Bacon's Rebellion

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Former Norfolk Sheriff Convicted of Fraud and Bribery

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Dick Hall-Sizemore
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Former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe

by Dick Hall-Sizemore

Here is another name to add to the list of corrupt public officials — former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe.

Earlier this week, a federal jury convicted him of all 11 counts of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. The charges covered actions committed over a 22-year period. They included accepting gift cards to expensive restaurants, Redskins tickets, free catering for his annual golf tournament, an all-expenses paid trip to Nashville, “loans” that were never repaid, and thousands of dollars in cash to spend during casino trips. He was also charged with providing inside information to select companies seeking contracts with the sheriff’s office.

Testifying in his defense at his trial, McCabe admitted to violating campaign finance laws, but claimed it was not intentional. “I just didn’t pay attention to them like I should have.” He also admitted getting loans and gifts from businessmen who had multi-million dollar contracts with the city’s jail, but insisted, “I’ve never taken a bribe in my life.” The “loans” and gifts were because they were friends, he insisted.

One of the principal contractors involved in the fraudulent activities was the president of a company that provided medical services to inmates in the jail overseen by McCabe. His trial is scheduled for October. The president of another company named in the charges was not indicted due to his cooperation in the investigation.

After the jury’s verdict was announced, the judge refused to allow McCabe to remain free on bail pending sentencing. He was initially sent to the Western Tidewater Regional Jail and later moved to another undisclosed jail for his own security.

I am indebted to the Virginian Pilot for its extensive coverage of the trial. Here are links to some of the stories:

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/crime/vp-nw-norfolk-sheriff-mccabe-indicted-20191024-t544x7awrra4vbd6j5dzustmfe-story.html

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/crime/vp-nw-mccabe-verdict-20210824-j32jdg4ggjaajgqcjgpg62k2a4-story.html

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/crime/vp-nw-mccabe-defense-20210818-mnkg7tjbv5ftbi4tkxcsbuuswe-story.html

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/crime/vp-nw-mccabe-conviction-20210829-v5p4zwi3qzanjemq7of276regy-story.html

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23 responses to “Former Norfolk Sheriff Convicted of Fraud and Bribery”

  1. DJRippert Avatar
    DJRippert

    Virginia is the most corrupt state in America. Other stat5es used to be equally pr more corrupt but they have generally cleaned up their acts.

    And don’t think the corruption is confined to local politicians.

    “—Behavior that would get lawmakers locked up in other states or at the federal level is perfectly fine in the Old Dominion. Virginia is the only state where lawmakers can raise unlimited campaign donations from anyone, including corporations and unions, and spend the money on themselves.”

    “— The current system has little accountability. Lawmakers must disclose their spending but are free to do so in the vaguest details. Some lawmakers reimburse themselves thousands of dollars from their campaigns with only scant explanation, like “travel reimbursement.” Further, Virginia’s State Board of Elections does not audit or investigate campaign finance reports. Elected prosecutors can investigate campaign finance violations, but longtime political watchers could not recall a case ever being brought.”

    “An Associated Press review of the state’s finance system turned up examples like Chesapeake Democrat Del. Lionell Spruill, who hasn’t faced an opponent in two decades.

    Since 2011, Spruill has spent $300,000 from his campaign account on numerous luxuries: a membership in a private business club, meals at Ruth’s Chris steakhouses around the country, and more than $2,000 at high-end Richmond restaurants during legislative sessions. More than 90 percent of the money Spruill raised came from corporations, trade organizations or special interest groups.”

    The Democrats have been in control a while now. Has anything substantial changed?

    https://www.pilotonline.com/government/virginia/article_96691ced-66a2-5164-9d75-807e2b75bf38.html

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Oh, I doubt that. One of the most corrupt maybe.

  2. Stephen Haner Avatar
    Stephen Haner

    My current travel read (re-read actually) is Chandler’s “The Long Goodbye.” McCabe’s antics would not have surprised Phillip Marlowe….Goodbye! Marlowe would note the descent began right after McCabe challenged Kenny Alexander for Mayor.

    Ridiculous that we still elect a person to run a jail and courthouse security (a la Sheriff of Nottingham) rather than just hiring somebody who can then be fired just as easily. Then he would have to share the boodle with the governing body members.

    Top political donors per VPAP:
    https://www.vpap.org/committees/192685/mccabe-for-norfolk-sheriff-robert/
    https://www.vpap.org/committees/125020/friends-of-sheriff-robert-j-mccabe/

    1. DJRippert Avatar
      DJRippert

      “Ridiculous that we still elect a person to run a jail and courthouse security …”

      Remaining vestiges of the Byrd Machine?

      1. emjak Avatar
        emjak

        There is a long history of electing sheriffs in America. See, for example:

        Cameron DeHart, “The Rise (and Fall) of Elected Sheriffs” at https://preprints.apsanet.org/engage/api-gateway/apsa/assets/orp/resource/item/5f1b6b001a825800114bf750/original/the-rise-and-fall-of-elected-sheriffs.pdf

        National Sheriffs Association, “Roots: A Historical Perspective of the Office of Sheriff” at https://www.sheriffs.org/about-nsa/history/roots

        Of course, the long history of a practice does not immunize it from criticism, reevaluation, revision or abandonment.

      2. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
        Dick Hall-Sizemore

        Yes, the whole system of “constitutional officers”–locally elected Commonwealth’s Attorney, sheriff, clerk of circuit court, treasurer, and commissioner of revenue is a vestige of the Byrd Machine. At one time, Byrd controlled local politics through these offices, but that time is long gone. Also gone is one justification for these offices, rural counties did not have full-time administrators. Perhaps some legislator in the future will have the political courage to propose a constitutional amendment that will do away with these offices, but I am not going to hold my breath.

        1. WayneS Avatar
          WayneS

          The Constitution of Virginia has required locally elected Sheriffs and Commonwealth’s Attorneys since at least 1851. The Byrd machine may have found a way to control these locally elected officials, but it was not responsible for their existence.

          PS – Locally elected Treasurers, Commissioners of the Revenue and Clerks of the Court were introduced in the 1869 Virginia Constitution – still too early to have been the work of Harry F. Byrd.

          1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
            Dick Hall-Sizemore

            You are right. The Byrd Machine did not invent the constitutional officers; it used the Compensation Board to enforce party discipline at the local level.
            But, my main argument still stands: the need for these officials to be elected now longer exists. Many localities in Virginia do not have elected commissioners of the revenue or treasurers, but appointed directors of finance. Many localities are members of regional jails, for which the administrators are appointed, not elected sheriffs. All cities, most towns, and some counties have professional police departments with appointed police chiefs that provide law enforcement services.

      3. WayneS Avatar
        WayneS

        98% of sheriffs in the United States are elected officials. “The Byrd Machine” is not responsible for that.

      4. how_it_works Avatar
        how_it_works

        Are sheriffs in other states in charge of jail and courthouse security? Or do they hire a professional to do that, sort of like the council-manager form of government where you have a professional city manager in charge of the day-to-day operations of the city?

        1. WayneS Avatar
          WayneS

          I just looked up the duties of sheriffs in six different states: California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and Texas.

          Except in New York, the sheriff’s responsibilities include taking care of the jail and providing court security. All six states list process-serving as a duty of the sheriff, but in New York that appears to be the sheriff’s primary duty.

          NOTE: In some New York counties/localities the sheriff’s office contracts with the judiciary to provide court security but it is not a prescribed duty.

    2. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      McCabe differs from Phil Hamilton, how exactly? Or for that matter McDonnell, aside from not getting away with it?

      1. Stephen Haner Avatar
        Stephen Haner

        Oh, yeah, that makes it all right.

        1. Nancy Naive Avatar
          Nancy Naive

          Swing and a miss. Chicken and egg. Being elected doesn’t make sheriffs into a criminal. Being a criminal does. Albeit, I’ll grant you that, pound for pound, there’s a lout more douchebaggery done by sheriffs.

          Phil’s motive was Kim. High maintenance.

      2. WayneS Avatar
        WayneS

        McCabe has less hair.

    3. WayneS Avatar
      WayneS

      One corrupt sheriff is not sufficient justification to eliminate elected sheriffs throughout the state.

      In rural counties the sheriff is responsible for a LOT more than just running the jail and providing courthouse security. The sheriff serves as the primary law enforcement officer for the jurisdictions in which he/she is elected.

      And the sheriff needs to be elected instead of appointed in order to maintain separation of powers. As a hired employee the sheriff would be subject to the whims of the Board – even if that Board is corrupt. An elected sheriff has no motivation or obligation to look the other way or “go along to get along” if one or more members of the Board are corrupt or engaging in illegal activities.

      I support elected Commonwealth’s Attorneys for the same reason. In my opinion, allowing a Board of Supervisors to hire/fire the chief law enforcement officer and the chief prosecutor for a jurisdiction concentrates far too much power in the hands of the legislative branch of the government. I think checks and balances among the branches of our government are necessary even at the local level.

      I have the same opinion regarding City Councils and Chiefs of Police. I think the Chief of Police in each city should be an elected position.

      As far as elected Clerks of the Court, Commissioners of the Revenue and Treasurers go? I see no reason why they need to be elected officials.

      1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
        Dick Hall-Sizemore

        Cities and urban counties do quite well with appointed chiefs of police. I think you will find that rural sheriffs are quite adept at “getting along to go along.” After all, the Board of Supervisors has a good deal of control of their budgets. I don’t particularly like having the Commonwealth’s attorney being elected, but I haven’t figured out how to get one into office otherwise.

        1. WayneS Avatar
          WayneS

          You make good points, but the thing that makes me the most nervous about having a local Board/Council appoint people to all these positions is the resulting concentration of power in the legislative branch of the government.

          I think the chief law enforcement officer (and prosecutor) in any given locality should be an elected position, independent of the legislature. Or, at any rate, as independent as budgetary concerns can make them.

          1. Mom Avatar
            Mom

            “but the thing that makes me the most nervous about having a local Board/Council appoint people to all these positions is the resulting concentration of power in the legislative branch of the government.”

            See Prince William County:

            https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/prince-william-republicans-want-report-on-police-visit-to-board-critic/article_bb661e4e-04fc-11ec-8032-63faa7b0f41b.html

            https://potomaclocal.com/2021/09/06/protestors-say-supervisor-bailey-violated-oath-trust-plan-1st-amendment-rally/

            https://potomaclocal.com/2021/09/08/police-chief-questioned-says-investigation-not-politically-motivated/

          2. WayneS Avatar
            WayneS

            Yes. When the police chief is a political appointee there is greater potential for him/her to be a pawn of those who appointed him/her than if the post were an elected position.

  3. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    The ability of corrupt politicians to justify graft is only outdone by the ability of anti-vaxxers to justify not getting vaccinated.

    1. Stephen Haner Avatar
      Stephen Haner

      Again, don’t “Go Larry” on me. It doesn’t suit you.

  4. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Corruption and elected sheriffs aside, I was always under the impression that the concept of Constitutional officers was the way the State insured adherence to the State Constitution and laws.

    If you think about it , if all these offices were local with little real connection to the State, they could operate much more autonomously from the State-set standards for all manner of things from how prosecutors prosecute or judges sentence , how counties do their financial reporting, etc…

    The state would still have it’s laws, but how would it actually enforce them at the local level if the officials were totally independent of the state?

    They could ignore State rules and standards willy-nilly.

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