Debbie Kozak
Cites Party Leadership, Bylaws Controversy, Candidate Recruitment and Continued Electoral Losses
Debbie Kozak, President of the John P. O’Leary Northwest Yonkers Republican Club and former Republican candidate for Westchester County
Legislator in District 16, is calling on Robert Moffitt to step down as Chairman of the Yonkers Republican City Committee.
“My decision to call for Bob Moffitt’s resignation is not based on one disagreement or one incident,” Kozak said. “It is based on what I believe has become a continuing failure of leadership, organization, candidate recruitment, fundraising, adherence to our bylaws and, most
importantly, building a Republican Party capable of competing and winning elections in Yonkers.”
Kozak’s call comes only days after she publicly challenged proposed changes to the Yonkers Republican City Committee’s by-laws that she said would eliminate longstanding provisions guaranteeing women representation in party leadership.
“For more than eight decades, our by-laws recognized the importance of women having a guaranteed voice in Republican leadership,” Kozak said. “Instead of finding ways to bring more women, young people, new Republicans and grassroots activists into our organization, we are
discussing removing a provision specifically guaranteeing women a leadership role. I believe that sends exactly the wrong message.”
Kozak said the by-laws controversy is only one part of a much larger leadership problem. “Political organizations exist to organize, recruit candidates, raise money, communicate a message, support their candidates and win elections,” Kozak said. “In my judgment, the Yonkers
Republican City Committee under its current leadership has failed to perform those basic responsibilities effectively.”
Kozak pointed to what she described as several areas requiring accountability:
- Failure to consistently recruit viable Republican candidates for municipal offices throughout Yonkers.
- Failure to consistently recruit viable Republican candidates for municipal offices throughout
Yonkers. - Failure to build a functioning citywide grassroots organization capable of competing with the
Democratic Party - Failure to raise sufficient resources to provide Republican candidates with the organizational
- and financial support necessary to run competitive campaigns.
- Failure, in Kozak’s view, to adequately defend Republican representation when Republicanheld seats have been politically targeted.
- Failure to bring together different Republican factions and activists and create an inclusive
organization in which disagreements are respected rather than treated as disloyalty. - Failure to consistently follow and respect the existing Republican City Committee bylaws
while simultaneously seeking substantial changes to those bylaws. - Failure to develop the next generation of Republican candidates, district leaders, volunteers and
party leadership
“Leadership means more than holding a title,” Kozak stated. “A chairman must organize. A chairman must recruit. A chairman must raise money. A chairman must bring people together. A chairman must defend Republican candidates and elected officials. And a chairman must respect the rules of the organization he was elected to lead.”
Kozak said internal disagreement should not be viewed as a threat to the party. “Republicans who question leadership are not the enemy,” she said. “People who volunteer, knock on doors, distribute literature, put up signs, attend meetings, register voters and work for Republican candidates should be welcomed—even when they disagree with the chairman.”
Kozak said Yonkers Republicans should use the current controversy as an opportunity to rebuild the party from the grassroots level.
“We cannot continue doing the same thing election after election and expect different results,” Kozak said. “Yonkers Republicans deserve an organization that is active in every ward, recruits credible candidates, raises money, supports its nominees and gives every Republican who wants to work a meaningful opportunity to participate.”
“This is bigger than Bob Moffitt, Debbie Kozak or any individual,” she continued. “It is about whether there is going to be a serious, independent and competitive Republican Party in the City of Yonkers.”
“For these reasons, I believe it is time for Bob Moffitt to step down as Chairman of the Yonkers Republican City Committee and allow new leadership to begin rebuilding our party.”
Kozak concluded: “We need leadership that brings Republicans together instead of pushing them apart. We need
women at the leadership table. We need candidates. We need fundraising. We need organization.
We need accountability. And most of all, we need a Republican Party that actually competes.”