Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 7, 1990 TAG: 9005070165
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Southwest bureau
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
T. Rod Layman of Pulaski was the committee's first choice for the federal prosecutor's job being vacated by John Perry Alderman.
It listed Pulaski County Commonwealth's Attorney Everett Shockley as its second choice, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kilgore from Scott County as its third choice.
Layman is a former state secretary of public safety, a former Alcohol Beverage Control board chairman, once served in the U.S. attorney's office, and was an unsuccessful GOP candidate in state House and Senate races.
But his emphasis, he said during a speech before the secret ballot vote, was that he has been active with the committee for a long time.
Ben Barringer of Tazewell County made the motion to endorse the three contenders in order, adding that the committee agreed that all three were qualified for the job.
The district Republican convention is scheduled for June 9 at the Wytheville Holiday Inn. The committee decided to wait until then to decide whether to field a candidate against Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon.
S. Strother Smith III of Washington County criticized Boucher for a fund-raising letter in which Boucher referred to Republicans as having large amounts of money available to back candidates.
State Sen. William C. Wampler Jr., R-Bristol, and Del. Jeff Stafford, R-Pearisburg, both said they hated to see Boucher go unopposed but, if a challenge was made, should have the party's financial support.
Barringer and Smith added that the party has an obligation to make Boucher defend his record.
Discussion on the subject ended when Montgomery County GOP Chairman John Beamer said the final decision should be made at the convention.
District Committee Chairman James Ferreria called a 15-minute executive session at the end of the meeting. Later, he said he discussed the internal state GOP audit leaked to the media and gave his personal endorsement of party leaders.
The audit report criticized the leadership of state chairman Don Huffman and executive director Joe Elton.
Ferreria also questioned the news media printing details of the report mailed anonymously to news outlets, arguing that it was state party property since the party had paid $4,000 for its printing.
"If a stolen car ends up in your driveway, are you allowed to use it?" he asked.
by CNB