Russ Moulton: ‘Why I can’t endorse John Whitbeck’

By Lynn R. Mitchell

An email written by anti-establishment Conservative Fellowship leader Russ Moulton (who holds no position within the Republican Party) has been making the rounds in Virginia the past month, a stunning rebuke of his former support of John Whitbeck who announced last summer that he would be running for reelection as chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.

Moulton’s original email was picked up and forwarded by Susan Stimpson who agreed with him and forwarded it to others with her own thoughts:

Dear fellow Conservative,
I wanted to make sure you saw this email I received from long-time conservative leader Russ Moulton.

The actions of the current Virginia Republican Party Chairman should concern every Republican across the state. This is about a pattern of behavior. Like most politicians — John Whitbeck said one thing when he ran for party chairman and then once elected, abandoned his promises to us.

Quite simply, Virginia Republicans can’t trust John Whitbeck any more.

After reading the email below, ask yourself if this is the leadership Republicans should depend on to deliver a Republican victory in Virginia in 2016.

Sincerely,
Susan Stimpson

For those who missed it the first go round, here is the email from Russ Moulton that was originally sent out on November 14, 2015, with the subject line, “Why I can’t endorse John Whitbeck for re-election.”

Write-in campaign against GOP nominee brings up question of Party Plan violation

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Something in the Republican Party of Virginia State Party Plan covers Republican members who support those other than the GOP nominee….

UPDATE: Article VII, Section C. Removal. This section of the Party Plan is applicable in this situation. (The previous section that was listed has been removed to avoid confusion.)

A member of an Official Committee is held to a higher standard of support for nominees of the Republican Party than an individual who merely participates in a mass meeting, party canvass, convention or primary. Therefore, a member of an Official Committee is deemed to have resigned his Committee position if he (a) makes a reportable contribution to and/or (b) allows his name to be publicly used by and/or (c) makes a written or other public statement in support of a candidate in opposition to a Republican nominee in a Virginia General or Special Election. Such member may be re-instated by a majority vote of the other members of the Committee.

Calling Chairman John Whitbeck. Read more of the Party Plan.

Please stop being hypocritical about secret ballots

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The howls continue about Saturday’s secret ballot at the State Central Committee meeting in Staunton (see Live-blogging RPV state central meeting in Staunton).

Please stop the hypocrisy.

In January, John Whitbeck took over as chairman of RPV and the very first thing on his agenda was the illegal removal of Jon Berkley, chairman of the 5th Congressional District (see RPV in Crisis: Due process and rule of law ignored in removal of 5th CD chair Jon Berkley). The vote at that State Central Committee meeting that removed Berkley was a secret ballot.

I wrote at the time:

Mr. Whitbeck announced it would be a secret vote and, when asked by a member of the body why it was secret, he responded, “Just because.”

Those who are now complaining about the process from Saturday’s meeting were all in favor of it in January. Could we please stop the faux outrage?

Photos from Saturday’s RPV meeting in Staunton

By Lynn R. Mitchell

On a rainy Saturday morning, the Republican Party of Virginia arrived in Staunton, located in the 24th Senate District, to resurrect a lawsuit in the 24th District (see Here we go again: RPV resurrects lawsuit in Emmett Hanger’s 24th Senate District), and to vote for a Presidential Primary during the five-hour marathon meeting (see Live-blogging RPV State Central Committee meeting in Staunton, Va).

Brian Schoeneman has a good analysis of Saturday’s meeting at Bearing Drift (see SCC meeting in Staunton puts RPV dysfunction on full display).

RPV’s First Vice-Chairman Michael Thomas (right) with his son Alec Thomas. Mike has been a pillar in the party and a voice of reason during the turmoil in recent years.

Kasha Nielsen, ‎Chairwoman at College Republican Federation of Virginia and UVa student, rallied the pro-primary supporters prior to the vote. She was cheered by the crowd that included at least two dozen College Republicans (CRs) and Young Republicans (YRs).

YRs and CRs sat on the floor due to lack of chairs: YR and small business owner Emily Brewer (left), CR Samatha Sedivy (middle), student at University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams Law School; and YR Thomas Turner (right) who had written a pro-primary post for LynnRMitchell.com (see Western Tidewater Young Republican Chairman supports a primary for 2016). #TeamPrimary

Donald Williams, Chairman of Chesterfield County Republican Committee; Trixie Averill, former RPV Western Vice-Chairwoman; Ben Dessart, law student at the University of Richmond T.C. Williams Law School.

ACLU suggests mandatory 2016 Virginia GOP convention fee same as poll tax, could invite litigation

By Lynn R. Mitchell

In the midst of the ongoing discussion of a 2016 Primary versus Convention, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been informed of the Republican Party of Virginia’s vote by the state central committee to require mandatory fees to attend a convention.

In a letter from the ACLU’s Claire Guthrie Gastañaga to RPV Chairman John Whitbeck dated June 23, 2015, the ACLU warns, “Such a fee would unfairly exclude Republicans from voting based on their economic means, and would invite prolonged and costly litigation.”

There followed a reminder that the Party endured litigation in 1994:

The last time the RPV charged a fee for participation in a nominating convention was in 1994, when the party nominated its candidate for U.S. Senate. Three delegates challenged the fee under the Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court ultimately determined that the fee was subject to preclearance by the Department of Justice under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, and that the plaintiffs were entitled to challenge the fee as a poll tax under Section 10 of the Voting Rights Act. Morse v. Republican Party, 517 U.S. 186 (1996).

2016 PRIMARY … here’s who to contact to voice that opinion

By Lynn R. Mitchell

There are numerous reasons why it makes more sense for the Republican Party of Virginia to hold a 2016 Presidential PRIMARY instead of a convention. The vote on PRIMARY versus convention is June 27.

If interested in a 2016 presidential PRIMARY, here are some ways to express that desire:

1) Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.

2) Contact the Republican Party of Virginia (804. 780-0111 / Info@Virginia.GOP) and let them know you want a PRIMARY.

3) Contact your local state central committee (SCC) member. Their contact info is listed here. The state is divided into regions with reps from each; contact RPV if you need further help with this.

4) Contact RPV Chairman John Whitbeck (chairman@rpv.org).

5) Contact everyone on the RPV Executive Committee (find contact info here).

Share this information with others who would like the opportunity to go to the polls in a primary on March 1st and vote for presidential candidates. Otherwise, most Virginia Republicans will be shut out of the process.

For background on the issue, see:

Guevara wins Sully primary, moves on to November

By Daniel P. Cortez

John Guevara, the 15-year army veteran, IT professional, Home Owner Association president, former Boy Scout leader, and longtime Sully resident pulled out a squeaker of a primary election victory Saturday in Northern Virginia.

Guevara was supported by Republican Party of Virginia Chairman John Whitbeck who clearly is trying to revitalize Republicans, knows victories of substance will continue to elude them without a better connection to the minority community.  Now they have another one in Guevara, a legitimate proud American veteran businessman who happens to be of Hispanic descent.

Whites need not apply

By Tito A. Munoz
Guest Post

Whites need not apply. Ludicrous? Yes, but it’s the message John Whitbeck, Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, gave to prospective candidates seeking his support for nomination in Republican contests in Northern Virginia. He chose to support a Hispanic over two white candidates vying for the Sully District Supervisor position in an upcoming Fairfax County firehouse primary with this explanation: “I do think the Republican Party is not doing minority engagement to the fullest extent possible if it’s not eventually nominating candidates that don’t look like me, a white male” (see As Fairfax grows more diverse, candidates for office mostly don’t).

Whitbeck said he gave his support as an individual and not as Chairman. He stated this when criticized for offering support during a primary, but his de facto endorsement would mean nothing without his title. Without the title of Chairman, the “support” might as well come from John Doe and it is likely Whitbeck realizes this. If not, he should.

Who’s best for Republican outreach, Guevara or Schoeneman, in the Sully District?

By Daniel P. Cortez

John Whitbeck, the newly elected head of the RPV, has made an unprecedented move “endorsing” and that’s what it is regardless of the language used in his recent statement of support for John Guevara for Supervisor of the Sully District in Fairfax County.

In this, the first genuine move by Whitbeck towards outreach to the minority community for conservatives, he states, “Growing the Republican Party is essential to our winning elections in Northern Virginia.  John Guevara is exactly the kind of Republican we need to accomplish just that. His military and private sector experience in project management makes him uniquely qualified to serve on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.”

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.

Stimpson cries foul over ‘The Howell Report’

By Daniel P. Cortez

It’s politics as usual in local Republican circles as Democrats are watching and smiling at the possibly of another tea party take-down, Cantor style. But this time the target is Stafford Delegate Bill Howell. The latest melodrama is over Howell’s Official Constituent Survey I and area voters received in the mail a week ago. It has his primary opponent Tea Party partisan Susan Stimpson fuming.

It was the usual pointed establishment Republican questionnaire attempting to bolster the image of the incumbent Howell and the ultra-conservative positions he is attempting to force on Stafford and Fredericksburg area voters.

Political and media hypocrisy laced with hope

By Daniel P. Cortez

After several bedridden weeks battling the flu and then watching the President’s State of the Union Address, I’ve realized Stafford voters need inoculation from Democratic political hypocrites and elitists’ moral turpitude. Fortunately, actions by former Governor George Allen and wife Susan provide hope for Virginia Republicans  struggling for unity.

Raising conservative angst was President Obama’s depiction of a booming jobs market in our record deficit economy and free community college at taxpayer expense. While socialistically invigorating to Democratic partisans, they remain troublesome to Republicans and Independents.

RPV in Crisis: Due process and rule of law ignored in removal of 5th CD Chair Jon Berkley

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Last weekend’s Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee meeting may have set a dangerous precedent for the future of the party by ignoring the rule of law and due process. New RPV Chairman John Whitbeck had just finished giving a speech calling for unity and then moved on to preside over the removal of 5th Congressional District Chairman Jon Berkley despite being advised that Mr. Berkley had properly fulfilled his duties as district chair and that the procedure to remove him was illegal.

Republican victories provide opportunity for outreach with RPV

By Daniel P. Cortez

Nationally as conservatives revel becoming the majority party in the U.S. Senate, Virginia’s Republicans eye new minority and independent converts with the right leader.  Tenth District Congresswoman-elect Barbara Comstock and her new-found national prominence achieves such status as did Stafford Congressman Rob Wittman, surprising no one with his landslide reelection to a fourth term.  But what will the RPV do?