Stephen Christopher Suprun Jr.

Stephen Christopher Suprun Jr. (born March 5, 1974) is a 9-11 responder, firefighter, and flight paramedic. He was an openly faithless elector in the 2016 election when he refused to cast his vote in the Electoral College (Texas) for Donald Trump for President and Mike Pence for Vice-President.

Early life

Suprun was born in Richmond, Virginia. Suprun is an alumnus of George Mason University where he majored in economics. He served as both a volunteer and paid firefighter/paramedic from 1992 until today. Suprun also taught for The George Washington University and US Secret Service. Suprun has published dozens of articles on fire and EMS response.[1]

Faithless Elector

A Republican elector from Texas in the 2016 United States presidential election, Suprun announced in a December 5, 2016 New York Times oped[2] he was withholding his Electoral College votes for Donald Trump for President and Mike Pence for Vice-President. Suprun ultimately cast ballots for Governor John Kasich of Ohio and Carly Fiorina of California for president and vice-president respectively. His decision was not without controversy. Suprun was attacked on a number of fronts for his decision to not vote for the Trump-Pence ticket whom he was pledged. He and his family received multiple death threats.[3]

Several Trump supporters and donors started a campaign against Suprun accusing him of plagiarism at a North Texas school, later found to be incorrect after the school issued a statement contradicting the news report, and not being a responder to the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. This report was based on a LinkedIn account that did not include his service in multiple volunteer capacities including Dale City Volunteer Fire Department. The department issued a statement stating Suprun was a member and there were multiple accounts of both Suprun on site during the response and Dale City responding.[4][5][6][7]

Suprun did state he had voted for Senator Ted Cruz in the Texas primary in an attempt to stop Donald Trump. Suprun was also closely tied as a Rubio supporter having attended multiple Rubio events in Texas and also being seen in New Hampshire where his son asked Senator Rubio about how to address the national debt. [8]

Political career

He was a delegate to multiple state Republican conventions in both Texas and Virginia. He ran unsuccessfully for the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors[9] after serving as a Special Assistant to both Republican Governors George Allen and Jim Gilmore. Democrats attempted to recruit him to run for Congress in North Texas against Pete Sessions[10] and later Van Taylor,[11] but he ultimately declined to file seeing party activists unwilling to support an independent centrist styled politician.

He did file as a Precinct Chair for the Dallas Democratic Party, running unopposed in the 2020 election.[12]

Professional

Suprun is a certified flight paramedic and former firefighter. He continues to both be a first responder and teach fire and EMS courses. Though it was alleged there was no evidence Suprun responded to the Pentagon attack after his Electoral College decision, there are multiple sources supporting his presence as a responder.[13][14]

Additionally, he responded to Washington area anthrax "white powder" calls and helped put together school shooting response plans during the Washington area sniper fears.

He was an Adjunct Instructor in Emergency Medicine at The George Washington University where he taught EMT, EMT – Intermediate, and EMT – Paramedic courses. It was here that he was part of a group who helped develop the EMS system for Oman. He later served on the Emergency Medical Services for Children National Resource Center Advisory Council and became its Chairman.[15][16][17]

Community

Suprun has been active in the community since he was a teenager. While still attending high school he was appointed to the Fairfax Area Commission on Aging.[18] He also served on the Fairfax County (VA) Environmental Quality Advisory, Fairfax County (VA) Human Services Council,[19] Prince William County (VA) Library Board of Trustees,[20] Rappahannock Area (VA) Community Services Board, and Virginia Volunteer Firefighters’ and Rescue Squad Workers Service Award Program Board of Trustees.[21][22] He has helped found multiple nonprofits including the Never Forget 9/11 Foundation, Strike Out Kids Cancer Foundation, and Townview Magnet School community foundation.

He is also an avid baseball fan who has coached and officiated high school and college baseball. In 2019, he led the Texas Rangers Junior High School RBI Program championship team and is also umpired for both the Texas Association of Sports Officials and Texas High School Umpires Association.

References
  1. "EMS and Fire Articles by Suprun". emsspeaker.com. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  2. Suprun, Christopher (2016-12-05). "Opinion | Why I Will Not Cast My Electoral Vote for Donald Trump". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  3. Bridgewater, Richard (2016-12-05). "You are a deadmanhttps://twitter.com/thechrissuprun/status/804174107554222081 …". @thenxtgreatidea. Retrieved 2019-11-30. External link in |title= (help)
  4. "DALE CITY GOES TO THE PENTAGON". Firehouse Forums - Firefighting Discussion. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  5. "Role of Volunteer Fire Service In September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks" (PDF). August 2002.
  6. "9-11 and Electoral College". Never Forget 9/11. 2019-09-12. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  7. 9/11 first responder speaks to local students, retrieved 2019-12-06
  8. Citation Needed
  9. Wee, Eric L. (1999-10-28). "SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DIRECTOR". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
  10. "TX-32 just got VERY interesting: Chris Suprun considering running against Pete Sessions!". Daily Kos. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
  11. "Plano lawyer Lulu Seikaly latest Democrat to challenge Republican Van Taylor for Congress". Dallas News. 2019-10-08. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  12. "Dallas County, Texas Democratic Party | Precinct Chair Filings 2020". dallasdemocrats.org. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  13. "Texas: (Actual) #NeverTrumper Chris Suprun running for Congress as a Democrat in TX-03". Daily Kos. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  14. "9-11 and Electoral College". Never Forget 9/11. 2019-09-12. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  15. "Symposium 2013" (PDF). April 4, 2013.
  16. "Virginia General Assembly Senate Resolution 25". Virginia Legislative Information System. 2014-01-24.
  17. "BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER KANSAS CITY HOSTS 9/11 RESPONDER CHRISTOPHER SUPRUN". The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kansas City. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  18. Vehrs, Nancy (4/10/1992). "Fairfax Area Commission on Aging". Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. Wee, Eric L. (1999-10-28). "SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DIRECTOR". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  20. "Minutes, Prince William County Board of Supervisors: March 5, 2002" (PDF). Prince William (VA) County Government.
  21. "Virginia Senate (2001) Joint Resolution 459". Virginia Legislative Information System. 2/5/2001. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. "Report of the Secretary of the Commonwealth" (PDF). 2005–2006.
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