UPDATE: C4GC has disappeared the comments linked below; I cut and pasted them from the originals, so they appear here as originally made public.

At the Conservatives for Guilford County Facebook page, the announcement of Jeff Hyde's candidacy for GC GOP chair is followed by a comment by Jodi Riddleberger, who alleges that Nancy Vaughan "dug up" dirt on her husband, Barrett Riddleberger, and that this "info has been passed on to her GOP establishment friends in order to deter Jeff from continuing on in his bid for Chairman" (full text after the jump).

Vaughan tells me:

I just read Jodi Riddleberger's statement on the C4gc facebook page and she is 100% incorrect. I never went to the courthouse looking for information to discredit Jeff Hyde (he was doing such a good job of it himself) or ANY of his friends. I am NOT the person who uncovered the information in question. Her statement is scurrilous. I believe in compassion and redemption and I also believe that if you want compassion you should show compassion.

The fact is that Barrett Riddleberger's record (per the report: Indecent Liberty W/ Child, a felony) has been widely known among area journalists since his emergence as a semi-public figure; I heard about it before I ever heard of Jeff Hyde. Nobody has made a big deal of it because Riddleberger has not announced a run for office, and it was in fact long ago, but in the wake of Jodi R's comment, I guess it's about to be part of the public conversation.

Hyde, in the same comment thread at FB, says:

The Vaughan camp is not responsible for this recent release, however, they did spread it around the first time. It is Ruling Class Republicans, elitists, paranoid party people that have gotten their hands on this info and now, somehow, hope to use it to discredit a Constitutional, Conservative movement.  

I believe in the "transformative power" of Jesus Christ. Non Christians do not seem to understand this power. The scare tactic of "exposion" doesn't work with folks secure in their faith.

Vaughan says she learned about the record last week.

Comment by Jodi Riddleberger:

Unfortunately the good news was followed by bad. It has been made clear that unless Jeff drops out of the race "dirt" that was "dug up" on the Riddleberger family will be leaked to the media. Nancy Vaughan spent time at the courthouse during the election cycle trying to find dirt on Jeff's associations and she ran across an incident involving my husband from almost 20 years ago. Her info has been passed on to her GOP establishment friends in order to deter Jeff from continuing on in his bid for Chairman.

These people obviously don't understand the idea of a changed life... or Redemption. Neither are they willing to look at my husbands 15 year track record that includes a happy wife, 3 beautiful children and a successful business.

It's a pitiful plot... and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Bring it on. The New Conservative Surge is not going away. Adversity only breeds strength.

;), Jodi

Comments

[David Hoggard]

So. Since she brought it up, my interest is now piqued. What's this terrible 20 year-old Riddleberger scandal?

And why would info on Riddleberger have anything to do with Jeff Hyde's bid for the chairmanship? What's the connection? That they are both Republicans?

[Account Deleted]

Whatever "it" is that Riddleberger did one can rest assured that in Republican politics it might as well have been done last night. That's the game they play. It's normally the ultra-righties that are concerned with purity, but as we see here even the establishment can use the purity card if it serves as a means to an end.

I was involved in a campaign recently and the establishment went so far as to question the candidate's fitness because I volunteered on his campaign. It is funny though that after he won these same people are claiming all the credit for his victory.

[Account Deleted]

It really isn't hard to find these things out.

[Account Deleted]

Here is mine for fairness sake.

[Ed Cone]

I've added the link to the post, after contacting Jodi Riddleberger and attempting to contact her husband. "INDECENT LIBERTY W/CHILD (PRINCIPAL) 12/22/1993 FELON CLASS H"

[A. C.]

"INDECENT LIBERTY W/CHILD (PRINCIPAL) 12/22/1993 FELON CLASS H"

I don't understand how the two are related. Are they just good friends, or are they both associated with the act in question? Regardless, the GOP has become nothing more than the party of God, Jesus, and human perfection. You should realize that if you're gonna represent said party, you gotta practice what they preach.

[Andrew Brod]

Everyone has the same question. Why would Jeff Hyde care whether this information is released? Why would anyone think he'd care?

Obviously I'm missing something, because if there's one thing not in short supply on the far right, it's logic.

[A. C.]

Everyone knows someone with a past that could be described as "shady." Personally, I don't know any pedophiles but I know plenty of people who've abused drugs and alcohol (some still do), and I also know people who are "lucky" enough to have their name in the NCDOC database. Unless you're hiding something, why not say, "Yeah, my buddy is a reformed pedophile."? Well now that definitely wouldn't jibe with the GOP.

[Ed Cone]

As of yesterday, there was no reason (in my mind, and apparently for others) for discussing Riddleberger's past. He wasn't up there discussing age of consent laws.

Now, though, his own wife has publicly raised the issue of his record, and involved another public figure in the scrum, and is trying to influence the GOP chair race, so how is it possibly NOT open for discussion at this point?

And contrary to what Jeff Hyde writes, a lot of non-Christians understand and believe in change and redemption (the fact that many of the people involved in this story are, one supposes, Christians, is another issue). Hyde sounds a bit paranoid and eager to be a martyr -- again, for reasons that don't fully click for a lot of us. I think he's done his candidacy more harm here than Jodi's scoop did.

[Steve Harrison]

"Exposion"?

The other charge might be stale, but I'm seriously contemplating making a citizen's arrest of Jeff Hyde for taking indecent liberties with the English language...

[A. C.]

This whole thing reeks of your run of the mill GOP/Conservative SELFING.

[Andrew Brod]

And when Hyde says, "We will not let these folks steal... our children's future," just whom is he talking about?

[A. C.]

This whole thing disgusts me. What motivates a 25 year-old to go take "indecent liberties" with a kid. Better yet, why is said pedophile allowed to have children?

[Nancy Vaughan]

Once again, Jeff Hyde is accusing me of leaking the information to blogger Jeff Martin. Hyde cites a Jeff Martin October post which reads "It has been my experience that if you are handed some dirt to publish by someone who went down to the courthouse and looked it up it came from Nancy Vaughan".

For whatever reason Jeff Martin has made no secret of the fact that he doesn't like me (Maybe it's because in a FB post I mentioned something about an "unbalance blogger"). I have never met Jeff Martin and I have never spoken to Jeff Martin. It's also interesting to note that Jeff Martin says "if you are handed" - he never says that I gave it to him.

I stand by what I said yesterday (in an email to Jeff Hyde) "I did NOT "spread it around the first time" (or anytime). I was only made aware of it last week. Contrary to what you might think I wasn't down at the courthouse digging up dirt on you. We were focused on the issues. BTW, last week I was told to "Google" his (Riddleberger's) full name and the DOC link was on the second page."

Oh BTW prior to Martin's post in question, I think he accused me of putting a "hit" out on George Hartzman. From his 7-20-10 post:

From the comments at Triadwatch:

"Anonymous said…

Looks like you are playing a pretty dangerous game Hartzman.

Quite a few people wouldn’t mind if you didn’t exist.

July 19, 2010 10:50 PM

And, under that post he tagged my name Nancy "Let Them Eat Cake" Vaughan

It appears that the Riddleberger "camp" would prefer to make this story be about me than the conviction in question. I think it's the "kill the messenger" defense even though I was NOT the "messenger".

Not to belabor the point but Mr. Martin isn't exactly a fan of the C4gc crowd either. Case in point:

"Unfortunately, C4GC is not a thoughtful bi-partisan effort representing all the people, but a rabble of self-serving zealots, no better than those they purport to oppose. ... they are a dangerous pack of malcontents, bent on destruction of everything we as a community have worked so long and hard to achieve, together."

http://fecundstench.com/WordPress/?p=17677#comments

Mr. Martin and I have enjoyed a few months of detente, and I hate that this may result in more of his caustic criticisms but "que sera, sera".

BTW, I never threatened to kill George Hartzman either.

[David Hoggard]

Nancy,

Now that we glean, via C4GC, that you might be a "Ruling Class Republican" who nefariously associates with the dreaded "GOP establishment; one question begs for an answer....

Have you told Don of this?

[Fec]

Please excuse my belated notice of this. I have no evidence councilwoman Vaughan has done any of the things I have suggested. If hilarity should ensue at some later date, I can only enjoy the entertainment.

I appreciate the Councilwoman's excellent replies and regret that the content to which she refers will disappear in a fortnight.

I humbly submit that the unsubstantiated allegations I have made against the councilwoman served their purpose. Indeed, I look forward to a day very soon when she will disappear, politically.

A final caution to the councilwoman, now that she has set the record, retreat from these blogging dogs before they tear you to shreds.

[Joe Killian]

Jeff - Can I give you a call today for the story I'm working on for the N&R?

Don't seem to have a working number for you.

You can get me at [email protected] or at the office at 336-373-7028.

JK

[Fec]

Wilco. I've recreated the posts in question at VdM2