Justin Zatkoff: A College Republican Saga

[MrScorpio]

This is our boy, Justin. As you can see, he's hard at work as chairman of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans.

He is, of course, a long time John McCain supporter.

Justin is very somber when addressing the most important issues facing ordinary Americans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXv80cWyfsQ

Also, during his tenure, he worked pretty damn hard to sow unity among Michigan's Republicans:

Earlier this afternoon, Justin Zatkoff was at the MSU v UofM Romney tailgate in East Lansing. Why would a staunch McCain hack be at this event? To root for Romney? Or MSU? Neither are likely.

To pass out flyer's saying that Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis is corrupt. Along with slinging mud on Anuzis he also made corruption accusations against MRP officer, Gerry Mason.

He didn't even have the backbone to pass out the flyer, so he set them on a table, and they were promptly thrown away.

The flyer claims that there is some sort of grand Romney conspiracy to get Dave Drwencke elected College Republican Chair. Currently Dave is involved in some legal proceedings stemming from inappropriate internet posts in regards to his former girlfriend two years ago. When they broke up, the girlfriend went after him.

This is where Justin Zatkoff comes into the picture. Seizing on the concept of the politics of personal destruction he decided to spin this big elaborate story. In it he says that Gerry Mason is somehow involved in a conspiracy, because Dave has retained him as counsel in his case.

He goes even further to say that Saul is backing Dave... and they link them all together through Mitt Romney. They call it the "Triangle of Corruption," between Dave Drwencke, Gerry Mason, and Saul Anuzis.

What is the purpose of this flyer?
1) To get the beaten down McCain minority to help maintain Justin Zatkoff's position?
2) To embarrass Dave.

What this will actually do:
1) Piss off the people that they are accusing of being corrupt.
2) Delay the inevitable Zatkoff departure.

When Zatkoff was confronted about the flyer, he made a half hearted attempt at denial saying that "it must have been those crazy Ron Paul supporters."

Matt Hall was also spotted with Zatkoff for most of the tailgating. Hall adamantly denies any knowledge of the flyer and condemned it's use to me earlier this afternoon via phone.

This flyer has Justin Zatkoffs fingerprints all over it. Not only has he threatened to sue Saul Anuzis in the past, he has attacked Republican legislators calling them "Republicans in Name Only" on the College Republican website, and his Executive Director has actually filed the paperwork to recall Republican State Senator Gerald VanWoerkom.

http://bconservatives.blogspot.com/2007/11/matt-hall-and-justin-zatkoff-accuse.html

Also, Justin is the epitome of Republican inspired good governance:

Justin Zatkoff implicated in campaign finance violations…

By punch bowl | April 1, 2008

The conservative student newsapaper, the Michigan Review, has released a nine-page article detailing Justin Zatkoff’s allegedly divisive tenure chairman of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans.

The article begins by saying:

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

http://crnation.com/2008/04/01/breaking-justin-zatkoff-implicated-in-campaig-finance-violations/

You would think that with leadership skills like his, Justin would be a rising star on the National College Republican scene.

And you would be wrong... The College Republicans rewarded his efforts by canning is silly ass:

Justin Zatkoff Fired, Steals Campaign Literature
Jane Coaston
Issue date: 9/30/08 Section: News

Justin Zatkoff, chair of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans, has been fired from his position within the Republican National Committee's "Victory '08" Campaign as of October 3rd. Zatkoff was fired after John McCain pulled his campaign out of Michigan, and then attempted to steal 300,000 pieces of campaign literature from Michigan campaign headquarters. In an email sent to supporters, Zatkoff alleged that he intended to "distribute" the literature himself:

"I know that I told you I would get your county's allotment of the 300,000 pieces of the John McCain literature over to your HQ last night and this morning, but a funny thing happened. Sad actually. As you know, that literature has been sitting in Farmington since last week and hasn't gone out to anyone! This literature does us no good sitting in the office collecting dust when it could be out in the hands of our grassroots activists!
In accordance with our arrangements with the County and McCain grassroots leaders, like you, we were going to get it out all over the state as mentioned and had a plan to get it everywhere in the state in 48 hours - most places by this morning (or last night!), and even had direction from Jennifer Hallowell, the Regional Campaign Manager of the McCain Campaign, to do so."

In the email, Zatkoff alleged that he received a phone call from the executive chair of the Michigan GOP, ordering him to stop taking campaign literature or risk criminal charges.

Larry Ward, Political Director of the Michigan GOP, took the lead in denouncing Zatkoff's actions in an email sent Tuesday afternoon: " Today, you may have received an email from a disgruntled former employee, Justin Zatkoff that is an example of game-playing that is distracting from our efforts this fall.

It has been leaked to the press and being circulated by the same old group of troublemakers that are more interested in intra-party political silliness than helping Republicans win general elections...We will prosecute anyone who attempts to take valuable collateral or equipment that belongs to the Republican party or the victory program and inhibits our effort to achieve victory in November."

According to an anonymous source within Victory '08, the campaign materials have been returned.
http://media.www.michiganreview.com/media/storage/paper1232/news/2008/09/30/News/Justin.Zatkoff.Fired.Steals.Campaign.Literature-3476715.shtml

Just, not the kind of guy to go down easy, has threatened to go all lawyerly despite the fact that he is no longer attached with his former associates:

An Update on Justin Zatkoff
Jane Coaston
Issue date: 9/15/08 Section: News

Justin Zatkoff, who faced recent controversy as a result of a Michigan Review piece published on April 1st which drew attention to unorthodox voting tactics at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, a threatened lawsuit against the University of Michigan chapter of the College Republicans, and the ultimate departure of several university chapters from the Michigan Federation of College Republicans, has been selected as regional field director of the Michigan Victory Center by the Republican National Committee.

Zatkoff, a long-time McCain supporter prior to his nomination as the Republican candidate for the Presidency, will be working with Ann Arbor and Washtenaw-county Republicans in an effort to challenge the Democratic hegemony in the area. He will also be working to help elect other Republicans to notable seats, including the 52nd district in Saline and the Michigan Supreme Court. Many of those supported, including Eric Lielbriedis of Saline, are strong fiscal conservatives running on a platform of low taxes and greater freedoms for small business owners.

The position is paid for by the Republican National Committee as part of its efforts to battle Barack Obama and the Democratic Party in Michigan. Zatkoff, a former leader within the Michigan Federation of College Republicans, is not a member of the University's chapter of College Republicans. According to Brady Smith, Chair of the College Republicans, Justin Zatkoff no longer fulfills membership requirements as he is no longer a student in the University.

http://media.www.michiganreview.com/media/storage/paper1232/news/2008/09/15/News/An.Update.On.Justin.Zatkoff-3436753.shtml?refsource=collegeheadlines

Now, despite Justin's aforementioned trials and travails, he is most notorious for an incident quite similar to the plight of fellow College Republican, Ashley Todd.



Miss Todd should take note, that's how it's done, baby!

Two years ago, Justin claimed that he was being persecuted for his vigorous defense of the unborn. Yes, this guy:



The claim made by Justin that he was attacked by either "militant leftists" or "a homosexual rights group":

By: TRUTH CAUCUS · 09/27/2006 · AIM: crnctruthcaucus · Section: Michigan

HATE CRIME

COLLEGE REPUBLICAN ALLEGEDLY BEATEN BY LIBERAL THUGS

This is disturbing.

Justin Zatkoff, the executive director of the Michigan College Republicans, was brutally beaten after leaving a party in Ann Arbor on Saturday night. The Oakland University junior from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. was rumored to be targeted by militant leftist groups. Zatkoff, pictured above, did not know his attacker, and no money was stolen.

A source close to Zatkoff reports:

Justin may have been 1. randomly attacked (but not robbed??), 2. attacked by BAMN (well known for violence and strong in Ann Arbor), or 3. attacked by a homosexual rights group (Justin received an ‘odd/threatening’ email from a gay rights group about a day before the attack.)

The mainstream press has not picked up the story.

A report from the Michigan College Republicans earlier this week said:

Justin Zatkoff, Executive Director for the MFCRs, was attacked leaving a party in Ann Arbor Saturday night. Justin had not seen the attacker before, and had no opportunity to defend himself. Justin is well-known for being a conservative and ‘in-your-face’ Republican, and there is quite a bit of speculation that he was targeted by leftist groups. The side of his face was crushed, and he will need to undergo major surgery to rebuild it.

http://www.truthcaucus.com/2006/09/27/hate-crime

Justin, as I said before, is a fighter. So, of course he's engaged in continuing struggle for what's good and right about America:

Oakland U student representative persecuted for conservative speech

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE FOR THOSE REFERRED HERE: 9/28/2006
Please click the main blog link or this story for Zarko Research updates on the beating of Zatkoff. The now most-recent update WITH EXCLUSIVE QUOTATIONS FROM ZATKOFF ABOUT THE BEATING, is here.

On the campus of Oakland University, here in Oakland County, Michigan, Justin Zatkoff has developed quite a reputation. Last fall the University threatened to disclipline him for videotaping liberal protestors and posting clips of that video, edited to music and images of the destruction of fetuses, to the internet. When Oakland U realized it couldn't legally discipline him for speech, there is no question the offended students and others were not happy.

Recently, Zatkoff earned an appointment to the student legislature due to vacacancies. In Justice-Alito-like hearings, Zatkoff underwent over an hour of questions and statements by others complaining about his abortion video. Nonetheless, he was confirmed. Now an unnamed student (protected by "confidentiality" as an alleged "victim" in the complaint process), has filed a complaint with the legislature against Zatkoff for "verbal assault." Essentially, the student congress could impeach and remove him from office based on these charges.

Although this is not a First Amendment issue since the student congress is separate from the University administration and is a political body operating within its Constitution, this demonstrates the dangerous atmosphere against free speech on campuses today. I anticipate there will be more on this story.

http://www.chetlyzarko.com/b2evolution/index.php/2006/02/25/oakland_u_student_representative_persecu

I'm sure you know where this is going. The real story of the alleged assault on Justin turned out to be quite different from what he depicted:

Wonkette has the goods on him:

Ann Arbor student and official Fark photoshop subject Justin Zatkoff wasn't actually beaten silly by leftists, blacks, militant homosexuals, pansies, hippies or violinists. He was clobbered by his own "friends," who hate him.

That's what police in Ann Arbor have finally revealed about last weekend's pathetic incident, which a Michigan website frequented by campus conservatives claimed was some kind of retribution for his political views. But no, it was just retribution for him being a drunken asshole around his high-school buddies. Next martyr, please!

From the local Ann Arbor paper:

While at a party that began last Saturday night, police said Zatkoff picked a fight with some of his friends, and got punched in the eye. Police interviewed Zatkoff at a hospital the next day and he didn't recall what happened.

People who were at the party told police Zatkoff had too much to drink, said Ann Arbor police Lt. Mike Logghe.

"We interviewed the guy who punched him,'' said Logghe. "He admitted to punching him. He said he was a friend of his from high school.''

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/9/30/231324/023

Wow. Who would think that this fine upstanding example of Republican core values would turn out to be a drunken, bigoted liar?

I'm sure that he's not alone.



This has been the saga of Justin Zatkoff, John McCain Supporter, defender of fetuses everywhere, cashiered College Republican and a dumbass with a definite future in Republican Politics!

[msanthrope]

1. Amazing work and digging!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[NOLALady]

2. Justin Zatkoff/Ashley Todd 2012.

Perfect GOP ticket representing Republican family values.

[Kerrytravelers]

3. Zatkoff/Todd -12! Bringing truth & honesty to Washington!! And we have the bruises to prove it!!!

:rofl:

[MrScorpio]

4. That ought to be a sight to see

[madfloridian]

5. Wow! So pathetic. That group has spawned some fools and idiots.

Even if they fired his ass, there are too many others like him. And don't you guys in MI also have to contend with YAF?

http://yafwatch.blogspot.com/

[MrScorpio]

6. We're doing our best to kick the fuckers out of the state

It ain't easy

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Lee Atwater and Karl Rove got their start in the murky world of College Republicans

It seems being an arsehole is mandatory in that organisation. They practice by sliming each other.

[BrklynLiberal]

8. His parents are PAYING for this "education"?? They must be as crazy as he is...

My guess is that his father is the same sort of arrogant asshole as his son. That's where he got the role model to copy.

[Psyop Samurai]

9. How the hell did this not make it to the Greatest Page?... k&r /nt

[MrScorpio]

10. C'est la vie!

[Bucky]

11. Some people think they answer to a higher law

Usually such people never admit that the higher law in question is their own selfish ego.

[skooooo]

12. WTG Mr. Scorpio!

:thumbsup:

[JBoy]

13. I like their uniforms