All great organizations have great leaders at their helm. It does not make a difference whether that organization be a for-profit corporation, an NGO, or a local community service group. Put another way, the reputation and integrity of virtually any group of closely knit people is directly attributable to the reputation and integrity of those who are chosen to lead that same group of self – associating people.
Recently, it has become all too apparent that the leader of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV), Chairman John Whitbeck, has made it a point to target my candidacy (as well as the ticket I associate with) for the State Central Committee (SCC) in the 7th District. Why do I make this claim, one may ask?
First, a brief background on myself and “The Ticket” for SCC. My name is Ron Hedlund. I am proud to claim the title as one of the original “Brat Packers”. The “Brat Pack” is what the grassroots activists who supported Dave Brat in the primary challenge to Congressman Eric Cantor call ourselves. We even have t-shirts to proudly proclaim the victory over Cantor’s chief architect, Ray Allen, and his history-making campaign, whereby the sitting House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor, was defeated for the first time in recorded history.
My political pedigree goes back over twenty years to Alleghany County where I was a member of the local GOP and eventually ended up becoming the Chairman. I tell folks that I did not run FOR Chairman. I actually ran FROM the Chairmanship against 3 other people, and I was the slowest one. Seriously, no one would step forward to take the reins and there was a statewide ticket to elect around the corner. I found myself responsible for not only Alleghany County, but the Cities of Covington and Clifton Forge to boot.
At the time, I had recently had the opportunity to meet Don Huffman (after whom the RPV Advance is named), Bob Goodlatte (then a practicing attorney with Mr. Huffman), Del Pete Giesen from Waynesboro (Del Steve Landes was his legislative aide at the time) and Don Duncan who was then, my 6th District Chairman. All of these upstanding men were instrumental in my early Virginia political upbringing, as was Don’s wonderful wife, Shirley Duncan.
I am forever grateful to the mentoring and support these people provided during my brief stint in southwest Virginia. I say brief, because within a short period of time, the candidate for Governor, George Allen, was successful, due, in no small part, to the hard work put out by a small group of Republicans in a highly Democrat papermill town where union membership was in the ninety percent range, even in a right to work state.
Soon after Mr. Allen took office, I was honored to join the Department of Conservation and Recreation as the Division Director for Planning and Recreation Resources. Other appointments and honors followed, both within the Allen administration and the Gov Gilmore administration.
So fast forward to 2015 where I find myself battling Chairman Whitbeck over the recently enacted statement of party affiliation. Without boring you with detailed “he said, she said” accusations, it became apparent to me that I found myself in conflict with Whitbeck statements and claims that did not add up nor did they correspond with statements made to others across the state.
Ultimately, I supported the candidacy of Vince Haley for RPV Chairman against Whitbeck whom I had initially endorsed when unopposed, and importantly, before I learned of Whitbeck’s credibility issues. Those serious credibility issues, on the part of Whitbeck, were what led me to endorse Mr. Haley.
Before I endorsed Haley, I learned that Whitbeck had told more than one person that should a strong candidate emerge, he would not run in a contested race as the voluntary position was not worth the time and effort required. I took him at his word then and I was wrong to do so once more.
I came to know Vince Haley last year when he chose to run against arguably, one of the strongest incumbent politicians in Virginia, Sen Walter Stosch. Shortly after Haley joined the Henrico GOP, Stosch announced his retirement. Ultimately, Vince was unsuccessful, but I came to know him as a man of vision, of passion for America’s founding and struggle for survival, and most importantly, as a man of absolute integrity.
That is the man I supported for Chairman. An individual needed to restore honor and integrity to the RPV.
You see, I learned, as some others have come to learn, that the Whitbeck chairmanship was built, not on integrity, but on broken promises and betrayal. Some of us not in the upper echelons of leadership, had been told, but refused to believe these accusations, until experienced first-hand.
Vince Haley reluctantly entered the race for Chairman due, in no small part, to the insistance of Whitbeck to keep the party pledge intact, even at the expense of public perception and ridicule toward the GOP.
I personally challenged Whitbeck and his abject refusal to even remotely consider a simple discussion of repeal. His stubbornness was inexplicable and left me scratching my head in amazement. Even John Fredericks called him out on the radio. Why would Whitbeck choose to fall on his sword over the pledge? Fredericks was certain a Haley campaign would reign victorious given the polling over the pledge.
Talk about wonder and amazement over the pledge? Within two weeks of Haley filing to run against Whitbeck, the pledge was repealed UNANIMOUSLY by the SCC in a Whitbeck-led effort. There was no discussion, except for a super secret executive session, only recently revealed by RPV Executive Director, John Findlay. I saved a screenshot on my Facebook page admitting as much, before he quickly deleted it.
It is rumored that Chairman Whitbeck was ordered to stand down on the pledge. I have to ask, “Who ordered Whitbeck to stand down?” And, “Why?”
Within a couple weeks, it became apparent that support for an insurgent candidate, Haley, grew thin and he ultimately made the decision to suspend his campaign. In the meantime, Chairman Whitbeck began plotting his revenge.
Prior to the Haley campaign, I had sought Whitbeck’s counsel and subsequent endorsement of my quest for a seat on the SCC. Proof of such has been published on another site. He had simply requested that I keep the endorsement quiet until after the January 15 filing deadline as he did not want to risk inviting a challenge.
That is water under the bridge now. On January 16, I requested Whitbeck remove my name from his list of endorsements as I was solidly behind Haley from there on out. I can tell you, it took me two weeks of constant reminders to finally remove my name from that list.
The 7th District SCC Ticket was created to run for, and win 3 At-Large seats on the 7th District Committee to support Dave Brat for the work he is doing to represent the district. Susan Lascollette from Goochland County and Dewey McDonnell form Culpeper joined with me, and we are running against three establishment candidates, one of whom is an incumbent that has never voted on the committee in support of Dave Brat.
Recent disturbing developments have come to light. It was learned two weeks ago, Chairman Whitbeck has paid for staff support to make phone calls in Henrico County to sign up delegates to the 7th District Convention to oppose the pro-Dave Brat SCC Ticket. Whitbeck has even gone so far as to pay $3000 to cover the fees of the delegates for VCN (Virginia Conservative Network ) submitted forms.
Whitbeck has publicly admitted paying for these delegates. As a volunteer candidate for party office, he has that privilege. What he has not clarified is that the $3000 check was signed by the RPV Executive Director, John Findlay, and written on the Chairman’s own VIRGINIA VICTORY FUND. John Findlay is a full-time, paid RPV staffer. Do you approve of a Chairman using OUR paid staffers to carry out personal vendettas?
It has been learned that Whitbeck privately admitted it was a mistake, on his part, to order Findlay to write the check. One must also ask what other RPV resources have been used to carry out this retribution campaign. What emails have been deleted? What text messages have been deleted? What Facebook posts have been deleted?
I find it highly disturbing what I have learned in the last couple weeks. Last week, I was told a highly respected, past political candidate for statewide office, has severed ties with Whitbeck and RPV over these serious actions on the part of Findlay and Whitbeck.
I, and my 7th District ticket mates, are running for SCC on a platform of accountability and transparency. I would ask that the sitting SCC conduct your affairs accordingly, and I am calling for a review of the recent actions of the Chairman and the Executive Director of the Republican Party of Virginia. Anything less is a dereliction of duty and a slap in the face to the respected members of our party.
The RPV finds itself at a crossroads. Will we seek accountability, transparency and integrity? Or will we take the well-traveled road of deception, retribution, revenge, and dishonor? We owe it to our nation’s founders and to our children’s children to seek those great ideals that made us a nation for all other nations to emulate. Truth always prevails in the end.
Ron Hedlund is a former unit committee chairman in Allegheny County and a noted member of the “Brat Pack” who helped successfully unseat Rep. Eric Cantor (VA-07) in 2014. Hedlund is currently running for RPV 7th District State Central Committee.
