Dude, why are you even here?
So, it turns out that Governor Bob McDonnell asked Virginia’s health secretary to meet with his pal, Jonnie Williams Sr., CEO of Star Scientific. The Washington Post seems to think that such a request is worth a full-length news article in today’s newspaper.
Health Secretary Bill Hazel told the Post: “The governor said, ‘Will you talk to my wife’s friend?’ And I said, ‘I have spoken with him. But I don’t know what he wants.’ ”
Hazel recounted how he met with Williams, who pitched his Anatabloc supplement.
“I said, ‘Jonnie, what is it that you want?’ He said he wanted to get his product tested at U-Va. or [the Medical College of Virginia]. And I said, ‘You go to them for that. You don’t need us for that.’ ”
In other words, for the zillions of dollars he showered upon McDonnell and his family, Williams got nothing tangible from the governor, although the Post didn’t spin it that way. Basically, Hazel blew Williams off, and there is no suggestion that McDonnell applied any pressure for him to do anything more. People should find that reassuring.
Indeed, a pointed question might be directed at the Post’s Laura Vozella and Rosalind S. Herman. (The Post assigned not one but two reporters to the task!) What, exactly, was the point of the story?
Is the Post insinuating that there is something shady, unethical or even unusual about governors referring friends and campaign contributors (of which Williams was both) to officials within their administration? Wake up! Gaining that kind of access is the whole point of giving money! That’s the way the game is played — by everybody!
If there’s something wrong with what McDonnell did in this regard (I’m not defending his other actions) then the entire political system of Virginia and the United States is thoroughly corrupt. Come to think of it, the entire political system probably is thoroughly corrupt, but not necessarily for the reasons the Post is fixated upon.
He did what? More disturbing is the revelation today from the Times-Dispatch that McDonnell rented his $835,000 house in western Henrico to Dr. Cynthia Romero, who took over as state health commissioner in January. As Jim Nolan quotes the University of Virginia’s omni-pundit, Larry Sabato:
This is improper because it’s an obvious conflict of interest for the governor, and anybody can see that. … Suppose the governor wants to fire the commissioner. Does anybody think he wouldn’t consider losing the substantial monthly rent? Suppose the commissioner is unhappy about plumbing or repairs or rent increases. Does anybody think she might be hesitant to approach her boss? It’s just plain bad judgment.
I have to agree.
The Cooch exonerated, sort of. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli broke no laws when he neglected to disclose thousands of dollars in gifts from Williams, concluded an investigation headed by Richmond Commonwealth Attorney Michael N. Herring, a Democrat. Wrote Herring and John C. Bullard, his chief deputy:
Although one cannot help but question whether repeated omissions of gifts from Williams are coincidence or a pattern reflecting intent to conceal, the disclosure of several other gifts and benefits from Williams in his original statements suggests that the attorney general was not attempting to conceal the relationship.
Furthermore we find no evidence that in his statements the AG intentionally mischaracterized gifts and benefits from Star Scientific and Williams.
I guess that means the Post will just have to dig harder to find the dirt on Cuccinelli.
Missing in action. Meanwhile, one can’t help but wonder where’s the coverage of Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic Party candidate for governor. There’s a guy who’s got enough skeletons in his closet to raise an Army of the Dead. The Cuccinelli campaign is blasting out daily e-mail missives pointing McAuliffe’s inconsistencies, hypocrisies and possible ethical lapses… and they seem to be disappearing into the ether. With two reporters assigned to the McDonnell story, perhaps the Post is just short-staffed.
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