Republican Club Chooses First Female President

The Harvard-Radcliffe Republican Club elected its first female president yesterday amid controversy over allegations that an unsuccessful vice presidential candidate paid for votes.

Karen E. Boyle '94, a strong supporter of the club's decision earlier this year to add Radcliffe to its name, defeated Christopher L. Garcia '95 in the presidential race.

Boyle said she plans to use the presidency to run a "campaign of activism and involvement."

"We have some surprises up our sleeves for the liberals," said Boyle in an interview after the election. "We have a lot of opportunities with Clinton in office."

Seventy-five students participated in the election, which a club official said is one of the highest voter turnouts the club has had in years.

However, the election was marked by rumors about election wrongdoings by Randall A. Fine '96, who lost the vice-presidential race to Thomas E. Woods '94. Fine said he believes the rumors affected the results of the vote.

Fine had brought eight new members into the Republican Club in recent weeks. To join, a student must pay a $10 voting fee, and some club members allegedly accused Fine of paying the new members' fees in order to guarantee their support in his campaign.

Fine repeatedly denied the charges, but one student, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he knew of several people to whom Fine offered to advance money for membership fees.The student said he did not know who brought theoriginal allegation to club members.

Fine told the students the money was offered asa loan, the source said, but the candidatestressed the importance of his own race for vicepresident.

He told potential members "that he had $200,wanted to win and was willing to spend it," thesource said.

All eight of the students who joined the clubthrough Fine told The Crimson last night that theywere offered no money by Fine.

Many said they joined the Republican Clubbecause of their prior political interests, a fewsaid they simply wanted to explore what the clubstood for and some said they joined out offriendship for Fine. Christopher J. Hernandez '96said Fine recruited him as part of a "membershipdrive."

And David C. Gordan '96 said, "Randy just knewI respected him and admired him as apolitician...I joined the club because of him."

Fine said he was told of the accusationsyesterday morning, but would not say who informedhim or whether that person was a club official.

He does not know who his accusers are, he said,but he stressed that he continued to run out ofconcern for the reputations of the studentsaccused of taking money for their votes.

He said he believes that the rumor was spreadby people wishing to hurt his election chances.

"I'm a first-year," he said. "I don't thinkthey like first-year students who jump out of theback row and do something."

Some of Fine's student supporters agreed thatthe rumor of cheating hurt the candidate'scampaign.

"The reason I thought Randy Fine lost [lastnight] was that the rumors that he bought voteswere more widespread than it appeared," said N.Van Taylor '96.

However, Fred A. DeCaro '93, the RepublicanClub official in charge of the elections, saidlast night that he had not heard of theallegations and that the election was open andfair.

Woods said he did not believe the rumorsaffected the vote, since the election's resultswere very lopsided.

Fine's other opponent, Steven Y. Ko '95, saidhe had heard the charge but did not believe it.

"Randy's a fine person," said Ko. "I've workedwith him for the past few months. If it's true, itis very disturbing."CrimsonChris TernoeyRANDALL A. FINE

Fine told the students the money was offered asa loan, the source said, but the candidatestressed the importance of his own race for vicepresident.

He told potential members "that he had $200,wanted to win and was willing to spend it," thesource said.

All eight of the students who joined the clubthrough Fine told The Crimson last night that theywere offered no money by Fine.

Many said they joined the Republican Clubbecause of their prior political interests, a fewsaid they simply wanted to explore what the clubstood for and some said they joined out offriendship for Fine. Christopher J. Hernandez '96said Fine recruited him as part of a "membershipdrive."

And David C. Gordan '96 said, "Randy just knewI respected him and admired him as apolitician...I joined the club because of him."

Fine said he was told of the accusationsyesterday morning, but would not say who informedhim or whether that person was a club official.

He does not know who his accusers are, he said,but he stressed that he continued to run out ofconcern for the reputations of the studentsaccused of taking money for their votes.

He said he believes that the rumor was spreadby people wishing to hurt his election chances.

"I'm a first-year," he said. "I don't thinkthey like first-year students who jump out of theback row and do something."

Some of Fine's student supporters agreed thatthe rumor of cheating hurt the candidate'scampaign.

"The reason I thought Randy Fine lost [lastnight] was that the rumors that he bought voteswere more widespread than it appeared," said N.Van Taylor '96.

However, Fred A. DeCaro '93, the RepublicanClub official in charge of the elections, saidlast night that he had not heard of theallegations and that the election was open andfair.

Woods said he did not believe the rumorsaffected the vote, since the election's resultswere very lopsided.

Fine's other opponent, Steven Y. Ko '95, saidhe had heard the charge but did not believe it.

"Randy's a fine person," said Ko. "I've workedwith him for the past few months. If it's true, itis very disturbing."CrimsonChris TernoeyRANDALL A. FINE