V.I. Republican Party chair John Yob.
Following a failed effort by senators to compel his testimony, John Yob, chairman of the Republican Party of the Virgin Islands, has responded publicly, defending his absence from a legislative hearing and rejecting what he described as attempts to intrude into the party’s internal affairs.
Yob was invited to appear at Friday’s meeting of the Committee on Government Operations, Veterans Affairs, and Consumer Protection, but did not attend. He was also absent from an earlier committee meeting in August 2025, when his presence was similarly requested.
During Friday’s meeting, Carla Joseph moved to subpoena Yob, citing his repeated nonattendance. The motion, however, failed to garner enough votes to pass.
On Saturday, Yob addressed the events surrounding the failed subpoena attempt. Speaking to V.I. Consortium, he said he wished to respond to “any democrat senator who voted to subpoena to seek constitutionally protected information about the internal workings of our Republican Party.”
In a statement directed at committee members, Yob wrote that the party would be “thrilled to discuss confidential information about our Republican Party with you if you choose to switch parties to join the new Republican majority in 2027.” Until then, he said, the Republican Party “will keep our constitutionally protected internal information private and away from Democrat party interference.”
Yob said his absence from Friday’s meeting was due to his attendance at a Republican National Committee meeting in Santa Barbara, California. According to Yob, he met there with Republican leadership and White House officials to discuss “important issues for the Virgin Islands,” including BVI charter fees, customs issues, and the “timing of the VI Republican Presidential caucus.”
Because of that schedule, Yob said he had not been “following the debate in the Legislature.”
He added that the Republican Party is moving forward with preparations for the 2026 elections. Following what he described as a successful lawsuit against the Virgin Islands Board of Elections and an “agreement with the RNC that removed our prior leadership,” Yob said the party must revise its bylaws ahead of the next election cycle. He assured that the party is “working very closely with the RNC to do so.”
Yob also pointed to recent party activity, noting that Republicans hosted what he described as a “successful summer conference” in St. John last July, followed by a “highly successful” fundraiser in St. Croix. He said the party has “recruited multiple Senate candidates who will be very well funded.”
He encouraged individuals he described as being “part of the previous failed regime to focus on winning in 2026.”
Similar views were expressed by Jim Hughes, a Republican National Committee member for the Virgin Islands. Hughes said that “the Democrats and the Legislature know we are recruiting fantastic candidates who will be very well funded in the upcoming election.”
Hughes further suggested that, because of this, Democratic Party members are “trying to exert unconstitutional interference in our…process.”
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