The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
For Jeff Frederick, the embattled chairman of the state Republican Party, judgment day is Saturday.
That's when Frederick, a state delegate from Prince William County, is scheduled to face party members who will decide whether to retain or remove him as their leader.
Frederick's fate rests with 77 members of the state GOP's governing body, many of whom signed a petition last month calling for his removal. To dump him, at least three-quarters - 58 members - must vote to dismiss him.
How the vote will shake out remains unclear.
"I have reached out and contacted every member of our State Central Committee, and I'm confident I have the votes to remain Chairman," Frederick wrote in an e-mail Thursday evening.
Gary C. Byler, a committee member from Virginia Beach, hopes a last-minute deal can be reached to avoid an ugly close vote that "doesn't help anybody."
"In my 25 years as a lawyer, I can tell you it's not unusual to have matters settled on the courthouse steps," he said.
Byler said some scenarios being discussed, include Frederick stepping down or remaining chairman but with more oversight from party elders.
The petition presented to Frederick last month contained 10 grievances that ranged from party business and accounting issues on his watch to tarnishing the organization's name.
In the past month, various party officials, elected leaders and presumptive GOP gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell have endorsed the expulsion effort.
Frederick acknowledged "hiccups" on his watch but expressed optimism about the future of the party.
The showdown is to be held at the same Henrico County hotel where many Virginia Republicans last November agonizingly watched election returns that didn't favor their party's candidates.
Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Virginia in 44 years and Republicans lost several congressional seats. The election was just months after Frederick was elected to a four-year term as chairman.
Still, some party insiders partially blame Frederick for the losses.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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So typical. The so-called
So typical. The so-called "leadership" of the state GOP leads the party merrily down the path to defeat, and when the grassroots finally rises up and says "No More!" by installing their OWN true conservative leadership, the establishment plays back-room politics to take him down.
I pray Jeff keeps that position, and his opponents all resign in response. Then maybe the GOP can get back to winning elections again.
Outswide Observer
As an outside observer of this matter, I certainly hope Jeff Frederick is retained as the party chairman and that he continues to insult any citizen and voter who does not agree with his far right libertarian views. After all, if we as citizens won't sign the No Tax pledge, and won't express our disdain and hatred for any citizen who won't do so, then we should not have the right to call ourself an american, much less a red blooded republican. We need this kind of purity to be reflected under the tent of Virginia Republicans so that we can expell anyone who is only a RINO. Jeff is well on his way to ridding the party of pragmatists and main streeters who have so condemned the party to elective defeat, and if he can only complete his task, at least the party will lose future elections with its self defined honor and integrity intact. Let's keep expelling moderates until we lose elections by 80% instead of a paltry 55%. Go Frederick!
Professional politicians are the problem.
The Republican party has blurred itself so much that you cannot tell the difference between the parties. Our government system was created in a way to have "CITIZEN POLITICIANS", today on all levels of government all we have is a bunch of "professional politicians" that are so far removed from their constituents that they haven't got a clue as to our concerns. Then look at how many of the "professional politicians" are lawyers and most of them have never really practiced their profession. These people prove to us over and over again just how stupid we are by re-electing them over and over. That should tell you something. everything is a "deal" and government has neglected it's core function in lieu of socialist programs. To quote the article, "Gary C. Byler, a committee member from Virginia Beach, hopes a last-minute deal can be reached to avoid an ugly close vote that "doesn't help anybody." In my 25 years as a LAWYER, I can tell you it's NOT UNUSUAL to have matters SETTLED on the COURTHOUSE STEPS," he said."