Jeffrey Slaven, the North River Supervisor facing possible criminal charges for allegedly trying to get a state employee fired, could now also be facing removal from the Augusta County Republican Committee.
Slaven, according to information from the Virginia Public Access Project, made a $500 donation on Oct. 7 to the campaign of John Higgs, the independent candidate challenging Republican incumbent Scott Seaton in the Wayne District Supervisor race.
The issue for Slaven, who is running unopposed as the Republican nominee for re-election to his North River seat in next week’s election, with his status as a member of the county GOP committee has to do with what we’re told is an internal party rule about campaign donations.
Slaven, according to VPAP, made a $300 donation to the re-election campaign of another independent candidate, the Augusta County Sheriff, Donald Smith, back in the 2019 election cycle.
Smith, that year, was challenged by a Republican candidate, Neal Kester.
According to two members of the Augusta County Republican Committee with knowledge of the party’s internal rules, any party member who makes campaign donations to candidates outside of the party is automatically removed from party membership.
A review of the party’s by-laws, posted on the Augusta County Republican Committee website, confirms this – noting that a “member who publicly support(s), makes a monetary contribution, or works on behalf of a
candidate in opposition to a Republican nominee shall have their ACRC membership removed
for a period of 4 years.”
The by-laws do allow for reinstatement for a member removed under this rule “by a majority vote of the other
members of the ACRC, prior to said 4 years, if so requested in writing.”
That issue would be secondary to possible criminal charges in the matter involving the alleged effort involving Slaven and Gerald Garber, the Middle River Supervisor, to retaliate against Sheryl Halsel, a Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services employee, for working with Seaton back in the summer as Seaton tried to get the county to address issues with the regional animal shelter.
Halsel laid out the plot by Slaven and Garber to get her removed from her job in a complaint lodged with Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tim Martin on Oct. 15.
Martin, on Thursday, recused himself from leading the investigation, citing his relationships with the people involved in the case.
Martin is now seeking to have a substitute prosecutor named to lead the investigation into the allegations from Halsel.
If criminal charges were to end up being brought in the case, Slaven and Garber could face up to a year in jail.
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Chris Graham
