Update: Clayton Gang vs. the MassGOP – and Filings with Government Agencies
SPECIAL COMMENTARY/UPDATE
by Lonnie Brennan
KEY PHRASES: “identity theft” “signature appropriation” “arrogance” “defying chartering organization” “arrogance masked stupidity” “ignores MassGOP Chair” “ignores MassGOP Executive Director” “ignores chartering organization bylaws, rules, Mass. Gen. Laws”
GLOUCESTER, Mass. July 31, 2023 – As summarized in postings and in the Boston Broadside, Clayton Sova and his gang of screamers and malcontents had attempted to take over control of the Gloucester Republican City Committee (GRCC). They failed. Outvoted. Trounced.
So, Clayton looked at his local bylaws, not the bylaws of the chartering organization – the MassGOP – and found a little thing in the thin local document meant to allow committees to meet and maintain themselves. After months and months of failing to overthrow the sitting conservative chair, Clayton used what he interpreted in the local bylaws to call a special meeting of the committee at 10 a.m. on the Sunday of the 4th of July weekend. At that meeting, Clayton and his followers installed him as chair of the Gloucester committee (GRCC).
Then things got worse.
But, a quick step back a month or so in time (we should present a full time-line on this six to seven-month fiasco): You see, when Clayton had no luck overthrowing the sitting chair, his gang invited the MassGOP executive director to attend their meeting in the hopes that he would aid them. That attempt backfired. In the “chaotic meeting,” the executive director attempted to educate Clayton’s Gang on the workings of the MassGOP, and how to properly do things, according to rules and laws. Clayton’s gang would have none of it.
So, back to the recent future, Clayton called a special meeting in defiance of the MassGOP, the GRCC’s chartering organization. In the meeting notice, he stated that the purpose of the meeting was to kick out the sitting chair. The MassGOP responded to this meeting notice, telling Clayton to stand down. He was wrong. The MassGOP would not recognize his special meeting, noted that the GRCC already had their next meeting posted for July 26th, and no Clayton meeting would be recognized..
Clayton replied, of course – very prolific in his e-mails (but not in responding to the press, except to have some of his lapdog would-be supporters attack the Broadside for revealing his actions and affiliations, but more on that at some other time…), and in his reply, the arrogant Clayton challenged anyone to prove him wrong in his interpretation of the local bylaws, and essentially told his chartering organization’s chairwoman that she was all wet, and would be IGNORED by him and his gang.
And that’s when things really got worse.
Clayton held Sunday a.m. his meeting, had himself installed as chair, then he submitted paperwork to local officials and to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF).
Promptly, the MassGOP responded to OCPF and others that Clayton’s actions were not recognized by the MassGOP, the governing/chartering umbrella organization – by state law and chartering organization bylaws – under which the GRCC falls. In simple words, no local committee of any organization, let alone a major political party, can go rouge, and defy their chartering organizations lawful directions. But Clayton dismissed this.
As the GRCC was scheduled to meet on July 26, 2023, Clayton called his own private meeting the same day. This was a follow-on to his multiple e-mails proclaiming himself as the real chair of the GRCC, and his use of the GRCC logo amongst other actions.
The non-Clayton GRCC met on July 26, 2023 (TO BE CLEAR, not Clayton’s gang meeting which he held on the same date) (SIDENOTE: See how easily voters and would-be supporters/contributors have and will get confused about whatever the heck is happening and/or which group should be supported in Gloucester? And while that could or could not be the intent of the Gang Clayton, it certain appears a result of the Gang’s actions).
In a 20-0 vote, Clayton and five of his followers, for their actions, for their months of chaos, for a very long list (and we’ll post it at some point) of actions, were voted OFF the GRCC.
Then things got even more and more worse. Yes, Clayton ignored it.
And today, July 31, the OCPF posted the SECOND filing by Clayton Sova. This filing, again contains the signatures of the secretary and treasurer of the committee who both had previously filed police reports against Sova for affixing their signatures as rubber stamps via Photoshop or whatever to his crafted document in an clear attempt to defraud a government agency/agencies, as neither were present when the document was created, nor for any vote for or against electing Clayton as chair.
There’s a lot more that can and will be written on this tin-horn would-be political leader, and short-term elected former vice-chair of the GRCC, but suffice to say Clayton is not backing down, this despite a filing – again – by the MassGOP that he is not recognized as chair.
That letter is below.
But more importantly, below find a small portion of an e-mail sent by the treasurer of the GRCC via e-mail to Clayton – call it a shot-across the potentially pending legal action bow – pointing out how she is not happy with him using her signature without her permission. (That’s an understatement.)
GLOUCESTER REPUBLICAN CITY COMMITTEE TREASURER TO CLAYTON SOVA, following Clayton’s Use of Her Signature to File Forms with Government Agencies:
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“Clayton:
It has come to my attention that on 7/17/23 and 7/26/23 you filed a change of officers report to OCPF and other state and local entities naming yourself as chairman of the GRCC. The forms contain my name and signature which you had neither the right nor my permission to use. I am telling you in no uncertain terms to STOP using my name and signature on documents – not for the GRCC and not for any other purpose.
You called me on July 9, 2023 asking if I planned to stay on the GRCC as Treasurer. I answered that I intended to complete my term which ends in March, 2024. The conversation lasted 34 seconds with you saying that you had no other business to discuss. At no time during that brief conversation did you even mention your intent to file a form indicating a change of officer for the GRCC, nor did you ask me to sign the form nor did I acquiesce to signing the form.
At no time did I give you permission to use my signature on this form. At no time did I grant you permission – verbal, written or implied – to photo shop my signature or in any other way affix my signature to this form or any other document.
It is apparent that you fraudulently added my signature to the form by digitally lifting it from a similar document that I signed in 2020. Subsequently in an email to the GRCC membership you attempted to justify adding my signature to the form by saying it was on file, a signature of record, with OCPF. There is no such thing as a signature on file with OCPF. You can verify that for yourself as I did withOCPF legal counsel, Maura Cronin.”
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The e-mail goes on in great detail, in an attempt to further explain to a seemingly dense/arrogant Clayton why using someone’s signature is wrong on so many personal and legal levels.
We used to think that Clayton was very intelligent, a tad arrogant, but a smart, well-educated guy, and we’re sure he’ll tell you he is. But note that for some people, their arrogance simply masks their stupidity.
Here is the letter posted by the OCPF from MassGOP Chairwoman Amy Carneval, in response to Clayton’s recent “false-signature-usage” with that government agency:
