Full Name: Ronald Donato Vitiello
Nick Names:
Office Sought: US Senate
Party Affiliation: Republican
Campaign Website:
https://www.chiefvitielloforsenate.org/
Campaign POC:
Phone Number: 202-465-2328
Campaign Email:
vitiello1@msn.com
Structured Interview Request Sent:
26 Jan 2024, 5 February 2024, 13 February 2024.
Structured Interview Response and Date: Yes, 16 February 2024.
Vetting Panel Selected: Pending
Structured Interview Completed: Pending
Biography: Ron Vitiello was born to parents whose families immigrated to America seeking freedom and opportunity from a post World War II Europe. He was born in 1963 to Robert and Regina Vitiello. His father was a first generation American, whose parents and older siblings immigrated to America from Italy. Ron’s mother and her family fled from Lithuania in 1946, just before the Iron Curtain isolated her homeland. In America, a generous farmer living near Richmond sponsored the resettlement of his mother’s family into Virginia. Ron was later born in Chicago and lived in the northside suburbs until he moved to San Diego, California at the age of fifteen.
Ron Vitiello was raised in the Catholic faith, attended public school and grew up in a working class neighborhood. As a teenager, he worked in restaurants, grocery stores, and in the airline industry. At age of 22, he became a rookie agent in the United States Border Patrol in Laredo, Texas. Shortly afterward, he met and married Nuri. Together they raised two children. His first child, Alexis, works as a successful business developer. His youngest child, Ron, is a culinary school graduate and works as a restaurant chef.
Ron’s family has moved with him over eight times during his career in the US Border Patrol. His children are now grown and he and Nuri reside in Alexandria, VA, where they have lived for over sixteen years. He is proud to call Virginia his home.
Ron Vitiello’s career was a steady climb through the ranks of the Border Patrol and he earned the top ranking position of Chief of the National Headquarters in 2017. Just a year later, in 2018, President Trump nominated Chief Vitiello to be the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.), making him the only Border Patrol Agent to have led both the Border Patrol and I.C.E.
Now retired from public service, Chief Ron Vitiello works in the private sector. He operates a consulting business and is an advisor at Axon Enterprises LLC. Axon manufactures Tasers, body worn cameras and develops software that are vital to the safety of law enforcement and their effort to keep communities safe.
Why you? Virginia needs a US Senator they can trust -one that has a proven track record of leadership experience. I was a border patrol rookie when Ronald Reagan was president and rose through the ranks for thirty-two years to be appointed by President Trump to hold the highest ranking career assignment in office of the Border Patrol. President Trump needed a Chief that had the trust and confidence of the entire agency, from the highest ranks to the rookie agents working on the front lines of the US border. My first day as a US Senator for the Commonwealth of Virginia will begin with 38 years of direct experience protecting the residents of Virginia and the people of the United States.
What are your priorities?
BORDER SECURITY: Safety and security are the most important needs of anyone before they can benefit from the blessings of living in the United States; therefore, the borders of our nation -our home- must be secured.
US ECONOMY: To achieve economic security, our nation must control the factors that lead to inflation and unemployment; therefore, federal spending must be reigned in. We have an inexcusable $34 trillion dollar federal debt that must be addressed immediately. (https://www.usdebtclock.org/)
EDUCATION: At the state level, education has increasingly become a top priority. Virginia has already led the fight on education, and I intend to build off those successful achievements. Empowering parents regarding their children’s education will be the cornerstone of my position on education policy.
ENERGY: Energy independence is critical to the US economy. Virginia has a thriving natural gas industry and our historic seaports are a critical launching point for energy exports. Therefore, I further support a policy that protects against aggressive foreign interference that could threaten our seaports, or damage our robust energy production levels.
Endorsements:
Former US Rep. Mayra Flores (R-Los Indios) has endorsed Ron Vitiello for US Senate (VA).
Former Republican Congresswoman Flores won a seat in Congress that the Democrat Party had held for over 100 years. Former Rep. Flores is running again for this seat in the 34th US Congressional District.
Education:
Master’s degree in Legislative Affairs – George Washington University,
Master’s degree in IT Project Management – University of Maryland Global Campus
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – University of Maryland Global Campus
Relevant Employment History:
Senior Executive Service Education
U.S. Border Patrol Academy, Class #174
U.S. Coast Guard Flag Officer School
Military Experience / Branch / Years of Service / Rank / Type of Discharge: None.
Past Offices Held and Tenure:
Appointed by President Donald J. Trump
Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director, 2019
Community Service:
My wife Nuri and I serve Border Patrol agents and their families by working within various faith-based communities. Together, we have organized Family Appreciation events where agents and their families are recognized, shown gratitude and given gifts of appreciation for their and their families’ service and sacrifice. Nuri and I also work with nonprofits that support both the Border Patrol and first-responder families.
These community service activities are a perpetual activity for Nuri and I, who over so many years of service have come to view the border patrol community as our own extended family.
Leadership Experience:
I have served in the highest levels of the Executive Branch of the United States in my appointed role under the Trump Administration As Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), I managed over 20,000 employees and was responsible for budgets of over five billion dollars ($5B). I also was Acting Deputy Commissioner for 13 months in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In these executive level roles, I worked closely with the House and Senate to make America more safe by advocating and instituting more strategic border patrol operations. While leading the Border Patrol, I instituted key executive policies and oversaw a reform in salary payments that was passed by congress and saved taxpayers in excess of two billion dollars ($2B). These policies led to the addition of more “boots on the ground” at our national borders and stabilized salaries for our agents in the field. As the Border Patrol Chief I also instituted a comprehensive plan to improve employee morale and Job satisfaction. The first full year in implementation job satisfaction/morale was raised 22%. I led that workforce and others to accomplish complex border security operations, that were secure and safe. My tenure as a leader is marked by accomplishment and recognition from others. In 2018 President Trump awarded me with the rank of Distinguished Executive. The award recognized sustained extraordinary accomplishment, and leadership exemplifying the highest standard of service to the public reflecting credit on the career of civil service.
Personal Strengths:
The sources of my personal strengths are as follows: I am a faithful believer in the salvation of Jesus Christ. My wife and lifelong friend, Nuri, is my steadfast source of strength. My concern for the wellbeing of others has driven me to live a life of service. I am naturally inclined toward a need to understand and help those that serve with me. I consider the constant pursuit of personal integrity to be my foundation for public leadership.
What is the most important thing Virginians need to know about you? My strength has always centered on the financial stewardship of taxpayer dollars and I intend to encourage budget cutting where possible and end wasteful spending. Virginians should know that I respect the hard work they perform to fund our government. Their tax dollars should be strategically distributed to the needs of Virginia, but also to the overall protection of our nation and the revitalization of our national economy. Virginia will be known for its financial leadership in the US Senate.
How would your friends and family describe you? My family and friends would say that I am a family-oriented man, but I am also aware of and care for other people. Despite the workload that I have carried over the years, I believe they would say “When we needed him, he would put down his work and be there for us.”
What are your thoughts on the Constitution as the Law of the Land? The U.S. Constitution is truly a gift from God and it was written by men who cherished freedom. The Constitution became the framework of the nation we know today. Our Constitution is the world’s longest surviving government charter. It protects our personal liberty and has made us the strongest, most prosperous nation on the planet. It must be upheld for the good of our people and for our children’s children. The beauty of the three branches of government is that it allows us to govern ourselves in a balanced way, while preserving our liberties.
What are your thoughts on religious liberty? Religious freedom is enshrined in the 1st Amendment and is the foundation of the other freedoms we enjoy in the USA.
What are your thoughts on the preservation of our history? We must study, remember, and teach an accurate version of our nation’s history. We should praise those who, throughout history, defended our liberty. And we can learn from mistakes that led to times when Americans fell short of being a “more perfect union.”
What are your thought on government transparency? It has become increasingly difficult to contain the size and reach of our federal government bureaucracy. Government operations, legislative activity and judicial review must be conducted with transparency. Our government officials have a duty to hold themselves accountable to “We the People.”
What are your thoughts on national defense? It is the FIRST obligation of the Executive Branch to maintain our military as the most capable force on the planet. A strong national defense prevents evil regimes and non-state actors from creating chaos in the world.
What are your thoughts on the free enterprise system? The free enterprise system is the most effective economic system known to mankind. A free market economy has lifted more people out of poverty than any other economy in history. It provides the basis for which all people can thrive and it compliments the liberty we enjoy.
What are your thoughts on the protection of the unborn? I am pro-life and I will use my seat in the US Senate to protect life. We must respect the view-points of others, even when we disagree. Furthermore, we need to encourage and support women who chose life. The Dobbs decision has passed this decision down to the State level.
What are your thoughts on the role the family plays in America? The family is typically the most effective caretaker, educator and loving presence in people’s lives. We should encourage and empower families across the Commonwealth in all ways possible.
What are your thoughts on equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes? Our right to equality has to be respected the way our Founders intended. Justice is best served while blindfolded. The concept of equity or the attempt to force equal outcomes only empowers those that want to create results of their own choosing. Everyone starts at a different point and should be allowed to thrive to the best of their ability. Promoting the idea that outcomes will be equal is a fallacy.
What are your thoughts on the 2nd Amendment? The Second Amendment was enshrined in the original Bill of Rights by our Founders. The right to “keep and bear arms” must be vigorously protected and defended.
Additional sources of information on this candidate:
https://www.instagram.com/chiefvitiello4senate?igsh=MTR2MXZvMmtldHVlZw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/2838016/border-security-official-senate-bid-virginia-ronald-vitiello/