On Tuesday I declared the ethics flap involving Sens. Kenneth Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, and Thomas Norment Jr., R-James City, to be “Case closed.” Perhaps I was premature. David Nixon, the Roanoke attorney who charged the two veteran politicians of conflict of interest, now levels similar accusations against two members of the ethics panel that absolved them.
According to a prepared statement issued by Nixon’s office:
In an addendum to the ethics complaints filed in February, Nixon requested that two panel members who had given donations to Stolle or to the political action committee for Norment and Stolle recuse themselves. Former Senators Wiley Mitchell and Robert Calhoun refused. Mitchell donated directly to Senator Stolle just five months ago, and he has contributed twice prior to that (Source: http://www.vpap.org/). In 2005, the record shows he also donated to Virginians for Responsible Government, which according to VPAP is a political action committee set up “to provide support for the so-called ‘Gang of Five’ Republican Senators – Chichester, Norment, Stosch, Stolle, Wampler…” Calhoun also gave to the same PAC in 2002.
Both Mitchell and Calhoun also represent clients with a stake in the outcome of eminent domain legislation, the issue in which Nixon claims Norment and Stolle were conflicted. During the hearing Nixon provided additional information documenting the alleged conflicts, which I have appended to the “comments” section of this post. Continues the prepared statement:
“The procedure established in the General Assembly Conflicts of Interest Act was set up by the Senate to police itself. The ethics panel refused to open the hearing to the public and they refused to give any explanation of why they exonerated the two Senators,” said Nixon. “Ethics hearings especially should be carried out in the light of day and under the scrutiny of the public and the press. The blatant irony of an ethics panel hearing and its ruling being closed to the public seems… well, unethical. If the Senators did nothing wrong, then why won’t the panel tell us how they arrived at that conclusion based on the evidence?” Nixon queried.
An editorial writer at the Virginian-Pilot is sympathic to Nixon’s new allegations. Writes the pundit:
The ethics advisory panel consists of three former senators and one former college president, all of whom have long-term relationships to one degree or another with the senators under scrutiny. All the current members are admirable, accomplished people, but an ethics advisory panel ought not to consist of folks who could legitimately be accused of being cronies. …
Here in a nutshell is what’s wrong with ethics regulation in Virginia government. It’s so inbred, so devoid of accountability, that even if a right action is taken, it smells.
Taking conflicts of interest seriously is what sets Virginia apart from New Jersey, Chicago, Lousiana and other entrepots of dealing in political favors. The blogosphere needs to shine some sunlight on these kinds of relationships.