David Dietrich is a former chairman of an electoral board in Hampton, Virginia, who is under fire for using a racial slur in a Facebook post that called for a lynching.
The post referred to two prominent Black military officials. It has caused major controversy, with everyone from the Republican Party of Hampton to the state’s governor calling for Dietrich to resign, which he eventually did, according to WAVY.com.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Facebook Post Used a Racial Slur & Called for a ‘Good, Public Lynching’
Hampton Republican Party
The Republican Party of Hampton, Virginia, shared a copy of what it said was a Facebook post from Dietrich dated February, 2021. It’s titled “military purge.” Heavy has posted it above but blurred out the full racial slur, which was the “N” word.
It starts, “This situation with the United States military is getting more disgusting and dangerous by the day.”
The post criticized Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who is Black, for “standing down the military to ferret out ‘white nationalists.’ In other words, he wants to remove conservative, freedom-loving Americans from the roles.”
He then criticized the appointment of retired Gen. Russel Honore, who is also Black, to review “security infrastructure” at Capitol Hill, writing, “to listen to this guy, you would think he was a Black nationalist.”
The post accused the leaders of being “vile and racist,” adding, “there’s no way to describe them other than in terms their own people understand. They are nothing more than dirty, stinking (N word). We are being forced into a corner by these enemies of the people. If it is civil war they want, they will get it in spades. Perhaps the best way to pull us back from the brink is a good public lynching.”
The Facebook post is still visible on Dietrich’s Facebook page.
2. The Republican Party Asked a Chief Judge to Remove Dietrich
The Republican Party of Hampton shared a copy of Dietrich’s Facebook post and called on him to resign, writing on Facebook,
Republican Party of Hampton Reiterates Request for the Resignation of David Dietrich from his Position as Electoral Board Member
April 7, 2022
Late last week, the Republican Party of Hampton was made aware of a Facebook post from David Dietrich, a Hampton Electoral Board Member. In the post, Mr. Dietrich uses abhorrent and unacceptable racist language that has no place in our Party or our Commonwealth.
Immediately after learning of the Facebook post, the Republican Party of Hampton demanded Mr. Dietrich’s resignation. In light of Mr. Dietrich’s refusal to resign, the Hampton City Republican Party has asked the chief judge of the Hampton Circuit Court, the appointing authority for all electoral board members, to remove Mr. Dietrich from his position.
The Hampton City Republican Party unequivocally condemns all forms of racism and bigotry, and specifically condemns the language employed by Mr. Dietrich.
According to WAVY.com, he has resigned his position.
3. The State’s Republican Governor Called the Words ‘Abhorrent’
As governor, I serve all Virginians. I won’t accept racism in our Commonwealth or our party. The abhorrent words of a Hampton Roads official are beyond unacceptable and have no place in Virginia. It’s time to resign.
Governor Glenn Youngkin called Dietrich’s words “abhorrent,” and he called on Dietrich to resign.
“As governor, I serve all Virginians. I won’t accept racism in our Commonwealth or our party. The abhorrent words of a Hampton Roads official are beyond unacceptable and have no place in Virginia. It’s time to resign,” Youngkin tweeted.
4. Dietrich, Who Was Chair of the Hampton Electoral Board, Called Donald Trump’s Election ‘Magnificent’
Dietrich is still listed on the website of Hampton’s Electoral Board. The website says, “Every city and county in Virginia has a three-member electoral board whose duties include: appointing the general registrar, training the officers of election, preparing ballots, conducting the election and certifying election results.”
Dietrich’s Facebook page contains other posts that say things like:
“When will real Americans stand up to this tyranny and destruction of our country?”
“Biden’s legal children in cages.”
One post praised President Donald Trump, starting,
…Obama was the beginning of the end of America as we know it. He made this clear with his ‘fundamental transformation’ speech, followed by his subsequent actions. Hillary Clinton was supposed to have been the end of the beginning, the final nail in the coffin of the American Dream. Then something magnificent happened: Donald Trump was elected. This monumental event was catastrophic to the liberal, progressive, communist, one world order plans. The rogues morgue of Satan worshipers had already measured the drapes.
Dietrich has been writing letters to the editor since at least 2013.
Dietrich wrote a letter to the editor in August 2013 to the Daily Press in which he lamented what he called “more distressing behavior by these officials than even the circus act demonstrated by those in Washington.”
“I’ve been actively participating in the public forum of the Hampton City Council for a couple of years now. It’s difficult to make a strong case in the mere three minutes given to speakers during the allotted Public Comment Period. But, as good citizens, we must do what we can to hold our elected officials accountable for their actions,” he wrote.
He added, “The contempt these people show for the common man and the passivity with which we take this treatment only serve to make them more brazen.”
5. Dietrich Runs a Crisis Management Company
Dietrich’s Facebook page says he “studied at Southern Illinois University Carbondale” and “went to New Trier High School East.” He lives in Hampton, Virginia.
In 2014, he ran for Hampton School Board. On Facebook, he wrote that he was starting an emergency management company called Get Ready! Its website says, “Our mission is to help people prepare for emergency situations through education, products, and consultation. We believe that you should prepare for crisis situations the same way you plan to send your children to college or for your retirement.”
His LinkedIn page says that Dietrich, 62, is owner of that company.
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