State GOP denies appeal

By Bob Stuart

Published: May 30, 2008

RICHMOND — The Virginia Republican Party’s State Central Committee denied the appeal of Larry Roller to be chairman of the Augusta County Republican Committee on Friday, ruling that the 6th District Committee had correctly ruled Kurt Michael as chairman earlier this month.
An appeals committee reporting to the state central committee said while it was difficult to determine all the facts about the April 10 Augusta County Republican Mass Meeting, there were issues about the validity of the first portion of the meeting.
Those issues included the lack of a credential committee report or the adoption of rules, and the improper adjournment of the meeting by temporary chairman Jim Bailey.
During the first portion of the meeting, Roller was elected chairman 141 to 103. After Bailey’s adjournment, Michael took control of the meeting and assured the election of delegates to both 6th District and state conventions. He also held a second election for county chairman, winning over Roller 57-2.
Michael, reached late Friday afternoon, said he still plans to step down as chairman after a June 7 6th District meeting. But he said he was pleased with Friday’s outcome.
“I’m pleased the state central committee made the right decision,’’ he said. “I’m looking forward to working with Larry Roller and Emmett Hanger and moving this party forward.”
He said it will be up to the Augusta County Republican Committee to schedule an election for his successor.
The appeals committee said in its report that the appeal of Roller “was particularly nettlesome. Emotions on both sides have run very high since’’ the April 10 mass meeting.
Roller said Friday he did not accept the finding of the state central committee, and will consider any legal avenues left to him, including court action.
“I’m very disappointed in the state central committee,’’ Roller said.
He said a number of his supporters will confer and consider what to do next. Roller said the decision of the state central committee denies “the will of the majority in Augusta County.”
“I won’t let him (Michael) steal this election no matter what,’’ he said.
Roller was also disappointed he did not get to state his case to the state central committee Friday morning.
He asked to do so, but a member of both the state central committee and the appeals committee, Kevin Gentry of Fairfax County, said the case had been thoroughly investigated and it was time to vote on the appeal.
Gentry said “both sides had plenty of time to make their case’’ to the appeals committee.
“We gave an enormous amount of time to both sides,’’ said Gentry, who estimated the appeals committee spent seven hours on the Augusta County case.