Today I attended the Rochester Republican Committee meeting. The only members present: Chairman Daniel Aversano, Secretary Imre Beke Sr. and Manuela Michailescu.

Despite lacking the quorum – the minimum number of members that must be present at any meeting to make the proceedings of that meeting valid – a motion to nominate Bob Garrett for the Committee was made, somebody seconded, if a vote was taken I missed it.

Then we took the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Soon after – trying to iron out a few caucus wrinkles – Aversano, Beke and Michailescu engaged in a rather heated discussion. Everybody yelled a little, but civility was maintained.

Enter Bob Garrett. He accuses both Michailescu and me of putting his name in the paper. Michailescu denies it. Bob Garrett yells “I am not talking to you!” Michailescu tells him “a reporter mentioned your name in a Gunk Journal article.” Bob Garrett screams “and who told the reporter?” I offered from the audience: “the reporter attended the caucus!”

And here Bob Garrett lost it. He abruptly stood up almost sending his chair flying, took a step in my direction, pointed a finger at me and started yelling “are you talking over me? are you talking over me?” He was violent in both body language and words, and finally called me a jerk.

Bob Garrett’s next threatening explosion took the cake: “If you come here to argue with us…!”

Argue with us? Who is “us” Bob Garrett? After sitting for five minutes at the committee’s table – following a non-quorum nomination and way before being confirmed by the County Chair – you already divide the committee members in “you” and “us?”

Beke served on the committee for eight years, Michailescu served five. She also served four years as an elected town Councilwoman, and is still a town officer as a Youth Commission member. And you, Bob Garrett – after only five minutes at the table – have the hate-spiked arrogance to say “you” and “us?”

Bob Garrett, are you sure that by “us” you did not mean you, Len Bernardo and Gerry Fornino?

I understand that you are not insulted by party chairmen giving the ballot lines to their wives, but you get your panties in a bunch when a reporter, well… reports:

SHAWANGUNK JOURNAL – September 18, 2014, page 7
It was chairman Daniel Aversano’s first time running a caucus… One curious choice of the chairman was to appoint Bob Garrett as a teller (vote counter), because he also nominated the candidate who was ultimately victorious.

So, my dear Bob Garrett, stop being a “jerk”! Stop screaming in rage at people who did nothing to you. Refrain from violent behavior. Stop acting as a gorilla.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco