Morin has second thoughts about resigning after Moran, the current LULAC National President refused to accept his resignation.
By H. Nelson Goodson
July 17, 2014
Milwaukee, WI - On Wednesday, Darryl Morin of Muskego and current Board Member of the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. posted on his Facebook account that he had second thoughts about resigning after Margaret Moran, the current LULAC National President refused to accept his resignation. Last Monday, Morin submitted his resignation to the LULAC National Board after Moran and Luis Roberto Vera Jr. attempted to postpone the National officers election by postponing the elections. The LULAC Executive Committee would have taken over the non-profit organization until the next elections, which would be in Utah, at the 86th LULAC National Convention in 2015.
Morin in his statement wrote, "After further consideration, and for your calls, texts and emails, as well as the personal efforts of LULAC National President Margaret Moran, who refused to accept my resignation and pledged her support for reforms, I today announce my intention to continue serving as LULAC National VP-Midwest." If Morin believes that Moran will actually support reforms within the troubled organization, then Morin might expect the LULAC Board to confirm Maggie Rivera from Crystal Lake, Illinois as the new LULAC National President after receiving 60% of the delegate vote at the 85th LULAC National Convention in New York City, since she has been the only one pledging real reform. Rivera defeated Roger C. Rocha Jr. from Laredo, Texas who Moran and Vera Jr. seemed to support as national president. Rocha Jr. has not conceded yet and has not responded to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) repeated requests for a statement. Rivera became the first woman national president to be elected from the Midwest.
On Saturday, LULAC National had announced in a news release that it had postponed the National Elections due to a court order and failed to mention that Rivera had been elected LULAC National President. Vera Jr. when contacted on Tuesday told HNNUSA, "There is nothing I can say at this time other then there were no elections. As per the LULAC constitution the national officers stay status quo until all legal issues are resolved. No further comments will be forthcoming at this time."
Vera Jr. apparently recessed the National Convention Assembly on Saturday and later came back to announce that the elections had been postponed by order of a NYC court that granted a TRO. Then, Vera Jr. and Moran left the Assembly Hall which had an attendance of more than 1,600 voting delegates who were previously confirmed and validated to vote. Moran ordered for the stage microphone system be shut off, including the lights. Security were advised to call NYC police to vacate the Assembly Hall full of delegates. The delegates refused to leave and opened the proceedings for an election following By-laws and the LULAC Constitution, according to delegates at the event.
The delegates claimed that Vera Jr. never reconvene the Assembly after a long recess and never adjourned the election process or gathering to cast votes and elect national officers. The delegates were forced to present a photo ID to vote, which the LULAC National By-laws don't require one.
Vera Jr.'s absence left the door open for delegates, Board members and former national presidents to select an interim LULAC President who appointed an Election Judge and parliamentarian to proceed with the elections as allowed under the LULAC By-laws. Vera Jr. also failed to get an opinion from the Assembly and to get enough votes to decide on an outcome before making a decision to postpone.
The Assembly had more than the number of delegates present to reach quorum, according to the delegates present. Some supporters for Rocha Jr. had left the Assembly after Vera Jr. said that the elections were postpone. But more than 900 delegates in support of Rivera remained and conducted the election. The election process was video taped and delegates say, it will withstand a legal challenge.
The LULAC National Board will have to approve the election process and allow it to stand before Rivera and other national officers can take office.
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