GOP censures Vogel over posts, reaction

Ron Vogel, a Republican candidate for the 6th Congressional District seat, told the chairman of the Chester County GOP that social media posts attributed to him that are of questionable taste were “no big deal,” and that his intention was to deny their authenticity to reporters asking about them — even as he acknowledged that they were his.

That response, as well as what was characterized as less-than-forthright interactions with the party, led to the unprecedented decision by party leaders to formally censure Vogel and wipe him from the slate of candidates for state and national office pushed by the Republican Committee of Chester County in the upcoming May 17 primary election.

According to a copy of the censure obtained by MediaNews Group, the party’s executive committee under the auspices of Chairman Dr. Gordon Eck, demanded that Vogel immediately terminate his campaign and forgo any and all benefits and support that the party was supposed to provide him as one of two recommended candidates for the seat now held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan.

That termination would include support and assistance from individual members of the Republican Committee, many of whom voted to give Vogel the endorsement to run against Houlahan in November. Further, the censure stated that the committee “disavows any comments or conduct of Mr. Ron Vogel or the Vogel for Congress congressional campaign.”

No such action has ever been taken against a local GOP candidate for such high office in recent memory.

Meanwhile, Vogel went on the offensive over the weekend, posting a nearly five-minute-long video on his campaign website saying that criticism against his past social media posts as anti-semitic, sexist and racist were based on “half-truths” promoted by his political opponents.

He said that the two video clips tied to his personal Facebook page were meant to be humorous and satiric, even as they showed images of Adolph Hitler, and one featured a song titled, “Hitler Was A Sensitive Man.”

“I grew up in the generation that watched ‘South Park’ and

listened to (the rapper) 50 Cent,”

said Vogel as he sat in front of a shelf full of books. “And like most people I have said some things that are edgy.

“But I will say this: I am terribly sorry if you felt uncomfortable with any of the words that were presented (in the posts),” he told those watching the video. “I don’t intentionally try to offend anyone and that was never intended to do so in any of those cases.”

He asked the viewers to forgive those of his political opponents who he said had tried to “smear” him by distributing the videos. “We all are human and make mistakes,” Vogel said.

Vogel, who issued a statement last Tuesday announcing that he was suspending his campaign because of fear of continued harassment of his family only to reverse that decision the following day, was apparently back on the campaign trail over the weekend. He posted photos of appearances at Hershey’s Mill development and at a party function in Uwchlan, although it was unclear when the photos were taken. He still remains of the ballot in Chester and Berks counties.

He could not be reached for comment on the censure Monday.

The 36-year-old Realtor who lives in Charlestown Township was virtually unknown in political circles until January when he announced that he would make his first-ever foray into elective politics. He said that his aim in running for Congress was to unite a fractured nation and promote ideas of of “peace, love, prosperity, freedom, and opportunity” if elected.

But he also began promoting other conservative ideals, including the fight against transgender athletes in school sports, and sidestepped questions as to whether President Joe Biden won the 2020 election though fraud or cheating.

In the official censure resolution, dated April 25 and delivered to Republican committee members Sunday, the interaction between Vogel and party leaders over his social media posts beginning in March 2020 is described in detail. The censure characterizes the posts as “racist, antisemitic, misogynistic and/ or homophobic.”

One of the videos on YouTube includes a portion of a song titled, “Hitler Was A Sensitive Man,” and shows a photo of the Nazi leader with a bouquet of flowers. The artist who recorded the song goes by a pseudonym that includes a derogatory term referring to women.

The second appears to show Vogel exchanging texts on Facebook with two men that use a racially charged slur for Black people — although in the texts Vogel himself sent the specific word is not used, only an abbreviation for it and a word using typographical characters for the slur.

Finally, another screenshot of a post that Vogel allegedly shared from YouTube shows an image of Adolph Hitler supposedly angry about the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. In his comments, Vogel refers to it as “the FUNNIEST video I have seen in a long time.”

In a conversation that month with committee members and its vice chairwoman, Vogel admitted to sending or receiving the posts many years ago, but that his “political advisors” advised him to “just ignore the situation.” Those he spoke with urged him not to ignore the issue and to address it. But it was not until a reporter from MediaNews Group began asking questions about the posts in late April that Eck personally spoke to the candidate about the matter, according to the resolution.

Eck “learned that Vogel’s plan was to ‘deny, deny, deny.’ Vogel explained that the social media posts were a decade old, when he was younger and while he posted some inappropriate things they were ‘no big deal.’” Eck, however, warned that the posts could be “lethal to his campaign.”

After some discussion about how to respond to questions from the press, a phone call among Eck, Vice Chairwoman Felice Fein, party Solicitor Michael Taylor, and Vogel and an unnamed political consultant” was held April 20. The committee urged Vogel to take the matter seriously and address it and apologize.

Those on the call, the resolution states, “expressed that the public is very forgiving and will understand that he is older and wiser now. Then, after addressing the situation, (he should) pivot to something positive in his campaign.

However, Vogel and his consultant “remained defiant,” with the consultant expressing that “the only people taking this seriously were Vogel’s opponents and people of no significance.” Eck fought back, saying that “many serious and dedicated people” had concerns about the posts and how the news of them would resonate.

The consultant was not identified in the censure, but is believed to be Matthew Braynard, a political strategist who operates a consultancy called External Affairs in Virginia. Braynard, who issued the first official response about the posts from Vogel, has drawn attention for his work defending some of those who stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Jan 6, 2021. Vogel’s campaign has paid External Affairs more than $9,000 in fees for “strategic consulting” since the campaign began, according to FEC reports.

At some point, Vogel and his campaign agreed to share with the committee its prepared response to questions from the press so that it would not be “blindsided.” Nevertheless, the campaign issued a statement without sharing it with the committee beforehand.

In it, Vogel denied he was responsible for the posts, and instead blamed “cancel culture” and “fake news” for paying attention to them.

He suggested one of his opponents in the race, whom he did not identify, was using them to attack his stance on transgender women in female athletics — although those matters do not enter into the social media posts.

“Let me be clear: these images are doctored, fake, or wildly out of context, and they will not stop my campaign or stop me from speaking out in defense of our daughters, sisters, and mothers,” his statement read, even though he had previously acknowledged having shared them, and has now admitted they were his.

“Rather than taking responsibility, the press release continued to deny, deflect and portray Vogel as a victim,” the committee resolution reads.

After the issue of the social media posts appeared in the press, Vogel and Eck spoke again. During that exchange, Vogel called Taylor, the party solicitor, “a total snake” and apparently suggested that Eck had derailed his chances. When Eck reminded Vogel he had broken his promise to communicate with the committee his press release, the candidate responded “Ha, ha, ha.”

The conversation then ended, according to the resolution. But the criticism of Vogel was just beginning — including a blunt call from county Commissioner Michelle Kichline calling for Vogel to drop out of the race because of the posts.

On Monday, April 25, the GOP executive committee met for two hours at party headquarters in West Chester, at which time it was learned that Vogel had other questionable posts on social media sites. After examining its options, the committee decided to issue the rebuke of Vogel, calling his actions to “deny and defect” a “disservice to the citizens of Chester County” that could not be condoned.

By Wednesday, Vogel’s photo was gone from the list of endorsed or recommended candidates of the party’s website.

“These last few weeks have been eventful for the RCCC,” Eck said in emailing the censure to committee members. “How did we go from having a person recommended for Congress one week to being censured by the Executive Committee ten days later? There is understandably a wide range of emotions and confusion.”

Vogel