Crisis at RPV: Whitbeck puts staff on chopping block

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The halls at the Republican Party of Virginia headquarters in Richmond will be emptier by the end of next week.

RPV Executive Director Shaun Kenney, gone.

RPV Communications Director Garren Shipley, gone.

No RPV political director. No RPV fund raiser.

Republican 5th Congressional District Chairman Jon Berkley, gone (see RPV in Crisis: Due process and rule of law ignored in removal of 5th CD Chair Jon Berkley).

All under the direction of the new “I’ve-been-in-office-four-weeks” RPV State Chairman John Whitbeck aka “the unifier” who said he wanted to bring the factions together.

You could call it the St. Valentine’s Day massacre.

So RPV now boasts a state chairman and two staffers … and the 2015 elections are looming. The 2016 presidential election is 20 months away.

Norm Leahy wrote about Shaun “stepping down” at Bearing Drift (see Shaun steps down). Jenna Portnoy wrote about it at the Washington Post (see Va. GOP executive director to step down amid party infighting).

Some are blaming cash problems on Shaun (RPV had something like $252 on hand last week). In reality, Shaun has sacrificed financially for the party. The loss of donors accelerated after long-time volunteers were crushed out of the party along with U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and others who were huge fundraisers for the GOP (see Eric Cantor breakfast draws 1,700 to annual event).

Hold onto your seats. The interesting part is going to be the names Whitbeck comes up with for replacements. Stay tuned….