Gilmore: '1994 borders are the only option in Ukraine'

By Jim Gilmore

As Washington watches events unfold in eastern Ukraine with great concern, the United States must exert its diplomatic muscle to assure Kiev that the only solution to the crisis in Crimea is a complete return of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine, and a declaration by Russia that their annexation is null and void.

Restoration of the captured territory must be the U.S. policy, especially in the face of continuing pressure on Eastern Ukraine.

Other policy measures and compromises will not work, and the United States, NATO and the community of civilized nations must act to assure the government in Kiev that Russia’s land grab will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom worked with Russia to secure the Ukrainian nuclear arsenal leftover from the Soviet years, transferring those weapons from Ukraine back to Russian soil. This agreement, commonly referred to as the Budapest Memorandum, reaffirmed the existing borders of Ukraine – extending through Crimea to the shores of the Black Sea.

By conquering Crimea, Russia has violated its own written commitments, and has rendered null and void the commitments of the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Brushing aside U.S. and U.K. guarantees is most destabilizing and very dangerous.

Additionally, global initiatives to stop nuclear proliferation are dead if a country who gave up its nuclear arsenal, and whose borders were guaranteed is rendered helpless to invasion by a nuclear power.

Should United States and her allies accept the policy position and premise of the Russian conquest of Crimea, Russia will effectively be free to invade and conquer any territory occupied by native Russians and those areas where Russian is spoken. Allowing such aggression reawakens the old Soviet policy of “Russification” whereby Russia occupied countries to culturally take over countries to be added to the Russian empire.

The current situation exposes the unfocused and inattentive foreign policy under the Obama administration and secretaries of State Clinton and Kerry. Attempts by President Obama to minimize the actions of the Russians by calling them a “regional power” are absurd. Russia is a global power, and takes actions for good or evil on a worldwide scale.

Potential resolution of the crisis is made more difficult by such an dismissive statement by the President. The so-called “sanctions” doled out by the West are weak and ineffective. U.S. sanctions have only led to Russian counter-sanctions and expose the sanctions reaction as ineffective.

Direct military intervention, however, will not end the Russian occupation of Crimea. It is too late. The message the United States is currently sending by reducing our military capacity is that we are tired, and disillusioned after a decade of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The U.S. and its NATO allies must commit themselves to a strong policy to reverse Russia’s Crimean conquest. We must refuse to deal with Russia as an international partner so long as they lay claim to Crimea. NATO must resolve to place soldiers in vulnerable countries along the Russian periphery: not enough to imply aggressive action against Russia, but to make it clear that further Russian invasion will have to go through NATO soldiers.

Acting in good faith, the West has intertwined itself with Russia over the last several decades. Untangling those connections is not desirable, but the U.S. and NATO did not create this new Cold War. Some pain now may avoid much a greater disaster in the immediate future if the Crimean conquest is allowed to stand in the name of forgiveness and a new “Reset.” Russia cannot count on “business as usual,” as it comes out of a policy of aggression.

Finally, we, as citizens must guard against allowing President Obama to negotiate a face-saving deal that would effectively allow Russia to benefit from its illegal action. Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has stated that he would seek the return of the Crimea if he were still President. Yanukovych would never have made such a pronouncement without direct consultation with Russian President Putin. This may very well be a trial balloon to achieve a long term Russian strategic goal. A deal could be offered by the Russians to return the Crimea, subject to the Kharkiv Accords, in return for granting more autonomy to the provinces of Ukraine, which could then be subverted by Russia. The deal could include the return of Yanukovich, who can claim to be the democratically elected President of Ukraine, with elections in the future unsupervised by any neutral group or power.

President Obama’s inept foreign policy might seize upon a deal to give the appearance that he is a great conciliator who defused the Crimean crisis. But this would be a replay of the successful Russian ploy that forces the Administration to abandon his goal of the removal of Assad in Syria, in return for a meaningless deal to secure Russian cooperation (nay leadership) in securing Syrian chemical weapons. That deal secured Russian strategic interest in Syria, and defeated an American policy of removing a dictator hostile to the U.S. and its allies. A repeat of such a sorry deal in the Ukraine only postpones and may make inevitable the next Russian outrage, until miscalculation leads to a general war with catastrophic consequences for all mankind.
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Jim Gilmore is the president and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation. He served as governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002 and as Republican National Committee chairman from 2001 to 2002.

NOTE: This editorial originally appeared in the April 14, 2014, edition of The Hill.

Gilmore: Balancing Homeland Security and Civil Liberties

By Governor Jim Gilmore
Washington Examiner
March 7, 2014

Our country is currently in a struggle between the need to protect our citizens from terrorism and the need to protect the civil liberties of our citizens. How can we do both while not sacrificing either?

During my five years as chairman of the National Commission on Homeland Security, we analyzed and debated issues of national security and presented our finding to the president and Congress, which became the framework for the Department of Homeland Security.

America must never make the mistake of sacrificing liberty for security. However, an equally severe mistake would be to give up the ability to track the enemy because of a fear of government. This duality of purpose demands oversight, not dismantling.

While our security focus has been primarily on non-state entities such as al Qaeda, the past several weeks in Ukraine have been a sobering reminder of the threat we face from state actors as well. The easiest way for such entities to circumvent our security is by revealing the tools we use in order to protect our country.

A perfect example of this are the crimes committed by Edward Snowden. Some would argue he is a patriot. I can tell you those people are dead wrong. Mr. Snowden swore an oath to protect his country and, in turn, was given the trust of America.

Sen. Robert Menendez, New Jersey Democrat, said it best:

“Edward Snowden is not a whistleblower worthy of protection, but a fugitive deserving of prosecution. He violated his sworn pledge to protect classified information. He jeopardized our national security. And he betrayed the trust of the American people. This man is no hero.”

Mr. Snowden’s traitorous act is a perfect example of the dual threat we face from state and non-state actors. His actions helped al Qaeda by revealing a program used to track terrorists, while at the same time giving the world’s largest bully a propaganda tool used to legitimize its actions.

Throughout our history, the United States has committed itself to thought leadership, but today the world is more dangerous than it has ever been, and we have to do even more than we have ever done to combat the challenges we face in an unstable world.

In today’s world, we continue to have the potential for a dangerous national conflict, but we have a new construct in which international organizations grow beyond borders and endanger and threaten our country and other countries as well.

We have been staring into the face of this struggle since Sept. 11, 2001, when the Pentagon was struck in my home state of Virginia. Now we live in a more interconnected world with advanced techniques of reconnaissance and communication, intelligence-gathering and the Internet.

We are now faced with the challenge of protecting the civil liberties of our citizens while being able to successfully put our foot on the throats of terrorists who want to destroy our most sacred institutions.

As chairman of the National Commission on Homeland Security, I brought the issue of protecting our civil liberties to the forefront of the national conversation and helped establish and implement the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.

This panel was tasked with ensuring that liberty concerns are appropriately considered when implementing laws, regulations and policies used to successfully protect America against terrorism.

There are some assertions that perhaps our policies have gone too far in the wake of Sept. 11, but we believe in the well-being of our people, and we must act to ensure that our civil liberties are once again central to the national conversation about the mass collection of data.

I suggest that the intelligence community talk more about these challenges and what might happen, so if another Sept. 11-type attack occurs, the American people can shake it off and maintain their coherent narrative of who they are and what kind of people they will be.

The citizens of the United States are not yet fully engaged in the entire defense of the nation that will be necessary in the 21st century.

If the advantages of our free people are brought to bear, then even though we live in a new and dangerous world, I promise you we will prevail. We will continue to be a beacon of hope to the world.

Jim Gilmore is the president and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation. He served as the 68th governor of Virginia and 59th chairman of the Republican National Committee.

AP uses sledge hammer on reporter Bob Lewis - UPDATED

The news heard 'round the internet on Monday was long-time Richmond-based reporter Bob Lewis' firing by the Associated Press. Social media lit up as supporters from all sides of the political aisle expressed shock that his earlier suspension had turned into a pink slip as he was booted out the AP door.

The entire episode began two weeks earlier, as reported by Andrew Cain with the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

AP erroneously reported the evening of Oct. 9 that documents in a federal fraud case in Rhode Island alleged that McAuliffe “lied to a federal official” investigating Joseph Caramadre, a Rhode Island estate planner who is accused of defrauding terminally ill people.

In a bulletin that night killing the story about 90 minutes after it was first posted, AP said “the indictment did not identify McAuliffe as the ‘T.M.’ who allegedly lied to investigators.”

To hear the AP retract a story sent a shiver throughout the news world. To have the questioned article be authored by Bob Lewis was even more stunning after his 28 years with the AP.

It certainly has caused a stir in Virginia's political atmosphere. From the RTD:

Lewis and Potter “have always been fair, tough and smart. Virginians deserve dedicated reporters like them,” Gov. Bob McDonnell tweeted.

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling tweeted: “Sorry to see the AP fire Bob Lewis. Bob is one of the most respected reporters in Richmond. We all make mistakes. Bob did not deserve this.”

Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., tweeted: “AP’s Bob Lewis has been a fixture at the Va Capitol and his reporting will be missed by Virginians. Best wishes at a tough moment, Bob.”

Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va. tweeted: “Big loss for Virginia. @APBobLewis is an even-handed, talented reporter & a class act.”

As many question whether Lewis' firing was overreaction by AP, former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore took to Facebook to advocate on Lewis' behalf Monday, writing, "I add my voice calling for the AP to reinstate Bob Lewis and Dena Potter. Bob Lewis is 'Mr. AP.' They made a mistake but corrected it immediately. What if they fired every reporter who made a mistake? I got a list."

Wherever he goes, Bob Lewis will have a built-in audience of those who have followed -- and respected -- his work for years. Count me as one of them.

Update:  The reaction from Lowell at Blue Virginia and the Richmond Democrat, er, The Richmonder, confirms that reactions to Bob Lewis' firing are bipartisan even among bloggers, a good reflection of a good reporter.

Update #2: The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that a third person has been fired by the AP even as the News Media Guild has filed grievances on behalf of Lewis and his colleagues.

Conservatives opposed to wasteful spending

By Jim Gilmore
Virginia Patriot Blog

People in Washington like to throw around elegant economic theories while debating the needed economic stimulus. But whether they’re Keynesians or supply-siders, conservatives or socialists, none seem to be focusing on what state governments need and could actually make use of to help them through these tough times.

We conservatives aren’t opposed to a stimulus package. We’re opposed to waste, to further government interference in our economy, and want only to make sure the government takes action that is right, not simply expedient.

Read the complete story at Human Events.

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com

Staunton's African-American Festival

Saturday and Sunday the annual African-American Festival will be held in Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton. This is always a popular festival and the weather looks to be good ... high in 70s and clear. Lots of crafts, food, and entertainment will greet you at this free event.

The local Republicans will be there as they are each year so you can pick up campaign materials for John McCain for President, Jim Gilmore for Senate, and Bob Goodlatte for Congress. Volunteers will be manning the booth so stop in and say hello and pick up your signs and bumper stickers.

If you can't make the festival, drop by Republican Headquarters which is located at 123 Greenville Avenue across the street from Mill Street Grill. It will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Signs and bumper stickers can be picked up there, and you can sign up to volunteer for manning headquarters, phone banking, or door-to-door canvassing.

Only six weeks to go until Election Day!

Bob Goodlatte's SWAC HQs Grand Opening ... the speeches

"How is everyone on this beautiful Shenandoah Valley day?"

Congressman Bob Goodlatte addresses the crowd as
Del. Chris Saxman (left) and Del. Steve Landes (right) listen.
Roth Landes, age 6, listens with his dad.

Kids will be kids ... and they help keep us grounded.
As Del. Landes asks Del. Saxman a question, Roth offers a bite of his Twizzler.

With his dad emceeing, Roth Landes tries on the Twizzler for size ... maybe it could double as a pair of special effects glasses?


The original John McCain supporter even a year ago when everyone thought he was out of the game, Del. Chris Saxman (R-20th House) stumps for his candidate. He is co-coordinator of the Virginia John McCain campaign and will be attending the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-Saint Paul in a week.

Maryellen Goodlatte (left) listens.





It was a beautiful day in Augusta County with temps in the mid-70s as a crowd of supporters gathered on the sidewalk in front of the Bob Goodlatte for Congress headquarters in Verona. They overflowed into the parking lot, gathering around to listen to Congressman Goodlatte speak as well as Del. Steve Landes and Del. Chris Saxman.

The other elected in attendance was Augusta Commissioner of Revenue Jean Shrewsbury. Vice Chair Tom Nelson, Vice Chair Lynn Mitchell, Treasurer Emily Griffin, as well as Debbie Summers, Dick Spencer, Larry and Barbara Roller, and many others.

Staunton was represented by former GOP Chair and current Vice Chair Bruce Grover and his wife, Ruth, as well as Wally Almquest, Fonda Gardner, Doug Cline, and others. Shenandoah County was represented by Suzanne Curran who drove down for the grand opening.

The event ended shortly before noon as the Congressman prepared to head out into the 6th District to a parade and other events. Volunteers went inside headquarters to begin phone banking while others spread into the community to do some door knocking.

This is the Goodlatte Winning Weekend!

More photos to come....

Photos by SWAC Girl

Gilmore's possible senate candidacy continues to gather steam....

Jim Gilmore, former governor on his way to a run at the senate seat being vacated by John Warner, has the financial support of Harrisonburg businessman/ entrepreneur Walter Curt. To the tune of $50,000, Mr. Curt has placed his bets behind the conservative Republican. Check out Jim Gilmore's Virginia Patriot blog.

Jim Gilmore warmly received at SWAC-GOP Breakfast

"We can't be divided as a country ... we can't be divided as a Party."
Governor Jim Gilmore, SWAC-GOP Breakfast
September 8, 2007

The dining room at Rowe's was already half-full when I arrived at 7:45 which was fifteen minutes before the 8:00 start of the SWAC-GOP Breakfast. An enthusiastic group of about 50 local Republicans came out to welcome Governor Jim Gilmore to Staunton ... and they were ready to greet him when he arrived. He mingled and worked his way through the restaurant, shaking hands and talking with patrons as he made his way to the private dining room.

SWAC Chairman Kurt Michael talks with Gov. Gilmore during breakfast

After being introduced by Augusta Chairman Kurt Michael, who reminded the crowd that Jim Gilmore served as Governor of Virginia from 1998-2002 and as Republican National Committee Chairman in 2000 presidential campaign that was not decided for weeks, the Governor offered rousing remarks to stir the crowd. He was governor of the state when 9/11 occurred in 2001; he chaired the National Homeland Security committee for five years; he was in Army intelligence so he understands the national security risks we face from terrorism; he is on the board of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Staunton Chairman Anne Taetzsch (left) and Waynesboro Chairman Chris Darden (right) welcome Gov. Gilmore to SWAC.

Governor Gilmore spoke about the need for unity in the Republican Party in the upcoming elections in November, saying the "doomsday" scenario shows six Democrats could take Senate seats.

He thanked the "rank and file," as he called the grassroots, for all their volunteer help during every campaign. Money is important ... but it is not a substitute for the leadership of the grassroots.

Augusta Chairman Kurt Michael walks toward a table to welcome folks to breakfast.

He discussed transportation and improvements for I-81, and talked about how he had proposed the rebuilding of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge that carries I-95 into Washington, D.C. -- construction that is ongoing even at this time.

He worked during his administration for higher education, freezing and then lowering college tuitions to make it more affordable to more students. He worked for more jobs especially in the western part of the state

.

Delegate Ben Cline addresses the group.

We need forward-looking leadership, he urged. Leaders should not be judged by personality or other shallow benchmarks but, instead, on their leadership qualities.

Augusta Secretary Chris Green

Delegate Chris Saxman with Supervisor candidate Travis Smithdeal sitting.

Augusta Treasurer Emily Griffin visits before breakfast begins.

Local media were there to cover the event. NBC-29, WSVA TV-3, Bob Stuart from the Waynesboro News Virginian, and Chris Graham from the Augusta Free Press listened to Jim Gilmore's remarks and then interviewed him afterward.

Jim Gilmore greets Del Burchfield

Check out Jim Gilmore's blog Virginia Patriot

More coverage about Jim Gilmore's visit:

- Waynesboro News Virginian

- NBC-29

Jim Gilmore to address SWAC-GOP Breakfast

Jim Gilmore, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1998-2002, will be our special guest speaker at Saturday's SWAC-GOP Breakfast at Rowe's Restaurant in Staunton. With his name being mentioned as a possible candidate for retiring John Warner's U.S. Senate seat, this will offer an opportunity for area Republicans to hear what Gov. Gilmore has to say.

Led by Augusta County Chairman Kurt Michael, it promises to be an informative session for those interested in the future of Republican politics.

A recent addition to the Virginia political blogosphere, be sure to check out Jim Gilmore's blog, Virginia Patriot.

Reservations are required for the 8 a.m. breakfast by contacting SWAC.Girl@gmail.com with the names of those attending. Cost is $6 per person which includes meal, beverage, and gratuity. All Republicans are invited to join us on Saturday.

Jim Gilmore Bio:
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Jim Gilmore is the son of a working class parents ... his dad was a Safeway meatcutter and his mother was a church secretary. He graduated from J.R. Tucker High School and studied foreign policy at the University of Virginia. While at UVA, he joined the College Republicans, and was elected a statewide officer, and met his wife Roxane. He and Roxane today are the parents of two sons, Jay and Ashton.

A graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia School of Law, Jim Gilmore is a former chairman of the Republican National Committee. Appointed by Congress as the chairman of a Congressionally created national commission charged with making recommendations on ways to prevent and respond to terrorism, which became known as the Gilmore Commission, he has become a nationally known authority on homeland security.

He served as a member of U.S. Army counter-intelligence; was a tough crime-busting prosecutor in Virginia, a popular no-nonsense Virginia Attorney General, and a former Governor who became a champion of the taxpayers by reducing taxes on working men and woman by $1.5 billion.

Jim Gilmore is a conservative leader who says what he means and does what he says.

Jim Gilmore ... another run at public office?

Jim Gilmore, former attorney general and governor, conservative leader, UVa law school grad, former RNC Chairman, and author of the Virginia Patriot blog, has been traveling Virginia and talking about his political future, and he shared his thoughts Wednesday during a stop in Culpeper.

Speaking with the Culpeper Star Exponent, Gilmore explained why he was on his own listening tour of the state:

“This is an opportunity for me to get around the state and just listen a little bit about what we need to do to hold our Republican majority,” he said. “I want to get out here and re-establish the Republican philosophy.”

It's a surprisingly indepth article that offers a glimpse into Jim Gilmore's thoughts on a variety of issues including another run at public office. Read the entire article here.