Vance Wilkins

Shirley Vance Wilkins, Jr. (born August 12, 1936) is a retired American politician of the Republican Party. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1978 to 2002. In 2000 he became the first-ever Republican Speaker of the Virginia House and first non-Democratic Speaker since the Readjuster Party controlled the House in the early 1880s.

Vance Wilkins
53rd Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
In office
January 12, 2000 – June 15, 2002
Preceded byTom Moss
Succeeded byLacey Putney (acting)
Minority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates
In office
November 19, 1991 – January 12, 2000
Preceded byAndy Guest
Succeeded byRichard Cranwell
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 24th district
In office
January 12, 1983 – June 15, 2002
Preceded byMitchell Van Yahres
James B. Murray
Succeeded byBen Cline
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 11th district
In office
January 11, 1978 – January 12, 1983
Preceded byDonald G. Pendleton
Succeeded byA. L. Philpott
Personal details
Born
Shirley Vance Wilkins, Jr.

(1936-08-12) August 12, 1936
Amherst, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Leona Elena Ehlert
Alma materVirginia Tech (BS)
OccupationGeneral contractor
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
Years of service1958–1960

Wilkins was considered the driving force in the expansion of Republican House membership in the 1980s and 1990s, especially after he became minority leader in 1992. In his first term as Speaker, he oversaw the redistricting of the House after the 2000 census that led to an increase in the Republican majority from 52–47 (1 independent) to 64–34 (2 independents) after the November 2001 election.

Eavesdropping scandal

In March 2002, Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Edmund Matricardi III (R) pled guilty to eavesdropping on a Democratic Party conference call. State Attorney General Jerry Kilgore (R) investigated, which expanded to include Speaker Vance Wilkins and his chief of staff, Claudia D. Tucker, who pled guilty resigned, was fined $1,000 and given a year probation.[1]

Sexual harassment scandal

On June 7, 2002, The Washington Post reported that executives of Wilkins' former construction company had revealed that Wilkins had paid $100,000 to a former political staffer, Jennifer L. Thompson, to keep quiet about "unwelcome sexual advances" by Wilkins.[2] Under pressure from Kilgore and his own Republican caucus, Wilkins resigned as Speaker a week later, and then resigned from the House shortly afterward.[3]

Notes
  1. Masters, Brooke A.; Shear, Michael D. (May 9, 2002). "U.S. Joins Probe of Phone Snooping; Republicans Investigated for Allegedly Listening to Democrats' Conference Calls". The Washington Post. p. B4.
  2. Melton, R.H. (June 7, 2002). "Va. Speaker Settles Sex Complaint; Wilkins Paid Woman at Least $100,000, Denies Accusations". The Washington Post. p. A1.
  3. Melton, R.H. (June 14, 2002). "Wilkins Resigns As Va. Speaker". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
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