College Republicans Chairman Seth Bender, facing possible impeachment, resigned from his position last night, followed immediately by the resignation of the group's adviser, who recommended Republican Party committees at all levels of U.S. government "sever all ties to this chapter of College Republicans."

The group's vice chairman, Brandon Means, indicated that there had been widespread unhappiness among members of the group with Bender's leadership; however, adviser Charles Gable's resignation was "a complete blindside," College Republicans Treasurer Dane Peterson said.

At the meeting, Gable read a letter that he had sent to officials in the Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Centre County Republican Committee, State Republican Committee, and Pennsylvania College Republican Committee. At the end of the letter, in bold, underlined typeface, it reads: "It is with deep regret and sadness that my final act as advisor for the College Republicans at Penn State University is to recommend that the National, State and Local Republican Party Committees severall ties [to] this chapter of College Republicans."

In regular typeface, he writes: "On too many occasions, the group has made decisions that embarrass conservative students and the Republican Party."

In an interview after the meeting, Gable gave his reasons for writing the letter.

"I was torn tonight. There's a lot of good people in that organization, but then there are some that just don't have the interest of the Republican Party at heart," Gable said. "The actions of impeachment are further evidence of subverting the mission of the club. They should be supporting the mission of the club, not having clandestine meetings [making] impeachment charges."

The motion of impeachment states that Bender had "estranged former and current members of the organization," "failed to maintain positive and productive relations with local media outlets," caused "dysfunction and tension" in the organization, and made decisions "without the knowledge or involvement of the club."

Addressing about 30 members of the organization at the beginning of last night's meeting, Bender called the charges against him "outrageous."

"Although I do admit I have made mistakes and I apologize for those mistakes, they do not warrant any sort of removal or impeachment," Bender said. "As a club we should not be focusing our time and energy on an impeachment only 34 days before a crucial election."

Throughout the speech, various members of the group raised their hands in an apparent attempt to interject. Each time, Bender urged them to let him finish speaking.

When Bender finished speaking, most of the members at the meeting applauded. Then, Gable came to the front of the room to announce his resignation and read the letter.

At the meeting, after Gable finished his statement, Bender said to the group: "The meeting is adjourned as far as I'm concerned," and the two left the room together. Numerous group members immediately raised their hands and motioned to return to addressing the business on the meeting's agenda.

College Republicans member Tiffany Iriana addressed the group after Bender's departure, telling other members that all the group's officers had been in support of Bender's departure.

"A change needed to be made; it needed to be made now," Iriana said.

In an interview after the meeting, Peterson criticized Gable's decision to send letters to Republican leaders.

"It was definitely not appropriate for him to contact the state without informing any of the officers that he was doing so," Peterson said.

Means said he met privately with Bender on Monday to present him with a motion of impeachment. At that time, Means said, the officers told Bender that impeachment proceedings would be happening at last night's meeting.

"A number of the members told the officers that they would seek impeachment," Means said.

Means said the group would hear nominations for the next chairperson tonight and at next week's meeting. He added that a new chairperson would be elected at next week's meeting, and that he does not intend to run for the position.