Video commentary: Columnist Jeff Schapiro previews the GOP showdown
Members of the Republican Party of Virginia's central committee have voted to remove state party chairman Jeffrey M. Frederick. The unofficial tally was 57-18 with one abstention.
The first two hours of the meeting were marked by presentations from Frederick's opponents and by two lawyers hired to defend the 33-year-old House of Delegates member from Prince William County. Frederick did not speak on his own behalf.
Those inside the meeting described it as civil and fact-based rather than emotional, conveying the atmosphere of a trial with the presentation of evidence from both sides. Outside, non-committee members including Frederick's wife Amy paced the halls of the hotel, speaking on cell phones and trying to gauge support for each side.
The second phase of the meeting was expected to be more contentious, with both sides being given time for rebuttal followed by a debate open to any committee member. The group is then expected to take a vote on Frederick's fate.
Earlier in the morning before the meeting began, about 50 Frederick supporters gathered outside the hotel, held signs and chanted “elected, not selected,“ a reference to the state party convention that elected him to the post last year.
Division in the party and criticism over Frederick’s leadership brought about a call for his ouster.
Early signs of the tension between Frederick supporters and opponents was evident as the meeting began. Opponents tried to challenge the proxy vote of a Frederick supporter from Roanoke, saying the person designated to cast the vote lived outside the area that elected the committee member.
The room voted to not count the ballot, meaning opponents only need 57 votes from the 77-member central committee to dump Frederick, who needs 19 votes to remain as chairman. Moves were afoot to have the discounted proxy reconsidered by having a new proxy delivered to the meeting before the a vote is taken on Frederick’s removal.
Frederick has vowed that if he loses his job today, he will fight his ouster by running again for the job when the full party convenes for its state convention at the end of May.
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