The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
Many ranking Virginia Republicans are seeking to oust Del. Jeff Frederick, R-Prince William County, as chairman of the state GOP less than one year after picking him for that post.
Frederick's tenure as party chairman has been checkered by election losses and criticisms of his job performance and public statements.
A petition containing a list of grievances that spells out the effort to remove Frederick was delivered to the state party headquarters in Richmond on Wednesday, confirmed several Republican party officials who did not want to be identified.
The timing was critical because Frederick must be given 30 days' notice of the intended action and an opportunity to defend himself, under party rules. The next meeting of the party's central committee, its governing body, is scheduled for April 4.
Frederick, who pledged not to seek re-election to his House seat, on Thursday vowed to fight to remain party chairman.
"I will not retreat from the commitment I made to the core of our party," Frederick said in an e-mail, expressing his intent to fulfill a four-year term as state chairman through May 2012.
Former Attorney General Bob McDonnell, the state party's standard-bearer as the presumptive gubernatorial nominee, endorsed the effort to remove Frederick.
"It is clear to me, after hearing from Republican leaders across the state, that as we move forward with our campaign, as well as the other statewide and House of Delegates races, it would be helpful for the Republican Party of Virginia to have more effective leadership in this pivotal year," McDonnell said in an e-mail sent Thursday.
Frederick was strongly criticized nationally for comments in October equating Barack Obama to the terrorist Osama bin Laden, and he has suffered scorn within state party circles.
On his watch, Republicans lost seats in Virginia's congressional delegation and saw the state's electoral votes go to a Democrat presidential candidate for the first time in 44 years.
Some Republicans insist that removing Frederick is not to punish him but to position the party to win state elections in November, when Virginians will elect a governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and all 100 members of the House of Delegates.
"This has been a grass-roots movement to do this," Mike Wade, the party's 3rd Congressional District chairman, said of the petition. "It's not a moderate-conservative battle. People want to win."
To remove a chairman, state GOP rules require the vote of three-fourths of central committee members.
There are 77 voting members on that committee, meaning at least 58 of them would have to support Frederick's removal to oust him.
The last time a similar maneuver was attempted among Virginia Republicans was in December 1993. That year aides to Gov. -elect George Allen lobbied party officials to unseat then-Chairman Patrick McSweeney, who refused to resign. The effort was not successful.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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Jeff fredericj is typical
Frederick is a typical Republican so I don't see why members of his own pary are trying to oust him. Do they think they are any better.
When it comes to name calling the GOP is the first ones to jump in, while putting their foot in their own mouth at the same time.
The GOP has lost a sense of direction, they offer nothing beneficial to the struggles of our country and to the world, and don't stand a chance to recover from this delima for many years to come.
As long as they continue to preach hatred toward gays, don't understand the needs of the middle class, and think they are the only ones who have any solutions (which they don't) they can expect a decreas in elected office by any branch of government.
Worst of the Worst
How does a guy like this get into office in the first place. I shudder to think how a family member of a 9/11 victim feels when an elected member of our country makes such a vile disgusting remark like this. The real true character of this man was clearly defined when he went into the gutter to run his mouth.God! I hope our country wakes up to low life characters like this and just get rid of them entirely.
JWB
8 Years
To Jeff Frederick thank you for the past 8 years of anger and sadness your friend George W. Bush has given us.
Sounds like sour grapes
This sounds like sour grapes to me. And to top it off, his accusers don't want to be named? Now that's some 'leadership' being shown there. The man is being honest about serving his term then leaving office instead of sticking around again and again and again. He should be applauded instead of condemned.
Patience
Less than 46.5 months to go until the current Executive administration goes into the history books and the possible Romney-Palin administration begins the begin, as Michael Vick possibly takes the Dallas Cowboys into the Super Bowl. Stock market still poised for a continued fall to 5900. America, too big to fail? According to some sources, the interest payments alone on the debt is five-hundred billion dollars per year. If/When the Treasury misses its first interest payment on its debt, consider the possible consequences domestically and internationally. Now we better understand what the Founding Fathers meant by "In God We Trust".
Credit
You have to give the guy credit for wanting to stay on and captain a sinking ship.
McDonnell attacking his own now?
So, Jeff Frederick who was elected during a GOP upheaval when the party was already bleeding seats and credibility is blamed for the current state of the party? Less than a year into it?
Does McDonnell expect a lot of support from Jeff Fredrick backers during his gubernatorial bid? Publicly support the ouster of your own party chair? Alienate some of your core voters? Yea, that's just brilliant there, Bob!
Excellent
Why don't you Republicans ask Limbaugh for the job? Keep on implodin', dudes.
no,no, no!
The GOP needs Frederick and Rush Limbaugh. Heck of a good job!
Hey Bob, I hear Thelma
Hey Bob, I hear Thelma (Drake) is looking for a job!!!!!!!!!!!!