michigan Secretary of State for the GOP Youth Scholarship Fund, Hall indicated his group intended to spend or receive more than $20,000. He also registered the Scholarship Fund as a 527 organization with the IRS. Groups must register as a 527 organization if they expect to spend or receive over $25,000 to influence a federal election. They must also not coordinate activities with candidates or political parties.
Hall's PAC paid the way for a number of students; by paying for seven or more students, the PAC would have met the $1000 threshold at which it would have to have to file statements with Michigan's Secretary of State. YAF's Sarah Ledford says she saw roughly thirty people waiting for the scholarship when she arrived at the Mackinac Conference.
A month after the conference, likely a costly enterprise, the GOP Youth Scholarship PAC amended its filing with Michigan's Secretary of State, requesting a waiver of the reporting requirement, saying it had not exceeded the $1,000 threshold.
The group has not filed any additional documents with the IRS. Though the PAC would not have to file additional or modified documentation if it had, in fact, not received more than $1,000, numerous sources have indicated that the utilization of the scholarship at the Conference would have likely exceeded that amount. Matt Hall has not returned numerous calls for comment.
A Rough Fall
The most important activities of the MFCRs, though, occurred before the conference, in late August and early September of last year.
According to Federal Election Commission documents, Zatkoff won a major donation-$500-from the American Leadership Council PAC on August 22, 2007. Zatkoff acknowledged in an email that the MFCRs received more than $500 last year, but maintains that the organization is in compliance with all state and federal election law.
When reached for comment, Zatkoff refused to say whether or not the MFCRs are a PAC, though he acknowledged that they are incorporated as a nonprofit.
"Due to the fact that everything the MFCRs have done in the past and will do in the future fully complies with state and federal campaign finance laws," he declined further comment on MFCR finances, Zatkoff wrote in an email last Tuesday after a request for comment.
On September 7, two and a half weeks later, Zatkoff incorporated the Michigan Federation of College Republicans as a nonprofit in the state of Michigan. And just one day later, Zatkoff started "Turn Michigan Red," a blog covering "anything from Michigan Politics to College Republican News."
The website featured a number of statements on behalf of the MFCRs, along with political news and attacks on Zatkoff enemies. Among other things, the site promised arrangements to the Mackinac Conference to support candidates, endorsed various candidates for president and Congress, and became heavily invested in last fall's debate over tax hikes in the Michigan Legislature.
But in this, Zatkoff and the MFCRs may have jeopardized MFCRs' status under Michigan campaign finance law.
Michigan Compiled Law Section 169 stipulates that if two or more people spend or receive $500 more "for the purpose of influencing or attempting to influence the action of the voters for or against the nomination or election of a candidate, or the qualification, passage, or defeat of a ballot question" they must register as a Political Action Committee in Michigan within ten days.
A group is subject to late fees for thirty days after that. If that time period passes, the law states, an individual who fails to file is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine.
It has been over 206 days since the Michigan Federation of College Republicans was incorporated as a nonprofit in the state of Michigan, according to documents filed with the Michigan Bueau of Labor and Economic Statistic. The Michigan Secretary of State, with which all PACs in Michigan must register, has no record of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans on their online database, an absence verified by a Secretary of State official.
Zatkoff encountered added controversy this past fall. After several Republicans broke ranks to join a Democratic initiative to raise taxes, preventing a government shutdown, a handful of college-aged conservative activists, including Zatkoff allies, initiated recall efforts against the Republican legislators.
The decision incensed some within the MFCRs, who believed the Federation should not spend time and resources attacking fellow Republicans. Combined with long-standing complaints about the refusal of other MFCR executives-many of whom were Zatkoff loyalists-to disclose information about internal finances, frustration grew to a point where serious challenges to Zatkoff's leadership were mounted for the next MFCR chairmanship.
"I think it has become quite clear, that while Justin has stated his goals to be focused on uniting CR chapters around the state, his campaign for and tenure as the Chairman of the MFCRs has created more of the same problems that have plagued College Republican leadership for years," said one source familiar with Republican politics in Michigan.
At this time, Zatkoff also drew the ire of the Michigan Republican Party and its chairman, Saul Anuzis. According to several sources familiar with the situation, Anuzis was displeased with the recall efforts against Republicans.
Joe Sylvester, the author of the "Michigan Conservative Dossier" blog (and an undisputed anti-Zatkoff partisan), posted an email exchange with Zatkoff from October 2, 2007 in which Zatkoff acknowledges the rift between the MFCRs and the Michigan Republican Party.
Writing about reports that Anuzis might have wanted him out as MFCR chair, Zatkoff wrote, "I dare him to. His life would be a living hell. Not to mention tied up in the courts since we are now a registered non-profit organization in Michigan." Zatkoff concluded the email, "I can just picture it already: Michigan Federation of College Republicans v. Michigan Republican Party. The papers would love that."
Conventional Wisdom
But despite the reported displeasure from higher-ups, Zatkoff continued as MFCR chair. With eyes toward a January convention to select the next chair, Grand Valley CR President Amanda Zaluckyj emerged as the premiere challenge to Zatkoff after a previous challenger withdrew in scandal. Zaluckyj declined to comment for this story.
The campaign grew bitter.
An anonymous "Team Reform" blog sprung up, arguing for amendments in the MFCR constitution that, the blog argued, would increase transparency and fairness in MFCR governance.
The College Republican infighting grew especially intense as photos of Zatkoff emerged on several websites, depicting what the sites said were photos of him shirtless and wearing only boxer shorts. Zatkoff enemies waged moralistic arguments against the MFCR chair, invoking social conservatism against the pictures, one of which showed Zatkoff playfully grabbing the breast of a clothed CR colleague.
Another anonymous blog, "Michigan CR," sprung up to defend Zatkoff. Some have speculated that Zatkoff himself is writing the third-person blog. The blog savaged Zaluckyj and other supporters of the reform movement, including Sylvester. The blog never refers to Sylvester without assigning the prefix, "the homosexual blogger."
As the election approached, Zatkoff instructed College Republican chapters to submit copies of their membership lists, charter, and constitution in order to assess delegate allocations for the convention. Zatkoff created a "credentials committee" stacked with key allies to allocate delegates, if any, to chapters.
The University of Michigan chapter, of which Zatkoff claimed to be a member, had meanwhile closed the loophole which Zatkoff had exploited the year before to secure election. UMCRs required members to pay dues sixty days before an MFCR convention or earlier in order to be eligible as a delegate.
According to Chris Irvine, who was then-UMCR chair, Zatkoff was upset at the change when Irvine sent him a copy of the UMCR constitution that fall. When Irvine sent a formal copy of the UMCR constitution and charter to Zatkoff late, a lapse Irvine admits, Zatkoff reacted in an unexpected way: he revoked the charter of the University of Michigan College Republicans.
During a conference call in early January, Emily Winters, a member of the UMCR's executive board, was told by Zatkoff that the UMCRs would not be allotted any delegates to the convention. When the UMCRs offered to resend the constitution, Zatkoff responded by offering the chapter two delegates at the convention.
Angered by the perceived slight, the UMCR executive board voted unanimously not to recharter with MFCRs and to boycott the convention. They were joined by several other colleges throughout the state, resulting in a heavily diminished turnout at the convention.
"That might work for Northern Michigan [University]," said one source involved in conservative politics who is familiar with the situation, "but not your own school [the University of Michigan]."
By that time, Grand Valley's Zaluckyj had effectively withdrawn from the race, after arguing she was acting MFCR chair. Because U-M was no longer chartered with MFCRs, she argued, Zatkoff was ineligible for his position, as he was not a member of an official chapter. Zatkoff countered by saying he has been taking online courses through Oakland University, and was running as a member of the Oakland College Republicans. No record of Zatkoff, however, exists in Oakland's directory.
Asked last week whether or not he is currently taking courses at Oakland University, in addition to the University of Michigan, Zatkoff said he is not. "However, I am a transfer student from OU," Zatkoff wrote.
At a convention marred by controversy and boycott, Zatkoff won reelection without opposition. "Michigan CR" announced his victory as having had "unanimous" support.
The Zatkoff Regime
According to Irvine, Zatkoff then turned his focus to the U-M College Republicans who had almost cost him reelection. Zatkoff threatened UMCRs with creating his own rival chapter of the College Republicans on campus-despite the 116-year continuity of the other group. According to several sources familiar with the situation, Zatkoff threatened to go to the College Republican National Committee and sue UMCRs to obtain a cease and desist order against using the "College Republican" name.
The UMCRs balked.
"We said, 'Screw it, it's not worth the effort,' and decided to recharter," Irvine said.
Since January, Zatkoff has kept a lower profile, only emerging recently to post a YouTube video promising to pay volunteers $100 to knock on doors in the reelection effort of Congressman Joe Knollenberg. After inquiries by The Michigan Review, Zatkoff removed the video from YouTube and said volunteers would be paying their own way.
But the College Republican network in Michigan continues to crumble under Zatkoff's leadership. In mid-March, the College Republican chapter at Michigan State-the largest in the state-joined several other schools in withdrawing from the Michigan Federation of College Republicans.
"He has had a negative effect on young conservatism and Republican activism in the state," said one source intimately familiar with conservative activism in Michigan. "Our party's next generation of leaders are more divided and polarized-not from the opposition, but from internal politics-than ever before. This is not good for Michigan."
Andrew Boyd said people who "put themselves first" negatively impacted the MFCRs this past fall.
Now, Boyd said, things are on better footing.
"I think things are going well this year," said Boyd. "Things are coming together well to prepare for the election season. Everyone seems to be on the same page and ready to go."
In an email message, Zatkoff characterized the relationship with the UMCRs as "good."
"Just recently we brought RNC National Committeeman Chuck Yob in as a guest speaker," he wrote, "and they will be participating in the upcoming College Republican volunteer effort for Congressman Knollenberg on April 12."
But Irvine said the relationship between the MFCR Chair and the College Republicans on campus has been especially bad.
"'Dysfunctional' would be a good word,'" said Irvine, adding that Zatkoff thinks of UMCRs as liberal. "For having the MFCR chairman be a part of your group and on your campus, you wouldn't even know the MFCRs exist."
"All he's done is taken credibility away from MFCRs," Irvine said. "A lot of members of the state party are fed up with him. His regime has done nothing but backtrack the MFCRs."
Be the first to comment on this article!