The View From Over Here

                           Petersen Calls Out McDonnell on Gifts

For months now, we’ve seen continuing reports of “personal gifts” to Governor McDonnell and his family from Star Scientific, a former tobacco company now manufacturing dietary supplements.  Because lax Virginia law does not require reporting of gifts to family members, regardless of cost, McDonnell  refuses to report other gifts they have gotten.  Now the FBI is investigating the gifts, financial relationships and possible quid pro quos from McDonnell to Star Scientific and possibly others. 

          To date, we know gifts to the McDonnells from Star Scientific (SS) include $15,000 paid to him for his daughter’s wedding reception, a shopping spree for Mrs. McDonnell at the most expensive fashion purveyors in New York (during an official visit there by Governor Bob at public expense) where she came away with in excess of $10,000 in clothing and accessories, a $6500 Rolex for Mrs. McD to give to the Governor, use of a Ferrari and lake house, etc. 

          Hopefully, the FBI will look into what SS was getting for its six figure campaign contributions as well as the endless personal gifts.  We do know that the Mrs. McDonnell and the Governor spoke to potential investors in support of SS, that Mrs. McDonnell arranged meetings with high-level administration officials for SS, and the Governor held a high class event in our Governor’s mansion in honor of SS.  Meanwhile, Star Scientific is engaged in litigation with Virginia over a $700,000 tax assessment and is the subject of a federal investigation.

          Little of the foregoing is contested by the ethically-challenged Governor.  He is not even willing to explain himself or to make public other gifts he and the family may well have received.  Given the laxness of Virginia law, it is conceivable that the greedy Governor may never be convicted or serve time for his disgraceful behavior.  What I find hard to understand is why almost no one in the Virginia political establishment has expressed the outrage befitting this case until just a few days ago when State Senator Chap Petersen of the CITY of Fairfax (population 21,000) wrote a very public letter to Governor McDonnell.

          Sen. Petersen called on him “to detail and return all gifts given to members of his family by a prominent donor—or resign from office”, according to the Washington Post.  Petersen said it appeared that the McDonnell family benefitted “materially and systematically…”.  “In return, it appears you allowed [the Star Scientific owner] to use the Governor’s Mansion and the Governor’s Office for the purpose of giving unique credibility to his company.  That is unacceptable.”

          I couldn’t have said it better myself. 

          While we wouldn’t expect members of today’s Republican Party to call for the Governor to come clean and return the gifts, much less to resign, I certainly expected Democrats and Independents to stand up much as Senator Petersen has.  To date there has been a deafening silence from our local elected officials.  Both candidates for Governor, however, have now said that if elected they would propose requiring officials to report gifts of over $100 or $200 to family members.  Not nearly good enough!!

          What has been revealed paints a clear picture of unethical behavior in the extreme and likely conflict of interest.  Many other elected officials are no doubt wincing because they, too, take gifts (don’t know about their family members).  I know legislators in this area who have taken gifts such as travel, lavish dinners and expensive entertainment from those with interests in state legislation.  Indeed, why should ANY public servant, take more than a token gift from those with a special interest?  They and their families should be barred by law from doing so.

          Now our local elected officials should step up, follow Senator Petersen’s example AND:  1) reveal any gifts their family members have received; 2) vow not to accept future gifts of more than token value; and, 3) promptly write/support and vote for a law to bar gifts of more than de minimus value to legislators and family--a law backed by real penalties for violation.