East Aurora Advertiser

Letter to the Editor: “New” Republicans Lack Integrity


Dear Editor,

In last week’s opinion section Sue Friess stated the “new“ Republican club would like the voters to believe the Town of Aurora Republican Committee is still under the management of Earl Jann and Michael Caputo.

What she failed to clarify was Mr. Caputo, Mr. Jann and others have resigned from their positions as committee members, therefore, leaving seats open for new members to run.

I was elected by the remaining committee members as the first chairwoman for the Town of Aurora Republican Committee. As chairwoman, I reached out to the members of the “new” club to try to bridge the gap and solve the previous issues to make us one Republican Party. This “new” club did not have any intention of working with our committee to solve those issues. Instead, they continued to spew divisive rhetoric.

Mrs. Friess stated my committee is “too far right” and her “moderate Republican” voice is drowned out. To which I say Mrs. Friess, either you’re Republican or you’re not.

We are not incumbents who are bent on running the show. Our committee is made up of various residents from all walks of life. I am a first-generation American, the first college and law school graduate in my family, stay at home mom and wife who fell in love with this town because it is the birthplace of my husband and children.

To state the Town of Aurora Republican Committee is being driven by the previous administration is condescending, sexist and borderline racist on the part of the “new” Republican club.

Are my qualifications too inept to run a party that I need to be appointed and helped by the likes of Earl Jann and Michael Caputo? To insinuate that a woman like myself, particularly a woman of color, is unable to do the job of chairwoman and that our committee is unable to represent the people is a downright lie. If residents who are parents, taxpayers and small business owners are unqualified to represent the town then I ask Mrs. Friess to state the qualifications she believes the members should have.

The purpose of the Town of Aurora Republican Committee is to hold elected town officials accountable. Mrs. Friess’ former colleagues are currently incumbent elected public officials who make up some of the candidates of the “new” Republican club. This group of candidates cannot be trusted to be responsible when, if elected, they will be holding themselves accountable, ensuring their job security and continue to run unopposed during every election.

Mrs. Friess and these officials were a part of the town board that concocted a backdoor deal to sell the old town hall and spent millions of dollars purchasing and renovating the new one. This caused New York State to audit and reprimand this town member along with her colleagues for the purchase being too excessive and failing to put out a public bid. Instead of heading the advice of New York State, Mrs. Friess and her colleagues continued with the purchase and renovation. This has cost taxpayers millions of dollars in taxes and forced us further into debt. Debt which we are still responsible for. Mrs. Friess where was the transparency then?

My committee strives to bring transparency to our residents. We also know while local issues matter, national politics can have a substantial effect on local issues. Ie: mask mandates, vaccines and 2nd amendment rights.

The “new” club talks about not spewing dirty politics yet the underhanded comments by Mrs. Friess in last week’s newspaper are exactly that. The candidates of the “new” Republican club sought to have half of my committee candidates removed from the ballot because they challenged the legitimacy of signatures my committee members and I obtained from you, the residents of East Aurora. They also threatened female candidates by telling them they would put their families and the candidate themselves through dirty political ads in the local newspaper. Are these the same people Mrs. Friess states have “integrity?”

The only thing Sue Friess and I can agree on is the people’s voices should be heard. Therefore, as the chairwoman of the Town of Aurora Republican Committee, I urge all registered Republican voters to go out on Tuesday, June 28, and vote for the candidates who are a true representation of the residents of the town. I believe those to be:

District 1-Dawn Vona & Scott Celaini

District 2-Rodney Simeone & David Peltan

District 3-Theresa DiPietro & David Torke

District 4-Denine Cole & James Clapp

District 5-Kevin Kluge & Adam Reichert

District 6- Vernon Hopkins & Judith Patterson

District 7-LaKeisha Shoemaker & Debra Chmielowiec

District 8-Heather Botzenhart & Mark Adrian

District 9-Samuel Cosmano & David Majka

Thank you and I hope to see you at the polls.

LaKeisha Shoemaker

East Aurora

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