Wednesday, July 13, 2005 | 10:55 a.m.
Nevada's chapter of the Young Republicans has basically imploded, leaving its chairman with up to $25,000 in personal debt and allegations that he mishandled money.
All but three people have resigned from the statewide group, but the fallout could prove increasingly embarrassing to the entire state Republican Party.
Today, the chairman of the group, Reno resident Nathan Taylor, plans to hold a press conference attacking three of the state's party leaders -- Sen. John Ensign, Rep. Jim Gibbons and Rep. Jon Porter.
Taylor argues that the state's Republican delegation should have helped him fund the national Young Republican convention held last week at Mandalay Bay.
"I've got bills at the hotel I can't pay," said Taylor, a 29-year-old political science senior at UNR who said he had to quit his food service job and drop classes to plan the convention.
Taylor estimates that the convention, attended by about 600 people from around the nation, is at least $10,000 -- and up to $25,000 -- in the red.
As the chairman, he said he'll personally have to cough up the cash.
"It's a really sad day when my congressmen and my senator, who are sitting on millions, can't cut me a check for $25,000," Taylor said. "I don't think I'm asking for much."
Representatives of the congressional delegation remained mum on the press conference, with Porter campaign consultant Mike Slanker simply saying, "I wish him well in his future after politics."
Taylor has proved a colorful character in state Republican politics, even appearing this week in the New York Post's Page Six gossip column.
"Apprentice" winner Kelly Perdew was scheduled to attend a Saturday night dinner at the national convention, but Taylor told the paper he canceled the date because Perdew requested too many perks.
Perdew wanted several limo rides to and from airports, as well as a $1,200 first-class plane ticket, Taylor said.
But Taylor said he canceled the appearance late last week when Perdew requested a suite in the hotel.
"I told him not to get on the plane," Taylor said. "I said, 'Look, I don't have time to deal with someone who is as high maintenance as you.'th"
Last spring, members of the club's state board filed a complaint with Reno police about Taylor, asking them to investigate where $25,000 in money meant to plan the national convention went.
Kriston Whiteside, president of the UNR College Republicans, filed a letter saying Taylor asked her to write a check to his cousin to repay a personal loan.
Members of the group later apologized and dropped the charges, citing an August 2004 letter from the chairman of the Young Republican National Federation that gave Taylor authority to create a company to manage the convention.
By doing do, the Young Republican national group was released from financial liability for the convention, handing over all responsibilities to Taylor.
But within days after dropping the charges against Taylor, all but three members of the state Young Republican group resigned, saying they were convinced the convention would turn up short of money.
Taylor, meanwhile, took up the slack, becoming the only person in Nevada planning the convention.
"Those guys imploded the Nevada Young Republican organization," Taylor said. "It was utterly destroyed. I'm trying my level best to pick up the pieces here."
One former board member, who requested anonymity because he said Taylor was "sue-happy," said members of the group knew months ago there would be financial problems with the Las Vegas convention.
"I hate to say we told you so, but we told you so," the former board member said.
The group appealed to Taylor, the national Young Republicans and even the Reno police to watch the convention's books, he said.
E-mails forwarded to the Sun indicate that both state and national members of the Young Republicans were concerned with Taylor's handling of money after the state group dropped charges with Reno police.
"We don't know what we have on hand and what debits are owed that were not reflected in the budget that was done," wrote Jason Weingarter, a member of the committee overseeing the convention's books.
Robyn Pladson, chairwoman of the North Dakota Young Republicans and a member of the national group appointed to oversee convention finances, said Taylor refused to give information that the oversight group requested.
"There's a reason why the convention was in the hole," she said.
And the planning was evident in the convention held last week, she said.
She cited problems "from the little to the absurd" with the convention, including one key luncheon when she said there were not enough seats for all of the attendees.
Taylor also is facing a lawsuit from fellow Republican and former Las Vegas City Council candidate Steve Sanson, who says he gave Taylor $500 to help plan his campaign. The lawsuit is not related to the convention.
Sanson claims that Taylor didn't follow through with his work, and his lawsuit asks for the money back.
Sanson has been in contact with producers from both "Judge Judy" and "The People's Court," though Taylor said this week he wouldn't agree to air the case on TV.
Taylor said he realizes that the complaints he plans to make today about Ensign, Gibbons and Porter won't win him any friends in the party.
But he argues that the Young Republicans have helped with fund-raising and grassroots efforts when the politicians needed them.
This summer, he argues, it was time for the politicians to pony up from their political action committees.
"I'm not doing this out of spite," he said. "I'm not doing this to be mean. I'm doing this because I feel it is wrong."
Taylor said the charges against him are all politically motivated, and he is holding the press conference today because he wants to get his life back in shape.
"I was put through hell," he said. "It hurt me, it hurt my family. I had broken my back and lost everything to put on this convention."
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