In the previous installment of this story we saw that all hell broke loose after Rochester Councilwoman Manuela Michailescu announced her running for a Republican Committee seat. Then…

David O’Halloran made clear his disapproving of Republicans challenging Republicans’ petitions, and asked for identical petition forms for him and Manuela.

While signing David O’Halloran’s petition, Manuela noticed a difference between their petition forms, both received from GOP headquarters. She added by hand “Town of” in front of “Rochester” in order to eliminate the difference, and that was “the reason” for which her petition was challenged.

The challenge came from Imre Beke, Jr., – the son of Imre Beke, Sr. – with the sole purpose of saving his father’s Committee seat, despite the fact that on Monday, July 19, 2010, in front of the entire Rochester Committee, Imre Beke, Sr. declined his petition, leaving David O’Halloran and Manuela Michailescu as the only candidates in District 2.

The sneaky but well executed plan cooked by Imre Beke, Sr., Imre Beke, Jr., and both Bernardos – with help from Tom Turco at the Board of Elections – succeeded in having Manuela’s petition denied. Within twenty minutes, Terry Bernardo was on the phone calling the newspapers: “Did you hear what happened to poor Manuela?”

Here is a timeline in emails:

June 09, 2010
David O’Halloran to Mario Catalano

Mario,
Please prepare a single petition for Manuela Michailescu, district 2. Please use the address on record at BOE. In addition, I do not want any petitions thrown out on technicalities; please make sure Manuela’s petition is prepared identical to my own.
Thank you,
David O’Halloran, Chair
Rochester Republican Committee

June 23, 2010
David O’Halloran to Manuela Michailescu

Manuela,
Let’s make sure our petitions are identical. I will give you a copy of mine and vice versa. Then Tom Turco will be asked to insure either or both are correct and challenge proof.
David

July 24, 2010
Manuela Mihailescu to David O’Halloran

David,
I received in today’s mail Imre Beke Jr.’s specific objections to my Committee member petition. He found two “fatal deficiencies” in the petition form received from GOP HQs… Didn’t Imre Beke Sr. decline his petition in front of all Rochester Republican Committee members present at the meeting on July 19, 2010?
Manuela

July 26, 2010
David O’Halloran to Manuela Mihailescu

Manuela,
You are right; I accept full responsibility for your petitions being thrown out. I assured you that your petitions would be identical to mine and that they would be challenge proof. It will be my responsibility to make up for this error.
David

July 26, 2010
Jon Dogar-Marinesco to David O’Halloran

David,
I expect you to address the discrepancies between what you told me and what Terry Bernardo writes.
Funny how she takes the lead, being the first to inform all committee members. Funny that Imre Beke Jr is a notary too… but daddy needed Terry’s notary skills…
Jon

July 27, 2010
David O’Halloran to Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Jon,
My actions will address this issue. I will find out today if I need Imre’s consent to change member’s districts. If I do, Imre and I will have a chat. What I won’t do is get to deep into a drama of he said-she said. I have learned the hard way to read between the lines, a talent you mastered before me.
Thanks for giving me a chance to show that I’m not a bunch of twisted words but an individual that actually means what he says.
David

October 7, 2010
David O’Halloran to Manuela Michailescu

You were confirmed on October 5, 2010 by the UC GOP Executive Board as an appointed member of the UC GOP Committee representing the Town of Rochester. Congrats!

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco