The AP has a bio of John Hager, who earlier today was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. Key facts about Hager include:*He is 70 years old, currently serving as Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education.
*Elected lieutenant governor of Virginia in 1997, was co-chairman of Oliver North's 1994 U.S. Senate campaign, "appointed in 2001 by Democratic Gov. Mark R. Warner to Cabinet-level post as the first director of Virginia's newly created Office of Commonwealth Preparedness."
*In June 2001, he was defeated by Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley for the Republican nomination for Governor.
*Hager was chair of the State Board of the Sorensen Institute
Hager began work for the American Tobacco Company in Richmond, Virginia. At American Tobacco, he served as a government affairs representative. Hager contracted polio in 1974 when his son was vaccinated for the disease. As a result, he uses a nonmotorized wheelchair for daily ambulation. Following this occurrence, Hager retired from the American Tobacco Company and began his career in politics.
By the end of December, 1975, Hager had smoked almost 3000 packs of cigarettes and had personally supplied many Vietnam veterans (many who had never tried tobacco before) with cigarettes known to cause cancer.
Wha???