Bob Lewis with the Associated Press breaks the list of charges issued by State Central Committee against Chairman Jeff Frederick:
The first claim in the complaint obtained by The Associated Press alleges that Frederick’s own company processed online donations to the Republican Party of Virginia and, for several weeks, retained 7 percent of the money while he assured members of the party executive committee that his firm was not a party vendor.
The second charge is related, alleging he did not fully comply with an executive committee directive last fall to disclose all of the state party’s pending and existing contracts with vendors.
In a statement by the party today, Frederick called those and other charges “false and without merit.” He declined to comment on the individual allegations.
Bearing Drift has the content of the letter. The allegations are damning to say the least. WOW.
UPDATE: ccMaximus over at Contemporary Conservative piles on:
Jeff Frederick argues that his pending removal on April 4, 2009, is about petty issues. The ten points outlined in the below article from Virginia AP write Bob Lewis suggest serious financial improprieties with a Frederick affiliated company pocketing a percentage of RPV loot on the D-L ……..Frederick thinks this is petty???? WOW, this is damning for Jeff Frederick. We need a competent conservative to head RPV, NOW!!
Seems as if the transparency issues with which-consultants-get-what are an issue… moreso because Frederick’s own firm seems to be benefiting on the face of things.
UPDATE x2: Virginia Virtucon adds to the list of shocked conservative voices, noting “(t)his is why he’s likely to be removed from office.”
UPDATE x3: John Taylor over at Tertium Quids compares the new hunt for a GOP chairman with that of a dead cat:
As far as the battle over who is going to be the party chair, let’s be real. With the Titanic already slipping beneath the waves, with fundraising for the party becoming increasingly problematic, with the conservative grassroots already indicating that they are willing to stay at home on election day if the Republicans on the ballot are not also conservatives, and with any chairman’s chief antagonists not being Democrats, but the dissed faction within his own party, the members of the GOP may find that no serious-minded adult with a pulse would consider being the leader of such a dysfunctional cluster ….
I’m sure the phrase Mr. Taylor was looking for was “cluster of popcorn” — or something to that effect.
If even one of these charges of financial wrongdoing is true Frederick is guilty of embezzlement.
Hope all you defenders of him and his vaunted values are happy with what you’ve wrought.
Or will you now say that each and every office holder, SCC member and auditor has a personal vendetta against so-called conservatives?
What a crock.
The American tradition of being presumed innocent until proven guilty seems to have been set aside in this case. If Jeff did something seriously wrong, sure, he should be removed. On the other hand, anyone can accuse someone else of almost anything, and if the media doesn’t like them, it is news. I find it odd that the main instigators of this dust up are the ones who most ardently supported his moderate opponent at the convention. This makes it difficult to pass the smell test.
These are the same people who supported “establishment” candidates for nomination in the past election cycles and have given us a string of defeats that have led to a demoralization of the grassroots. I would suggest that if the SCC is really concerned that the grassroots activists who gave the party many victories in the past are willing to stay home, it might be a good idea for them to show a little respect for their choice.
We see so much speculation in the news about things that “could” happen or “might” happen, and we’re asked to take the word of some expert. That is not news and neither is this without proof. As it is, all we have is scorned politicians whining that their guy did not win and looking for something to throw at the guy who did.
If something was done wrong… show proof that everyone can agree on, not simply allegations that support the ticked-off-out-of-power groups’ desire for revenge.
As an aside… even if the allegations are true, the unwillingness of many to believe them could be the result of the lack of credibility many Republican office holders have because they have drifted far from the ideals that make most of us Republicans.
Larry: Bearing Drift has a link up of the FEC document:
http://bearingdrift.com/2009/03/12/false-and-without-merit-says-frederick-or-is-it/
This is for Larry Miller:
March 12,2009
The Honorable JeffFrederick
Chairman, Republican Party ofVirginia
115 E. Grace Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Dear Jeff:
For the good of the Republican Party of Virginia we write today asking that you step aside as chairman in light of the recent call from three-fourths of the State Central Committee seeking your resignation. Clearly it is the sentiment of the grassroots membership of the Party to move in another direction.
With November’s elections rapidly approaching, it is essential that our party be unified as we work to regain control of the governor’s mansion and retain control ofthe House of Delegates. No one will benefit from a protracted battle over the leadership of RPV. It is in that spirit that we ask you to step down.
Sincerely,
Frank Wolf
Robert Goodlatte
Eric Cantor
Randy Forbes
Robert Wittman
I find it interesting that this is called a grassroots effort when some say it started with SCC and nothing was really heard form the rank and file Republicans. This is a sad situation that includes a deceptive email form the Senate caucus that inplied all members were in accord with the dump Jeff movement. Two members have contacted me and let me know that they were neither in agreement nor were they even consulted before their names were included.
The other thing that makes me have to wonder about the legitimacy of the grassroots claim in the near unanimous agreement among those who consider themselves leaders. When have we ever had that kind of agreement on anything… especially on anything originating as far down the food chain as the grassroots schleps who actually stand out in the rain at the polls on election days?
I understand Jeff has some rough edges and made some errors, but we really have to look at the fact that most of the party leaders screaming for his scalp are the ones who opposed him at the convention. Jeff actually has the support of many in the grassroots and I’m afraid that in pushing this issue… whether there is a basis in reality or not… it will appear that the SCC and others are seeking to override the grassroots selection and install one more agreeable to them. The consequences could be really negative in November if this happens.