By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
Nick Kirk, president of the University chapter of the College Republicans, allegedly gained access to the state Republican convention about three weeks ago by pretending to be a reporter for The Michigan Review.
"It's just an accusation," Kirk said. "They have no tangible evidence."
But Sage Eastman, press secretary for the Michigan Republican Party, confirmed last night that Kirk said he was a Review staff writer.
"I find it odd that someone in charge of the College Republicans would pretend to be a member of the press," Eastman said. "It's disappointing."
Some College Republicans said that given Kirk's status as the leader of the group, he would not have needed to pretend to be a reporter to gain admittance.
"The position he's in gives him access to most people there," said Pete Rinato, the group's vice president for alumni affairs. "Nick's pretty well-known across the state.
Geoff Brown, editor in chief of The Michigan Review, said there has been a history of tension between Kirk and the Review.
"The Review has had a problem with him," Brown said. "That might have been his motivation to choose the Review."
Brown said he discovered Kirk's alleged fraud after receiving "several e-mails from College Republicans saying this had happened."
Kirk said there are certain members of the College Republicans who are conspiring against him.
He said these members are admitting many people into the group who have not participated in events only to aid specific candidates in the group's March 19 officer elections.
"This is just an organized campaign against me," Kirk said. "They're trying to rig the election."
Kirk also said the Review has a personal vendetta against him.
"The Review has called me 'Dick Jerk.' They have called me 'Roy Cohn.' They have called me 'Richard Nixon,'" Kirk said. "They're just flinging mud at me."
Brown said Kirk was the only member of the College Republicans who pretended to be a Review writer. Also, Brown said he has been unofficially told that Kirk forged a press identification pass, but that charge has not been confirmed.
"Allegedly, Nick (Kirk) made a press I.D., got it laminated at Kinko's and signed my name to it," Brown said.