CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Commonwealth’s Attorney Matt Hamel, elected to office in 2021 after serving on City Council, has resigned from the local Republican party, stating that it has “lost its way.”
In a letter to party chair Nicholas Proffitt dated Nov. 5, Hamel said the party “has deviated from its core principles and accepted unethical behavior as the norm.”
Hamel names prominent Republicans and current City Council members.
Hamel claims former congressman Randy Forbes threatened to withhold support for Hamel’s political campaign because Hamel would not support the party’s desire to change when Chesapeake held its elections for City Council. Hamel said Forbes’ wife Shirley Forbes raised concerns of conflict of interest — by receiving substantial consulting fees from developers, which Hamel said were in return for her influence on city council to approve those developers’ projects.
Hamel’s letter also mentions council members Amanda Newins and Debbie Ritter.
Newins was charged but eventually acquitted of elder abuse stemming from a lawsuit brought against her by her great aunt.
Hamel says Ritter “has a history of spreading disinformation and using her position to damage the reputations of those seeking to serve the city of Chesapeake.”
Hamel declined an on-camera interview for this story. 10 On Your Side reached out for comment to Randy and Shirley Forbes, Newins and Ritter.
10 On Your Side received this statement Thursday afternoon in response:
“Mr. Hamel is the first Commonwealth’s Attorney in Chesapeake’s history to weaponize the office against those who would not support him politically. He knows this behavior will no longer be tolerated by Republicans, or even many Democrats, and is trying to spin his way out of his record. The truth is, he resigned from the Republican Party of Chesapeake because he does not have the support of its membership. Additionally, Mr. Hamel does not want anyone to know that the people mentioned in his letter have done nothing wrong … except from his perspective, chosen not to support him. Voters in Chesapeake will soon restore the kind of integrity in the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office they deserve.”
Congressman Randy Forbes, US House of Representatives 2001-2017
Shirley Forbes
Council Member Amanda Newins
Council Member Debbie Ritter
Mayor Rick West
Vice Mayor John de Triquet
Council Member Daniel Whitaker
Council Member Jeff Bunn
Victoria Proffitt, Commissioner of Revenue
Nicholas Proffitt, Chairman-Republican Party of Chesapeake
Meanwhile, Hamel says he will run for re-election next year to another four-year term.