GOP Chairman Fires Back as Party Leaders Seek His Ouster

By Tim Craig

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

RICHMOND, March 17 — Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick raised the stakes Tuesday in his bid to remain chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, taking on almost every top-ranking GOP officeholder in the state by labeling them "insiders" and saying they are partly to blame for the party's recent decline.

In a lengthy statement sent to Republican activists and the media, Frederick said those trying to remove him as chairman are a "small minority" who want to turn the Virginia GOP "into a rubber stamp for its long-time insiders."

"Rest assured, we're fighting for the future of our Republican Party and our commonwealth and we will not back down," said Frederick, 33, who blamed national and state party leaders for the loss of U.S. Senate and House seats in 2006.

Frederick's refusal to acquiesce has set up what threatens to become one of the state's nastiest leadership fights in recent memory. The Prince William County resident is counting on rank-and-file conservatives to join his revolt against the party's elected leadership, setting the stage for an election-year drama that highlights the turmoil within the party in Virginia and nationally.

Two weeks ago, a lopsided majority of the state central committee signed a letter calling for a meeting April 4 to consider Frederick's ouster as chairman. A three-fourths vote is needed to remove him.

Former attorney general Robert F. McDonnell, the party's nominee for governor, and all five of the party's members of Congress from Virginia have called for his ouster. They were joined by the entire Republican leadership in the state Senate and House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford).

"With its current chairman, we have serious reservations about how effectively the state party can help us accomplish our goals and persuade a majority of Virginia voters that Republicans have the right ideas and policy prescriptions," Howell wrote to party leaders.

But Frederick, a social and economic conservative, has proven to be a relentless opponent.

In 2003, he was elected to the House of Delegates at the age of 27, defeating moderate John A. "Jack" Rollison III in a primary. Democrats poured resources into the next two elections, but Frederick won both races, even though he represents a Democratic-leaning district.

Last year, Frederick shocked Virginia's Republican leadership by toppling former lieutenant governor John H. Hager, a moderate, at the state GOP convention. Since then, party leaders say, Frederick has mismanaged the state party. They outlined 10 charges against him.

The most serious charges allege that Frederick directed party business to a company he owns, made unauthorized expenditures and "damaged the reputation and effectiveness" of the state party by refusing to work closely with Arizona Sen. John McCain's campaign staff last year.

Frederick released a point-by-point rebuttal Tuesday.

He acknowledged that his company, GSX Strategies, briefly processed the state party's online donations last summer and kept 7 percent of the $21,135 that was raised to "cover incidental expenses and required remittances." But Frederick said his "company provided free services to the party in an amount that was 30 times greater than the total of the alleged compensation received."

Frederick denied having made expenditures that were not authorized or consistent with the formal rules that govern the party.

As for not working collaboratively with others, Frederick said he and his staff "undertook several sensitive assignments from both federal and state elected officials and nominees."

"I make no apologies for standing against these efforts to remove me or the changes I've made within our party to give greater authority and input to the grass roots," he wrote.

Frederick's belief that the party should stick to its conservative principles — opposing abortion rights, supporting home schooling, rejecting all tax increases — has motivated some of the party's members to rally behind him.

Mike Thomas, vice chairman of the state party, declined to comment on Frederick's letter but said efforts to remove him will continue.

The split in the party comes just as members were starting to feel more confident about their standing in Virginia. Last week, for example, a Republican won a seat on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors that had been previously held by a Democrat.

Tagged: politics, Republican Party, State news

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