VAPBA Division President Responds to Unsubstantiated Claims and False Comments Made by Law Enforcement Today Writer Kyle Reyes

Jan 26, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         

Contact: Rich Goszka

VAPBA Staff Representative

rgoszka@sspba.org 

January 26, 2026 – Virginia Police Benevolent Association President Joe Woloszyn issued the statement below to his membership of over 10,000 law enforcement officers. 

I was recently made aware of an editorial published in Law Enforcement Today by Kyle Reyes of We Back Blue, a 501(c)(3) organization, calling out both the Southern States Police Benevolent Association (SSPBA) and the Virginia Police Benevolent Association (VAPBA) over VAPBA’s endorsement of Abigail Spanberger for governor of Virginia.

First and foremost, the decision to endorse Gov. Spanberger was made solely by the VAPBA division and not by the SSPBA board. While it is true that I sit on the SSPBA board, I also serve as president of VAPBA. It was in my capacity as VAPBA president that I led the screening process and endorsement of Gov. Spanberger.

As a division of SSPBA, VAPBA followed the longstanding SSPBA policy governing political screenings and endorsements. That policy requires the establishment of a screening committee to interview candidates. Based on those interviews, candidates are scored by the committee, and endorsement requires at least 60 percent of the votes cast. The 2025 VAPBA screening committee consisted of more than a dozen VAPBA members who are actively employed as law enforcement officers.

No member dues are used to fund political donations. All political contributions are made exclusively through the PBA Political Action Committee (PAC), which is entirely separate from the organization’s general operating funds. The PAC is funded solely by a voluntary contribution of fifty cents ($0.50) per month from members. Members may discontinue their contribution at any time by contacting the PBA Membership Department.

In his article, Reyes accuses VAPBA of dishonestly and surreptitiously announcing the Spanberger endorsement. This is categorically false. On August 13, 2025, VAPBA notified its membership by email of the endorsement.

Reyes further claims that VAPBA ignored members who “forcefully, clearly, and in overwhelming numbers” pushed back against the decision. While we acknowledge that some members raised questions or expressed disagreement, the pushback was neither forceful nor overwhelming. We responded to every member who contacted us, explained our process, and answered their questions. We are not afraid to engage with our membership—quite the opposite. Transparency and accountability to our members are core principles of our organization.

Reyes also alleges that VAPBA conspicuously skipped all of Gov. Youngkin’s events. This assertion is entirely false. VAPBA proudly endorsed Gov. Youngkin in 2021. What followed was four years of being ignored by both the governor and his administration. We did not skip his events—we simply were not invited. This experience was not unique. Under former Gov. McAuliffe, whom VAPBA did not endorse, we were repeatedly promised meetings and engagement, only to be shut out once again. In both administrations, access and dialogue were promised but ultimately denied.

By contrast, Gov. Spanberger invited VAPBA to participate in her inaugural parade, appointed a VAPBA staff representative Rich Goszka, to her transition team, and sought our input on qualified candidates for leadership roles within her administration. In fact, we have maintained an open and ongoing dialogue with her staff since she first ran for Congress in 2018, even though we did not endorse her during her second term. Gov. Spanberger also kept her promise to us by working tirelessly to bring an end to the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision. As a result, she has put more money into the pockets of countless law enforcement officers and other government employees when they reach retirement age. That is what meaningful engagement looks like.

Additionally, during her screening, Gov. Spanberger explicitly committed to vetoing any legislation that would eliminate qualified immunity—a commitment she also reiterated to the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association. She further reinforced that commitment by appearing on national television alongside the Virginia Police Benevolent Association and law enforcement officers from across the Commonwealth, where she publicly affirmed her support for preserving qualified immunity for law enforcement officers in Virginia.

Reyes also accuses VAPBA of threatening “IRS complaints,” “livelihoods,” and “families.” This allegation is not only false but defamatory. At no time did we threaten anyone. We never communicated with anyone at the Mid Atlantic Charity Foundation, also known as We Back Blue. We are aware only that a third party pointed out that the Mid Atlantic Charity Foundation risked jeopardizing its charitable status by violating well-established IRS regulations that prohibit 501(c)(3) organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates.

Reyes further accuses VAPBA of taking undue credit for the successful pardon of Officer Wesley Shifflett. While others may have played a role, SSPBA and VAPBA stood with Officer Shifflett from the very beginning. SSPBA fully funded his defense and all appeals at a cost of approximately $500,000, and we continue to finance both his disciplinary appeal and his effort to retain his law enforcement certification.

When Officer Shifflett was taken into custody following his trial, SSPBA and VAPBA organized a highly visible advocacy campaign urging Gov. Youngkin to act. We launched a Fast Democracy email campaign that mobilized our membership and generated hundreds of messages to the governor’s office. Within two days, Gov. Youngkin commuted Officer Shifflett’s sentence. We continued to fund the appeals process even after the commutation, and we were gratified when Gov. Youngkin issued a full pardon just before leaving office.

SSPBA and VAPBA have represented law enforcement officers since 1987. Over that time, we have assisted many thousands of officers, and we are proud of that record. We will put our commitment to law enforcement up against any organization. We make no apologies for standing up for our members — that is our mission and the reason we exist.

We have nothing to hide. The more appropriate question is what Mr. Reyes has done for law enforcement.

The Virginia Police Benevolent Association is a division of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association, Inc., a not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to improving the law enforcement profession.  PBA members are full-time or retired employees of the various federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement and correctional agencies in Virginia.  This professional association, funded by membership dues, provides legal, legislative, disciplinary and other representation to member officers as well as an accidental death benefit to members’ beneficiaries.  The PBA prohibits members from engaging in or condoning any strike by law enforcement officers, electing instead to represent members through aggressive political action. For more information, please visit our website at www.vapba.org.

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