Establishment tries to stack the deck on Shelby Republican Committee

Editor:

You would think by now the “Political Establishment” would get the hint that the people of Shelby are sick and tired of their games. Clearly they haven’t at this point or they just simply don’t care. They will do whatever they think they can get away with.

If you haven’t been following – which everything happens in backroom deals and secret meetings – the Shelby Republican leadership is once again trying to stack the deck to stack their future. Let me explain:

In local politics, the committee can endorse and make decisions based on a weighted vote. This determines who they “support” during elections. It’s not a majority or equal, it’s often a few people making all the decisions regardless. This often prevents good, qualified candidates from ever standing a chance to seek public office.

The Political Establishment’s friends and family program wins out. No matter how many times we tell them to knock it off, they keep going back to the well. It’s a machine designed to break your will.

Next week, there’s an open committee seat to be elected as a result of my brother, Jim Zelazny, passing away from cancer. Jimmy was an avid committee person, for the people, and wanted the best and brightest to represent us. He just so happened to be in one of those heavily weighted districts.

So now, the Political Establishment wants to play musical chairs with their candidates, moving a former board member into this heavily weighted district. To make matters worse this former board member was already a committee person in one of the lowest weighted districts. Makes you wonder why the move is needed?

The Establishment is denying the opportunity for John “Yonic” Parada to participate. Yonic, as we all know, stands for the people. He embodies the principles that Jimmy stood for. He will seek transparency in the committee process while fighting to keep the Political Establishment in check. He’s a person we need!

To make matters even more important, the Town Board recently passed a rule that prevents any elected official or employee from being on a political committee. Guess who the other committee person is in this heavily weighted district? None other than our Highway Superintendent. So not only are they denying Yonic, but they are waiting for this elected official to eventually step away so they can appoint, without election, another hand-picked Establishment candidate. We can’t make this stuff up.

The lights are on. There’s no hiding in shadows. Please join me in supporting John “Yonic” Parada for Republican Committee District 1. To keep the spirit of Jimmy fighting for the people.

Ed Zelazny

District 1 voter Shelby