Dust has finally settled over a leadership dispute that has been shaking the local Democratic party since May.
The Democratic Committee of the 27th Ward -- which encompasses Penn's campus -- recently stripped Kevin Fassett of his position as ward leader and simultaneously established new leadership which the committee hopes will carry it through the 2006 elections.
The vote to recall Fassett was unanimous.
Fifth-year Physics graduate student and committee Secretary Don Engel said that Fassett repeatedly ignored his duties as ward leader.
Engel said that Fassett dealt unethically with funds that were meant to be distributed to the ward's 23 divisions for Election Day procedures. He added that committee members could not even find Fassett for the past two elections.
In those elections, "Kevin didn't distribute the money," Engel said. "As far as I know, he held on to it. ... No one was able to contact him leading up to this past election and also the one before."
Engel said Fassett had been dealing with a drug problem and eventually underwent rehabilitation.
Fassett could not be reached after repeated attempts.
Committee member Jackie Owens -- who became chairwoman of the committee after Fassett's recall -- said that the move was necessary.
She added that under Fassett's leadership, "we were not being represented the way we were supposed to be, and we were let down."
The committee was prepared to recall Fassett in May but stopped the process June 1 after receiving a letter of resignation signed with Fassett's name.
In response to the letter, the committee elected Nancy Ruane ward leader.
Fassett, however, returned to the committee in September saying that he had never written the letter and that he was still the rightful ward leader.
The committee could not recall him at that point because the law prohibits a recall up to 60 days before any election.
Ruane will serve as interim ward leader.
College senior Dan De Rosa -- who became vice chairman of the committee after the recall -- said a number of changes will accompany the new distribution of power.
He said the committee will now seek students to fill its 26 vacant seats. The ward leader normally appoints the members.
"College Democrats on campus are working really hard to identify students who have been really active ," De Rosa said. "We are going to identify them, we are going to approach them ... and from there, it is just getting them to show up to the committee meeting and letting them be sworn in."
Matt Wolfe, the Republican leader for the 27th Ward, said it is unlikely that the issue will affect ward politics as a whole.
"This is typical of Democratic factionalism, and we are amused by it, but it doesn't really make a difference," Wolfe said. "The reality is that the more unified and better organized the Democrats are, the more difficult it is for us."
The shakeup has settled down just in time for both parties to gear up for the heavily contested 2006 elections.
