Last summer, Republicans at their state convention elected Jeff Frederick, an avowed conservative, as Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia with about 60% of the vote.
He defeated the incumbent, a former Lt Governor with roots grown deep in the ranks of old time party insiders.
The man was, in fact, Jenna Bush's father-in-law.
Most at the convention we very pleased with the results as Mr.
Frederick ran on a platform of changing the top down operation of the party apparatus to a grassroots approach.
Others, friends and allies of the of the ousted leader were determined the results would not stand.
Immediately, those who raised money for the party disappeared.
The new chairman was then criticized for the lack of financial success.
Everything he did came under the closest of scrutiny and anything that looked like a misstep was dutifully reported to other Republicans and the press.
As a young man with great vision for what the party could be, he made a few mistakes and stepped on a few toes along the way.
There were rumors of a coup attempt at the December Advance - a weekend educational and celebratory gathering at the Homestead.
This did not come to pass and many of the grassroots activists appreciated their addition to the program.
The Republican Party of Virginia is actually run by a group called the State Central Committee.
This is the group that took no action when a state senator chose to run as an independent against the party's gubernatorial candidate...
he even kept his committee chairmanship.
This is also the same group that took no action when another state senator cowed other members of the finance committee into pushing through a massive tax increase proposed by a Democratic governor over the objections of the rest the party's general assembly delegation.
This is also the same group that took no action when a US Senator found someone to run against Ollie North as an independent because he did not like the choice of the convention delegates.
This is also the group that, along with behind the scenes movers, has over recent years, anointed candidates for statewide offices that were good people, but consistently finished second.
Can any one say, "selective indignation"? To be fair, this inaction may be traced back to the philosophical differences between the old line leadership that saw the party as a vehicle to support elected officials and Jeff Frederick who thought they should be held accountable to the citizens.
Apparently several months into the new year, the critical number of committee members was either convinced, coerced or otherwise induced to sign on to the removal of the young chairman.
While the members were forbidden to discuss the charges, all sorts of allegations were leaked to the press about the supposed reprobate leader.
After a month of trial by the press, the Saturday, April 4th SCC meeting was called to order.
When it finally came time to analyze the charges and Frederick's defense, those who had publicly trashed and destroyed the reputation of this House of Delegates member, called for an executive session and demanded all but members and the favored few leave the room.
This seemed rather odd after the earlier public nature of their criticism.
It is hard to believe it was to spare their victims feelings, but more likely, it appeared to cover the weakness of their charges...
and deny his supporters a public record of the votes.
Then again, it could be to cover the fact that it was those with an ax to grind were the one testifying against him.
Their determination to give him a fair trial before hanging him was fulfilled.
The vote was taken and he was removed from office.
Following which, the magnanimous victors called for the disenfranchised rank and file to help in putting this self generated crisis behind them and pull together for the common good.
Before we, of the unwashed masses, were removed from the premises, it was interesting to observe that most of those attempting to keep the chairman in his post were older members looking out for the party and commonwealth.
Not all were tightly connected to the power structure.
None appeared to be politically ambitions.
Of those looking for Jeff Frederick's head on a platter were many young, supposedly conservative, but ambitious political types not wanting to rock their boat, committee members with deep ties to party insiders and those just flattered to be considered part of the 'in' crowd.
It is actions like this, unless justified by gross and public misdeeds, that make average citizens so wary of the political class.
It reinforces their image of politicians as unworthy of support or respect.
Damage was inflicted on the Republican Party of Virginia reminiscent of the Pogo cartoon that declared, "We have met the enemy, and he is us.
" If the party is not successful in electing a governor in November, it will be interesting to see where the blame will be laid this time.
Is it possible that those who drove this unnecessary wedge between party members will look in the mirror when assessing the blame.
Or perhaps they will blame the supporters of the man so shamefully treated today.
It is sad that a group so undeserving as the Democrats will benefit from party leadership so determined to retain power that they are apparently content to have a firm grip on a minority party.
He defeated the incumbent, a former Lt Governor with roots grown deep in the ranks of old time party insiders.
The man was, in fact, Jenna Bush's father-in-law.
Most at the convention we very pleased with the results as Mr.
Frederick ran on a platform of changing the top down operation of the party apparatus to a grassroots approach.
Others, friends and allies of the of the ousted leader were determined the results would not stand.
Immediately, those who raised money for the party disappeared.
The new chairman was then criticized for the lack of financial success.
Everything he did came under the closest of scrutiny and anything that looked like a misstep was dutifully reported to other Republicans and the press.
As a young man with great vision for what the party could be, he made a few mistakes and stepped on a few toes along the way.
There were rumors of a coup attempt at the December Advance - a weekend educational and celebratory gathering at the Homestead.
This did not come to pass and many of the grassroots activists appreciated their addition to the program.
The Republican Party of Virginia is actually run by a group called the State Central Committee.
This is the group that took no action when a state senator chose to run as an independent against the party's gubernatorial candidate...
he even kept his committee chairmanship.
This is also the same group that took no action when another state senator cowed other members of the finance committee into pushing through a massive tax increase proposed by a Democratic governor over the objections of the rest the party's general assembly delegation.
This is also the same group that took no action when a US Senator found someone to run against Ollie North as an independent because he did not like the choice of the convention delegates.
This is also the group that, along with behind the scenes movers, has over recent years, anointed candidates for statewide offices that were good people, but consistently finished second.
Can any one say, "selective indignation"? To be fair, this inaction may be traced back to the philosophical differences between the old line leadership that saw the party as a vehicle to support elected officials and Jeff Frederick who thought they should be held accountable to the citizens.
Apparently several months into the new year, the critical number of committee members was either convinced, coerced or otherwise induced to sign on to the removal of the young chairman.
While the members were forbidden to discuss the charges, all sorts of allegations were leaked to the press about the supposed reprobate leader.
After a month of trial by the press, the Saturday, April 4th SCC meeting was called to order.
When it finally came time to analyze the charges and Frederick's defense, those who had publicly trashed and destroyed the reputation of this House of Delegates member, called for an executive session and demanded all but members and the favored few leave the room.
This seemed rather odd after the earlier public nature of their criticism.
It is hard to believe it was to spare their victims feelings, but more likely, it appeared to cover the weakness of their charges...
and deny his supporters a public record of the votes.
Then again, it could be to cover the fact that it was those with an ax to grind were the one testifying against him.
Their determination to give him a fair trial before hanging him was fulfilled.
The vote was taken and he was removed from office.
Following which, the magnanimous victors called for the disenfranchised rank and file to help in putting this self generated crisis behind them and pull together for the common good.
Before we, of the unwashed masses, were removed from the premises, it was interesting to observe that most of those attempting to keep the chairman in his post were older members looking out for the party and commonwealth.
Not all were tightly connected to the power structure.
None appeared to be politically ambitions.
Of those looking for Jeff Frederick's head on a platter were many young, supposedly conservative, but ambitious political types not wanting to rock their boat, committee members with deep ties to party insiders and those just flattered to be considered part of the 'in' crowd.
It is actions like this, unless justified by gross and public misdeeds, that make average citizens so wary of the political class.
It reinforces their image of politicians as unworthy of support or respect.
Damage was inflicted on the Republican Party of Virginia reminiscent of the Pogo cartoon that declared, "We have met the enemy, and he is us.
" If the party is not successful in electing a governor in November, it will be interesting to see where the blame will be laid this time.
Is it possible that those who drove this unnecessary wedge between party members will look in the mirror when assessing the blame.
Or perhaps they will blame the supporters of the man so shamefully treated today.
It is sad that a group so undeserving as the Democrats will benefit from party leadership so determined to retain power that they are apparently content to have a firm grip on a minority party.
Source...