Please note that due to the specific circumstances of the character's faceclaim, the spoiler image does not represent a 100% accurate image at this point in time, but it will come 2010-2012. I apologise for any inconvenience that may be caused by this.
Character Application and Information Sheet
NS Nation Name: Greater Arab State
Character Name: Thomas Volker
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 44
Character Height: 5'11
Character Weight: 180 lbs
Character Position/Role/Job: Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (2007-Present), Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (2001-2007), Chair of the House Committee on Administration (1999-2001), Representative for Missouri’s 8th Congressional District (1995-Present), Representative for the 145th District of the Missouri House (1989-1995)
Character Country/State of Birth: Missouri
Character State of Residence: Missouri
Character Party Affiliation: Republican (1976-Present)
Faceclaim: Mark Meadows
Main Strengths: Knows where the bodies are buried, strong connections both within his district and across Missouri on account of both his tenure in the state legislature and his House career, noted reputation as an organiser and diligent worker
Main Weaknesses: Representative of a minority faction of the GOP, staunch ideological stance doesn't endear him to moderates, weak on economic policy, has a skeleton or two from his career as a state legislature and his first years in the House
Biography:
Thomas Volker was born on the 22nd of December 1962 in the small town of Leopold, Missouri. The firstborn of Rudolf Volker (1938-Present), a then-Captain serving in the United States Army and Grace Volker (née Dare) (1940-Present), Thomas enjoyed a comfortable upbringing steeped in discipline and a strong emphasis on the family’s Lutheran faith, unusual in the largely Catholic community of Leopold.
Academically, the sole Volker son performed well, albeit not to any extent significant from that of his peers.
Politically, Thomas’ convictions, naturally Conservative due to his upbringing, were firmly consolidated by the influence of his maternal grandfather, a retired attorney who whilst studying at the Washington University in St Louis’ Law School, led the University’s chapter of the America First Committee, and who was currently serving the first of two terms as Prosecuting Attorney for Bollinger County after his election in 1960. This culminated in Thomas joining the Republican Party at the earliest date he could. It was also during his schooling that the young Volker met Torrie Kaiser, who had recently arrived to the state. The two developed a close relationship, culminating in marriage in 1985.
After graduating high school in 1981, Thomas proceeded to study Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies at Washington University in St Louis, where he continued to show a strong academic performance whilst also actively involving himself in the university’s College Republicans, during which he secured an internship with then-White House Communications Director (Not-Pat Buchanan) in the months prior to his graduation in 1985, enabling the Missourian to develop a nascent political network within the conservative movement, as well as a strong relationship with the conservative stalwart. After graduating, Thomas enrolled in the University’s School of Law, studying a joint JD/LLM in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution, where he was noted for being particularly skilled in terms of preparation during mock trials, a matter which the law student used to compensate for what was generally an otherwise dull presentation. Having graduated in 1987, Thomas found work at the small law practice which counted amongst its founding partners his late grandfather. Although the work the young attorney took on was for the most part unremarkable, it enabled Thomas to network further within his little corner of southeastern Missouri, something which would prove a substantial benefit within the next year.
Come 1988, the incumbent Republican State Representative for the 145th District announced their retirement from the state legislature, thus leaving the seat open. Seeing his opportunity, Thomas ran for the Republican primary, emphasising his social conservative credentials as well as the commitment to moral standards shown during his time in private practice. After winning the Republican primary with 46% of the vote, Volker easily won the general election. Representative Volker’s tenure in the Missouri State House was one that saw attention drawn to the freshman, largely as a result of the Republicans being in a minority throughout his time in Jefferson City.
Nevertheless, Thomas was able to achieve some legislative success through sponsoring a bill seeking to strengthen community banks by cutting regulation on them at the state level, with the bill being signed by Governor (Not-John Ashcroft) in 1991.
However, the State Representative garnered some controversy in the state after endorsing the insurgent campaign of his mentor (Not-Pat Buchanan). Furthermore, the early 90s also saw Representative Volker representing the interests of the-then growing 'patriot movement' in a number of cases, particularly regarding the scope of the federal government's powers. Although these efforts would cause Thomas to develop a reputation as a firebrand in Missouri, it enabled him to build support amongst staunch conservatives in the region by carving out a unique niche which up to that point had been unrepresented in either state or federal politics, and which would provide the Missourian with an opportunity in the immediate future.
As 1994 approached, and now in his own third term, Thomas Volker announced his campaign for Missouri’s 8th Congressional District after (Not-Bill Emerson) declined to run for another term. Running as a “trade-sceptical” conservative, and emphasising his own credentials on family values, State Representative Volker handily won the primary with 53% of the vote. Despite now being the Representative-Elect in all but name, Thomas continued to run an active campaign during the general election, emphasising his conservative credentials on family values and law and order in traditionally Republican areas whilst at the same time using his “trade-sceptic conservatism” in an attempt win over traditionally Democratic and union voters in the Lead Belt region. And so, Thomas Volker was duly elected to represent the 8th Congressional District of Missouri with 64% of the vote, a narrow gain from that won by his predecessor in the previous cycle.
His freshman term in the House saw Congressman Volker draw little attention initially, with him regularly voting the party line on legislation. However, that changed when the Missourian endorsed (Not-Pat Buchanan)‘s primary campaign in 1996. Thomas’ stumping for the candidate within his district enabled his ally and mentor to win the states delegates. Nevertheless, Volker’s support for the candidate would prove to be troublesome after his endorsee dropped out during the convention, leaving the freshman Congressman to deal with a displeased House leadership.
As a consequence of his support for the insurgent candidate, Thomas was denied a seat on the House Judiciary Committee and was instead placed at what was perhaps the worst place for an ambitious legislator to find themselves, the House Administration Committee. Nevertheless, Congressman took to his committee assignment as well as one could with such a committee, whilst also working his way back into favour with the GOP leadership by doing the rounds of news outlets during the impeachment of (Not-Bill Clinton) in which he defended the impeachment on the grounds of the presidency requiring only those individuals with the “highest moral fortitude and sense of public service, capable of representing the fundamental values and hopes of the American people”.
Moreover, Congressman Volker also improved his working relationship with the leadership by actively throwing himself into the work of the Administration Committee. As the new millennium, and with it a new set of primaries drew in, Volker’s chance finally came.
Initially, the Congressman endorsed his old mentor (Not-Pat Buchanan) out of a sense and loyalty to the elder statesman of the paleoconservative movement. However, the latter's withdrawal from the primaries and, despite the efforts of his protege, campaign for the Reform Party nomination caused Thomas to endorse the campaign of (Not-George W. Bush) based on both the candidates non-interventionist leanings, as well as providing the Missouri with a further opportunity to ingratiate himself within the GOP. Congressman Volker actively stumped for the Governor during both the primary and general elections. Finding himself now in favour, Thomas was moved up from the Administration Committee, where he had served as chairman since 1999, to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. However, his new found favour was overshadowed by the beginning of the War on Terror in response to the attack against the United States on September 11th 2001. Despite his scepticism towards foreign interventions, Thomas was for the most part supportive of US troop deployments in both Afghanistan and, to a lesser extent, Iraq, on the grounds that the United States was the direct victim of an attack by its enemies.
However, this soon proved to be detrimental to the Missourian as the situation in Iraq stagnation as the insurgency developed. Moreover, the uncovering of the extent to which the (Not- George W. Bush) Administration had used 'enhanced interrogation techniques' in gaining information from detainees had provoked a backlash both within Congress and amongst the electorate, backlash which Congressman Volker was acutely aware of due to the remit of his congressional committee. This culminated in the Democrats retaking Congress for the first time in 12 years and with it, the majority on the Oversight Committee. Having lost his Chairmanship of the committee, and still in a minority within the Republican Party, the Congressman finds himself working away on means through which to strengthen his faction's position within the GOP, and with it, establish a more authentic conservative movement.
Other Info:
Thomas Volker has been married to Torrie Volker (née Kaiser) for 21 years. In that time they have had five children: Thomas Jr (Born September 1989), Sarah (Born April 1991), William & John (Born January 1993), and Madeleine (Born November 1999).
I have read and accepted the rules of the roleplay: Greater Arab State
Do Not Remove: DRAFT123123
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 1:17 pm