Stephen J. Yates

{{short description|President of Radio Free Asia, former Idaho Republican Party chairman}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Stephen J. Yates

|image = Stephen J. Yates, Idaho Republican Party Chairman (cropped).jpg

|office = President of Radio Free Asia

|term_start = December 2020

|term_end = January 22, 2021

|appointed = Michael Pack

|predecessor = Bay Fang

|successor = Bay Fang

|office1 = Chair of the Idaho Republican Party

|term_start1 = August 2014

|term_end1 = July 2017

|predecessor1= Barry Peterson

|successor1 = Jonathan Parker

|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|48|2017|7|14}}{{cite news |url=http://boisestatepublicradio.org/post/idahos-former-gop-boss-begin-lt-governor-campaign |title=Idaho's Former GOP Boss To Begin Lt. Governor Campaign |date=July 14, 2017 |access-date=January 31, 2018 |publisher=KBSX News |first=Matt |last=Guilhem }}

|birth_place =

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|education = University of Maryland, College Park (BA)
Johns Hopkins University (MA)

}}

Stephen J. Yates is an American political advisor and government official who last served as the president of Radio Free Asia.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usagm.gov/2020/12/22/stephen-yates-joins-u-s-international-broadcasting-as-president-of-rfa/|title=Stephen Yates joins U.S. international broadcasting as President of RFA|agency=U.S. Agency for Global Media|date=December 22, 2020|language=en|access-date=December 23, 2020}} He previously served as the deputy national security adviser to the Vice President to Dick Cheney from 2001 to 2005{{Cite news|url=https://2009-2017-fpc.state.gov/260333.htm|title=The 2016 GOP Platform|agency=United States Department of State|date=July 20, 2016|language=en|access-date=January 27, 2018}} and chairman of the Idaho Republican Party from 2014 to 2017.John Sowell, Idaho Statesman. "Idaho Republican Party Chairman Will Step down, May Run for Lieutenant Governor." Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID), 2017. He has been the CEO of consulting firm DC International Advisory since 2006.

Early life and education

Yates attended Brigham Young University and served as a Mormon missionary in Taiwan from 1987 to 1989. He speaks fluent Mandarin and his Chinese name is "葉望輝" (Yè Wànghuī).{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese language and literature from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Master of Arts in Chinese studies from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.{{Cite news|url=http://www.yatesforidaho.com/about/|title=Meet Republican Steve Yates|work=yatesforidaho.com|access-date=January 26, 2018|language=en}}ROCKY BARKER, Rbarker@idahostatesman.com. "Rocky Barker: 377-6484: Idaho GOP Emerges from Turmoil – After a Fiasco of a State Convention and Infighting, a New Chairman Helped Build a Well-Oiled Machine." Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID), 2014.

Career

Yates worked for the National Security Agency under the United States Department of Defense; he served as a liaison officer to the Department of Commerce.Bill Dentzer, Idaho Statesman. "Steve Yates' Curious Journey from Taiwan to Idaho Falls, via the White House." Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID), 2016. He was a senior policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation from 1996 to 2001,{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/stephen-yates-and-christian-whiton|title=Stephen Yates and Christian Whiton|work=HuffPost|access-date=January 26, 2018|language=en}} and served as deputy national security advisor to the Vice President to Dick Cheney from 2001 to 2005.

From 2005 to 2006, Yates served as a lobbyist and vice president of the global affairs practice{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/02/AR2005100200997.html|title=APPOINTMENTS|newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2005-10-03|access-date=2018-06-14|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}} for Barbour Griffith & Rogers, whose clients included Taiwan, the Indonesian National Shipowners' Association, Moneygram International, Lebanon's National Dialogue Party, and the Republic of India British Nuclear Fuels, Plc. (via a contract with Sutherland Asbill & Brennan).{{Cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/lobbyist.php?id=Y0000033288L&year=2006|title=Lobbying Spending Database Yates, Steve, 2006 {{!}} OpenSecrets|website=www.opensecrets.org|language=en|access-date=2018-06-14}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/lobbyist.php?id=Y0000033288L&year=2005|title=Lobbying Spending Database Yates, Steve, 2005 {{!}} OpenSecrets|website=www.opensecrets.org|language=en|access-date=2018-06-14}}

Yates is the founder and CEO at DC International Advisory since 2006, a consulting firm advises on managing international political risk and business opportunity.{{Cite news|url=http://www.dciadvisory.com/stephen-yates.php|title=Stephen J. Yates, Chief Executive Officer|access-date=January 27, 2018|agency=DC International Advisory|language=en}}Bill Dentzer, Idaho Statesman. "Idaho GOP Chairman Yates: I Didn't Arrange Trump's Taiwan Call." Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID), 2016. He is also a professor of the practice with the International Business Program at Boise State University.{{Cite news|url=https://cobe.boisestate.edu/blog/2017/08/professor-practice-stephen-yates-will-working-international-business-program-students/|title=Professor of the Practice, Stephen Yates Will be Working with International Business Program Students|date=August 2, 2017|access-date=January 27, 2018|agency=Boise State University|language=en}} Currently, he is a distinguished Fellow at the Hamilton Foundation.{{Cite news|url=https://professorofpractice.boisestate.edu/professors/stephen-yates-2/|title=Stephen Yates|access-date=January 26, 2018|agency=Boise State University|language=en}}

Yates served as a senior fellow and chair of the China Policy Initiative at the America First Policy Institute from 2022 to 2024 before returning to the Heritage Foundation as a senior research fellow.{{Cite web|title=Our Team: Chairs|url=https://americafirstpolicy.com/team|access-date=February 5, 2022|website=America First Policy Institute}}{{Cite web |title=Heritage Welcomes Steve Yates as Senior Research Fellow for China and National Security Policy |url=https://www.heritage.org/heritage-welcomes-steve-yates-senior-research-fellow-china-and-national-security-policy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002174607/https://www.heritage.org/heritage-welcomes-steve-yates-senior-research-fellow-china-and-national-security-policy |url-status=unfit |archive-date=October 2, 2024 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=The Heritage Foundation |language=en}}

=Political career =

Yates advised the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign's Asia team.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} He served in the 2008 Rudy Giuliani presidential campaign as a senior Asia adviser.{{Cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=95025|title=Rudy Giuliani: Press Release – Rudy Giuliani Unveils Foreign Policy Advisors|website=www.presidency.ucsb.edu|access-date=2018-06-14}} He served in the 2012 Newt Gingrich presidential campaign as a part of the National Security Advisory team{{Cite web|url=http://www.newt.org/news/gingrich-announces-national-security-advisory-team|title=Gingrich Announces National Security Advisory Team {{!}} Newt Gingrich 2012|date=2012-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207214534/http://www.newt.org/news/gingrich-announces-national-security-advisory-team|access-date=2018-06-14|archive-date=February 7, 2012}} and director.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ayaAAAAQBAJ&q=steve+yates+ron+paul&pg=PA41|title=Smart Power: Between Diplomacy and War|last=Whiton|first=Christian|date=2013-09-30|publisher=Potomac Books, Inc.|isbn=9781612346199|language=en}} He briefly ran for Idaho Republican Party national committeeman at the July 2020 convention.{{Cite web|last=columnist|first=ANTHONY TIRINO {{!}} Republican|title=Republican convention unites in support of Trump|url=https://www.postregister.com/opinion/columns/republican-convention-unites-in-support-of-trump/article_26e23be6-7f7b-5c98-8a6c-8b66279c68bd.html|access-date=2020-07-28|website=Post Register|date=2020-07-01}}

== Idaho Republican Party chair ==

Yates was elected chairman of the Idaho Republican Party in August 2014Sven Berg, Sberg@idahostatesman.com. "Sven Berg: 377-6275: Yates Settles into Role as Idaho Republican Party Chairman – The Former Dick Cheney Aide Has Political Experience, If Not Age, on His Side." Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID), 2014."New GOP Chairman Hopeful Emerges, Fox News Regular and Former Cheney Aide." Idaho Statesman, The: Blogs (Boise, ID), 2014. and was re elected in 2016;{{Cite news|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/jun/04/idaho-gop-comes-together-after-2014-debacle-re-ele/|title=Idaho GOP convention smoother this time around|work=Spokesman.com|access-date=2018-06-14|language=en}} he stepped down on April 24, 2017, to pursue the 2018 Idaho lieutenant gubernatorial primary election. David Johnston (2014–2017){{Cite news|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/may/01/former-idaho-gop-director-signs-on-as-campaign-man/|title=Former Idaho GOP director signs on as campaign manager for Ahlquist for governor campaign|work=Spokesman.com|access-date=2018-06-14|language=en}} and Lyndel Strong (2017) were the executive directors.

== Idaho lieutenant governor primary election, 2018 ==

Yates sought and lost narrowly the 2018 Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Idaho to Janice McGeachin.{{Cite news|url=http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2017/jul/18/yates-launches-lt-gov-campaign-joining-crowded-race/|title=Yates launches lt. gov. campaign, joining crowded race|last=Russell|first=Betsy Z.|date=July 18, 2017|newspaper=The Spokesman-Review|access-date=2018-01-27|language=en}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/15/us/elections/results-idaho-primary-elections.html|title=Idaho Primary Election Results|last1=Almukhtar|first1=Sarah|date=2018-05-17|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=2018-05-30|last2=Andrews|first2=Wilson|last3=Bloch|first3=Matthew|last4=Bowers|first4=Jeremy|last5=Giratikanon|first5=Tom|last6=Lee|first6=Jasmine C.|last7=Murray|first7=Paul}}

Days before the election, a flyer attacking Yates was mailed to Idaho voters, claiming hidden foreign influence and conflating support from democratic Taiwan with that from communist China. The flyer mailing was sourced to a PAC funded by three political opponents from Yates' past.{{cite news|url=https://www.idahopress.com/eyeonboise/smear-flier-targets-gop-lieutenant-governor-hopeful-yates/article_c75fc259-d8de-55ff-8b5a-71bb83d539ec.html|title=Smear flier targets GOP lieutenant governor hopeful Yates|last=Russell|first=Betsy Z.|date=May 10, 2018|newspaper=Idaho Press-Tribune|access-date=2018-05-29}}

=Radio Free Asia=

In December 2020, Yates was appointed by Michael Pack as the president of Radio Free Asia, a government–funded, nonprofit international broadcasting corporation. In January 2021, he and other leaders associated with the prior presidential administration were fired by Pack's successor, acting CEO of U.S. Agency for Global Media, Kelu Chao.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/22/959848852/usagm-chief-fires-trump-allies-over-radio-free-europe-and-other-networks|title=USAGM Chief Fires Trump Allies Over Radio Free Europe And Other Networks|work=NPR|first=David|last=Folkenflik|date=January 22, 2021|access-date=January 23, 2021}}

Personal life

Yates and his ex-wife Diana Kilbourn adopted two children.

Election history

class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"

|+ District 30 House Seat B – part of Bonneville County

!|Year

!|Candidate

!|Votes

!|Pct

!|Candidate

!|Votes

!|Pct

2014 Primary{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2014/Primary/legislative_totals.html |title=May 20, 2014 General Election Results: Legislative Totals |author=Ysursa, Ben |publisher=Secretary of State of Idaho |location=Boise, Idaho |access-date=May 17, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108053333/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2014/Primary/legislative_totals.html |archive-date=November 8, 2014 }}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Stephen Yates}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |2,323

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |48.9%

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Jeff Thompson (incumbent)}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |2,431

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |51.1%

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Idaho lieutenant governor Republican primary, 2018

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Janice McGeachin