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.

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?

Kay Coles James for RPV chairman: A visionary for the future of the party

Kay Coles James

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The announcement by Pat Mullins last week that he will step down as State Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) on January 31, 2015, has begun the usual flurry of telephone calls and email messages that range from “Who will run for RPV Chairman?” to outright requests for support for one candidate or another.

Before the RPV State Central Committee rushes to promote from within, Virginia Republicans should step back and make an honest assessment of whether to stick with the status quo, in which case promoting a current RPV leader to State Chairman is a no-brainer. Or, if the decision is that RPV needs the political equivalent of an injection of adrenalin, then a dynamic, articulate, and experienced conservative from outside of the status quo is needed.

RPV’s Mullins to step down

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The expected email from Republican Party of Virginia chairman Pat Mullins came this morning congratulating Republican candidates for wins on Tuesday.

Then the bombshell part:

But the time comes when retirement is at hand. I’m 77 years old, and it’s time to turn the reigns over to someone else.

The person chosen by RPV will set the tone for the future of the party in Virginia. Vote carefully.

Cross-posted

Campbell County Republicans file lawsuit against RPV

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Members of the Campbell County Republican Committee filed suit late Tuesday afternoon, September 30, 2014, in Campbell County Circuit Court against the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) and former Campbell County chairman Leslie Williams for declaring null and void the results of a Mass Meeting held in Campbell County on March 20, 2014. (See Campbell County GOP leadership in dispute by Alicia Petska at the News & Advance and County GOP files lawsuit by Tina Barbour in the Altavista Journal).

Plaintiffs in the suit are John Ferguson, former Timberlake District Supervisor Charles Falwell, retired Commonwealth’s Attorney Neil Vener, and Lt. Col. Rayburn (Gene) Smith (USA ret.) filed the suit

Campbell County Republicans file lawsuit against RPV and former GOP chairman

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Members of the Campbell County Republican Committee filed suit late Tuesday afternoon, September 30, 2014, in Campbell County Circuit Court against the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) and former Campbell County chairman Leslie Williams for declaring null and void the results of a Mass Meeting held in Campbell County on March 20, 2014. (See Campbell County GOP leadership in dispute by Alicia Petska at the News & Advance and County GOP files lawsuit by Tina Barbour in the Altavista Journal).

Plaintiffs in the suit are John Ferguson, former Timberlake District Supervisor Charles Falwell, retired Commonwealth’s Attorney Neil Vener, and Lt. Col. Rayburn (Gene) Smith (USA ret.) filed the suit

RPV Chairman Pat Mullins’ partisan retort is not helpful in search for ethics reform

By Lynn R. Mitchell

No sooner had Governor Terry McAuliffe announced a bipartisan commission on ethics reform to be headed up by former Republican Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and former Democratic Congressman Rich Boucher than the Republican Party of Virginia’s Chairman Pat Mullins came out with a snarky response.

I’m not the only one who has grown weary of partisan politics. This was the latest childish retort from Mullins (see Ethics Reform. Terry McAuliffe. Really?):

Fauquier GOP sues RPV and 1st District over tossed-out election

By Lynn R. Mitchell

“In America, we just don’t overturn elections like we are in some kind of banana republic,” [James] Rich said in a phone interview Thursday. “In my 20 years on the Republican committee, I have never seen anything like this.”

That about sums up why Republican in Fauquier County are taking their congressional district and the Republican Party of Virginia to court after votes from the March mass meeting were scuttled, the one who won the election by more than 200 votes tossed, and the committee ordered by the Republican Party of Virginia’s central committee to have a re-do. The ones doing the tossing out of a properly-elected chairman were many of the same ones who protested earlier this year about the legal process known as slating.

RPV: Will Mullins, SCC spark more fireworks at today’s meeting in Richmond?

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Some big names came out Friday asking RPV Chairman Pat Mullins and state central committee to set aside the bitter appeals battles that have raged for most of 2014 and, instead, concentrate on electing Republican candidates for the November elections (see Schoeneman is right: ‘SCC shouldn’t let misguided priorities cost us much needed wins).

Among them were three congressmen who stepped forward in unity and a show of leadership: Rep. Robert Hurt (R-5th), Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-9th), and Rep. Scott Rigell (R-2nd) (see Congressmen Rigell, Hurt, Griffith ask SCC to defer appeals until after November elections). Where are the other congressmen to call for an end to this eternal squabbling that has consumed our party for the past five to six years?

5th District Chairman Jon Berkley’s open letter re: First District’s ruling on Fauquier Co. party canvass

By Jon Berkley
Chairman, Fifth District Republican Committee

To: Pat Mullins, Chairman RPV and Fellow Members of the State Central Committee
Re: First District’s Ruling on Fauquier Co. Party Canvass

As Chairman of the Fifth District, I would like to share my sentiments regarding an appeal on which this Committee will rule. The Committee’s ruling will either strengthen our party, or it will further cripple our party and diminish support for our candidates.

RPV’s Mike Thomas calls for treasurer FitzSimmonds to resign

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Mike Thomas, First Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, has called for the resignation of GOP treasurer Bob FitzSimmonds, former aide to Ken Cuccinelli and currently chief deputy clerk of court in Prince William County, after inflammatory remarks made by FitzSimmonds earlier in the week about Muslim Americans (see Va. GOP treasurer is said to offer resignation after Facebook post on Muslims).

In a Facebook post Friday morning, Thomas, who is one of the most widely-respected Republicans in the Commonwealth, noted the responsibility of those in leadership who represent RPV:

Freedom of Religion is just as much a part of our Constitution as Freedom of Speech. What is missing here is responsibility. Any individual is entitled to express his or her opinions on a subject. I will defend their right to do so, even when I disagree with it. BUT, if the individual is an officer or leader of the Republican Party, they have a RESPONSIBILITY to the Party to conduct themselves in a way that is respectful of others and accurately reflects the values of the Party.

Regrettably, the RPV Treasurer has not, in my opinion, exercised this responsibility as an officer of RPV through repeated public comments that are at best not respectful of others and not reflective of the Party, and he should step down as Treasurer.

Thomas joins others in the party calling for FitzSimmonds’ resignation including Republican Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates William Howell.