2007 election | I'm Surrounded By Idiots

So, what exactly was the Board of Supervisors advertising for in 2007?

You tell me.

Here’s an interesting line item in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007/2008 budget:

11010 ** BOARD OF SUPERVISORS **

011010-3600 ADVERTISING

For FY 2004/2005 (July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005) Actual: $6,744

FY 05/06 (July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006) Actual: $6,320 — -6.29%

FY 06/07 (July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007) Actual: $12,720 — +101.27%

FY 2008:

Budgeted: $2,000
Actual on December 31, 2007: $16,387
Projected [simply the first half multiplied by 2]: $32,774

So, what exactly was being advertised?

Am I the only one that finds a massive increase in “advertising” in an election year to be suspicious?

Would it be all those “constituent meetings” that were being held by the Board members (three of which had seats that were in the process of being challenged) were being advertised heavily by the county?

How exactly was there more than the whole previous year’s expenditures spent in just one half of a year? (And remember that FY 06/07 [which had a 101.27% increase over the previous year] would include the first half of 2007.)

Up next: The Board of Supervisors requests a pay raise (and has their request approved in the proposed budget by the County Administrator).

Caroline man tries, fails to smear Albert Pollard.

From The Free Lance-Star: Pollard should be more experienced than this!:

Pollard should be more experienced than this!

Many of us have noticed that large “Pollard” signs have suddenly appeared around the district.

On closer inspection, it appears that these signs have been recycled from the previous state Senate campaign, with the lower portion cut off.

There is nothing wrong with that. The problem is that in cutting off the bottom, those who posted the signs have also eliminated the mandatory authorization line, which must be part of any political advertising.

In Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia, Chapter 9.5 includes instructions for including the statement “Paid for by [Name of candidate or campaign committee]” on campaign materials.

Those instructions also state that “any disclosure required by this section shall be displayed in a conspicuous manner.” Under 24.2-955.3 of the code, certain penalties are prescribed for violation of these laws.

These signs have begun to appear throughout the district. Just curious: How can someone with such vast experience in government service have overlooked such a simple requirement?

Jeff Gerau

Caroline

Amazing job there getting it wrong.

From § 24.2-955:

The disclosure requirements of this chapter apply to any sponsor of an advertisement in the print media or on radio or television the cost or value of which constitutes an expenditure or contribution required to be disclosed under Chapter 9.3 (§ 24.2-945 et seq.) except that the disclosure requirements of this chapter do not apply to (i) an individual who makes independent expenditures aggregating less than $1,000 in an election cycle for a candidate or (ii) an individual who incurs expenses only with respect to a referendum.

From § 24.2-955.1:

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

“Advertisement” means any message appearing in the print media, on television, or on radio that constitutes a contribution or expenditure under Chapter 9.3 (§ 24.2-945 et seq.). “Advertisement” shall not include novelty items authorized by a candidate including, but not limited to, pens, pencils, magnets, and buttons to be attached to wearing apparel.

[…]

“Print media” means billboards, cards, newspapers, newspaper inserts, magazines, printed material disseminated through the mail, pamphlets, fliers, bumper stickers, periodicals, website, electronic mail, and outdoor advertising facilities. If a single print media advertisement consists of multiple pages, folds, or faces, the disclosure requirement of this section applies only to one page, fold, or face.

“Radio” means any radio broadcast station that is subject to the provisions of 47 U.S.C. §§ 315 and 317.

[…]

“Television” means any television broadcast station, cable television system, wireless-cable multipoint distribution system, satellite company, or telephone company transmitting video programming that is subject to the provisions of 47 U.S.C. §§ 315 and 317.

Nowhere does it say that campaign signs (with the exception of billboards) have to have disclaimers on them. You can, of course, put disclaimers on them if you want but you don’t have to.

No local candidate had disclaimer information on their campaign signs on the side of the road in the last general election.

When Robert Wittman was running for reelection for his 99th House of Delegates seat his signs did not have disclaimers either.

After the general election, when Wittman was running for the Republican nomination for the special election for Virginia’s 1st Congressional District and after he won the nomination: he reused the same signs — ones that didn’t have disclaimers on them.

If this is the best that Lee Anne Washington supporters can come up with, she’s really in trouble…

99th HOD coverage

From The Free Lance-Star: GOP sets process for candidate in 99th:

Gov. Tim Kaine has not yet set a date for the special election in the 99th House of Delegates District, but Republicans have planned their nomination process.

District chairwoman Carol Dawson said the district’s Republicans will choose a nominee on Jan. 12, in a convention.

[…]

Dawson said the Republican convention will likely be held at the high school in Montross, and that between now and Jan. 12 each locality’s Republican committee will have to hold meetings to select delegates.

The district includes all of the Northern Neck and parts of Caroline County.

Wittman held the seat since 2005, when former Del. Albert Pollard Jr. retired.

Pollard narrowly lost a bid for the 28th District state Senate seat in November, and says he is running for his old House seat.

Pollard said the Democratic Party’s bylaws don’t allow them to plan their nomination method until Kaine officially calls the election.

Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey said that while staffers are working on that, it hasn’t been done yet.

Choosing a date for the 99th District election is a bit tricky. State law prohibits holding an election in the 60 days before a primary, and both parties are having presidential primaries on Feb. 12.

That makes the earliest possible date for a 99th District election Feb. 19.

That leaves the 99th District without a delegate for the bulk of the legislative session, which begins in January. Kaine said it’s unlikely there would be special legislation to try to move up the date, and that if a delegate is elected Feb. 19 he or she would still have time to be sworn in and participate in the last few weeks of the session, including debate and votes on the state budget.

Pollard is the only Democratic candidate so far. On the Republican side, White Stone attorney Lee Anne Washington is seeking the nomination.

She is a member of the White Stone Town Council and the citizen member of the Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Authority.

A few names of other possible Republican candidates have been floated–former King George County Supervisor Bob Barlow is one, although other sources say he may not run.

Republican candidates will have to file with Dawson by Jan. 1 and pay a $250 filing fee.

The Robert Wittman/Jeff Sili smear machine?

From the idiot’s nest of FredTalk (most of the threads have now been deleted by The Free Lance-Star for slanderous content but a few are still available; good thing I’ve got backups!):

At 11/14/07 11:29 AM, from “Burqajoint”:

Yes, the election is over, but the compte passed on something one of his chicadees told him about one of the gruesome twosome [presumably Tom James and I] doing some rather creepy stalking…..

There was lying about being a reporter after entering the courtroom while votes were being counted.

And following that candidates wife home – does cranmama know about that?

At 11/14/07 06:45 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

Hmmmm, I don’t see a pimply-faced stalker in that crowd [at the Republican Convention].

Maybe he was outside waiting for the candidate’s wife to come out so he could follow her home….

At 11/14/07 06:47 PM, from “junie”:

I know Rob [Wittman]’s wife…she’d tear ass up and send his home crying.

At 11/14/07 06:48 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

And what about someone who snuck into the courtroom while the ballots were being counted and then lied about being from the newspaper?

What kind of person would do such a thing?

At 11/14/07 07:52 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

Only if you are the wife of a candidate who doesn’t like being followed home after a public meeting….

There’s talk of a lawsuit on another matter.

Best to stay clear of wierdos.

Especially if they post slander.

At 11/14/07 08:25 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

And what about a sick freak who follows married women home after public meetings?

What, at least a year in the pokey for that, wouldn’t you agree?

With mandantory drug testing and psychological help, of course to help them get over their disease….

At 11/14/07 08:51 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

Did you hear about the punk who followed the married candidate’s wife home?

Disgusting, isn’t it?

At 11/14/07 09:13 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

You may want to ask that tall pimply-faced kid with the aura of loser about him about it.

Hmm, I wouldn’t consider myself tall, but everyone is tall when viewed by someone at Jeff Sili’s height…

I bet if you are nice, he’ll rat out his buddy.

Plenty of others are.

You should see the flood of pms I got today, starting about 5:15 pm…..a veritable avalanche.

And those with connections that matter never mention it……

Really? Then why did you start posting the bullshit at 11:29 AM?

At 11/14/07 09:22 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

There’s some other stalking been going on that hasn’t been filed yet, and a nasty lawsuit is going forward, too, but on another matter.

And didja hear about the punk who tried to get in there and crusade against corruption while the votes were being counted?

His crusade led him to lie about who he was and that he was with a newspaper and finally someone grabbed him by the belt and scruff of his neck and tossed him through the cafe doors into the horse trough out fronta the courthouse!

At 11/14/07 09:28 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

Maybe a letter in the regular mail would be better, considering some of the harrassing email Wittman got……

Funny, I’ve never sent Wittman an email in my life!

At 11/15/07 12:13 AM, from “Burqajoint”:

You shoulda been here between 5 and 6 and seen the dozens of pms that came rolling in. There must havbe been 50 of them.

Incredible stuff and you can be sure the phone lines have been lit up all night across the county…..

At 11/15/07 12:17 AM, from “Burqajoint”:

As Blulady would say, “I’m connected.”

And today the dam broke and those in the know have been having a jolly old time.

The fact is, there are a few characters around who like to send harassing emails.

Again, I’ve never sent Wittman an email in my life!

At 11/15/07 01:16 AM, from “Burqajoint”:

Those two [presumably Tom James and I] leered at the wrong woman this summer and now it’s catching up to them.

LOL, the only time that Tom James and I were at the same place this summer was the first Board of Supervisors candidates’ forum. Funny, I was sitting by a candidate for Commonwealth’s Attorney, as well as several law enforcement officers, and the former sheriff. I would love to know who I was “leer[ing]” at.

At 11/15/07 01:42 AM, from “Burqajoint”:

Talk to some of the women working for the county tomorrow and you’ll see what they are all buzzing about.

At 11/15/07 08:29 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

I swear, I think everyone at the Caroline County library using public access computers is pm-ing me.

It’s like I suddenly have a fan club down there.

At 11/16/07 01:08 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

When he was caught lying about being from the newspaper and firmly asked to leave, they say the look on his face was priceless!

At 11/16/07 01:41 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

I understand a certain candidate is quite unhappy about his wife being followed………..

And finally when it was brought to their attention that this might just end up on my blog, at 11/16/07 02:27 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

The stuff (above) was not about [me] and Tom.

At 11/16/07 05:44 PM, from “Burqajoint”:

HERE’S A BIG BURQA SHOUT OUT TO THE FANS, LURKERS AND OTHERS WATCHING THE FORUM!

Y’all down at the Caroline and Westmoreland County libraries, especially my fellow sailors at C.P. and Kinsale!

The Compte and his little chicadees, warblers, and mockingbirds!

The Corner Table Gang – you know who you are!

The RitchBitch Bunch – charmed, I’m sure!

The Lady in Red – for your grace and elegance – enchante!

The gals at Union Bank!

Looks like you’re running a real tight ship there Billy Beale!

In a private message (PM) to a third party, from “Burqajoint”:

Now [redacted], you just settle right on down now and relax.

If I am lying a dozen or so others are behind each thing I have posted.

You shoulda seen all the new users who sent me pms and signed on just to do so.

The phone lines across Caroline and Westmoreland have been afire and I bet it’ll be that way through the weekend.

Really? I don’t know a soul in Westmoreland County. Wait, isn’t Robert Wittman from Westmoreland County? I do believe he is. He used to be on the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors, didn’t he?

Another PM, from “Burqajoint”:

Word to the wise – better lawyer up………..

I’m shaking in my boots! Bring. It. On.

So, is this Robert Wittman’s and Jeff Sili’s doing?

And for the record, I have no less than two people that were with me on election day all day (when I was supposedly doing stealth infiltration of the courthouse) along with several more witnesses at the three victory parties I went to.

I also have a person that was with me all day during the Republican Convention and several law enforcement officers that I was also around.

It’s amazing that someone is going to so much trouble to try to discredit me.

Admittedly, it’s a nice ego trip!

UPDATE: Some posts that I missed:

At 11/12/07 07:50 AM, from “oharascarlett” (also uses the name “nativetxlady”):

Recently James obtained a video of the 13 year old daughter of a public figure at a basketball game. He sent it as a link to her mother at home with no explanation. the family thought and rightly so that she was being stalked until they realized it was taken by a news station and just obtained by James as a sick joke. There is no one exempt from his hatred, murder victim’s families or people’s kids. Eventually Lippa will have to step in to this.

“oharascarlett” is the alias of Jeff Sili’s wife Susan Sili.

At 11/18/07 10:54 AM, from “Burqajoint”:

I bet Lucky [Narain] doesn’t like those who collect videos of 13 year-old girls…

If anyone wants a complete copy of her lies (including several about George Spaulding) let me know at CorranH96@gmail.com.

A third choice for people in the 1st congressional district?

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch: 3rd candidate for 1st District seat:

A third candidate has qualified for the ballot in the special congressional election in the 1st District.

The State Board of Elections said Lucky R. Narain of Yorktown, an independent, filed about 1,500 signatures of registered voters. A total of 1,000 are required.

Narain said he will announce his candidacy next week. He described himself as a conservative.

You just got my attention!

Also running are Democrat Philip Forgit of Williamsburg and Del. Robert J. Wittman, R-Westmoreland.

Someone I disagree with on every issue (who has to be a better person than Wittman) and a complete freakin’ mook.

They are vying for the seat of Republican Rep. Jo Ann Davis, who died Oct. 6.

The special election will be held Dec. 11.

The district reaches through 23 counties and cities from the eastern end of Fauquier County through the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula to Newport News.

How utterly priceless…

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch: 1st District race run on contrasts:

Wittman holds a doctorate in public policy and administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He plans to retire next month as field director for the Virginia Department of Health’s division of shellfish sanitation.

“We make sure our seafood is safe,” he said.

[…]

Forgit (pronounced with a soft “g”) ran for the House of Delegates in 2003 but was defeated.

A naval reservist, he was mobilized from his job as a fourth-grade teacher in James City County. Forgit won a Bronze Star for serving with a special warfare unit as an adviser to the Iraqi army in 2005-2006.

“I was not a war hero, I just did my job well,” Forgit said.

He thinks he can bring a different perspective to Congress because of his service in Iraq, and, since returning home, as a counselor to returning Navy veterans.

Humble war hero, counselor, and teacher versus arrogant shellfish cleaner and career bureaucrat?

Six of one, half dozen of another…

Caroline man’s trial in manslaughter case expected to be postponed

From The Free Lance-Star: Caroline man’s trial in manslaughter case expected to be postponed:

The two-day jury trial of a Caroline County man charged with manslaughter scheduled to start today is expected to be postponed until next year.

According to a court order last week, Commonwealth’s Attorney Harvey Latney asked the court to appoint a “substitute attorney” in the case of John Wayne Peck, 27, because “it would be improper for him to act.”

Judge Horace Revercomb then appointed Spotsylvania Commonwealth’s Attorney Bill Neely to the case and the jury was called off.

Neely said yesterday the reason Latney asked to be excused from trying the case was because of complaints.

“Apparently, the victim’s family was upset in the handling of the case,” Neely said.

Latney’s motion came before he lost last week’s race for re-election to Tony Spencer, who takes over the office in January.

Latney refused to talk about why he would not prosecute Peck.

Neely said that after the election, he called Revercomb and asked if Spencer could be put on the case. There should be a decision in Circuit Court today.

Peck was charged with first degree murder in October 2006 after his hunting buddy, Jerry Curtis Beverly, was fatally shot in the chest. Latney later reduced his charge to manslaughter.

Sheriff Tony Lippa said Peck and Beverly had been hunting and drinking before getting into an argument. Beverly was later found dead.

Comment that was left:

Lesa said,

November 14, 2007 at 1:48 pm

I am the victim’s daughter in this case. I want to first say Thank you for your concern for my family. We are not at all disappointed about having to wait until next year to have the case tried. We fought hard to get Mr. Latney off my father’s case. So today was a bittersweet day. We were happy to have Mr. Latney off the case, but never the less it does not change the fact that my father is not here.
I feel strongly that with Mr. Spencer as Commonwealth victim’s rights will no longer be trampled on.

An independent candidate files in the 1st District

http://hrblogs.typepad.com/the_shad_plank/2007/11/an-independent-.html

What a mook… (Not Robert Wittman! Part 2)

UPDATE: Hi, to all the folks from Raising Kaine and VB Dems. Note: Most of the rest of the stuff on this blog will probably bore you to death (unless you live in Caroline County!).

From Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary [emphasis mine]:

Main Entry: mook

Function: nounslang : a foolish, insignificant, or contemptible person

Delegates, what the hell were you thinking? You nominate this mook, Robert Wittman? What the hell has this guy ever done?

Director of field operations, Division of Shellfish Sanitation? What the hell?

You turn down the retired firefighter (Chuck Davis), the retired FBI agent and Marine (David Corderman), the retired 20-year military veteran (Jim Browden) for this guy?!

What has he done besides get local party officials to endorse him that then run a crooked mass meeting for him?

I’m sure that crooked mass meeting had nothing to do with the following, from The Free Lance-Star: Wittman seeking Davis’ seat:

Wittman said he would step down from his House seat and help find a Republican candidate to fill it, if he wins the congressional seat.

And guess what? The Republicans have lost another seat in the House of Delegates in the mean time! From The Free Lance-Star: Wittman wins district nod:

If Wittman wins, there will be yet another special election to fill his seat. That’s likely to be set by House Speaker Bill Howell, and it’s not yet clear whether it would run afoul of a state law prohibiting elections in the 60 days before a primary–in this case, the presidential primaries in February.

It’s possible Wittman’s seat, which covers the Northern Neck, would be empty during the 2008 legislative session.

[…]

In a speech to delegates, Jost supporter Del. Jeff Frederick earned some boos from Wittman supporters for saying Wittman had supported “one of the largest tax increases in Virginia” and that delegates should remember that.

Don’t forget the abusive driver fees!

And further proof this guy is an ass, from his biography:

Rob was elected to the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors in 1995, where he was the chair from 2004 [through 2005] until he resigned to fulfill his role as delegate.

Well, consider the following, from The Free Lance-Star: Westmoreland faces civil action:

A civil-liberties group and a state agency have raised possibilities of legal action against Westmoreland County for failing to provide handicapped access to public buildings.

In a letter sent Monday, an attorney for the Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy charged that the county had not complied with all terms of a 2003 settlement agreement to provide handicapped access to the George D. English Sr. Memorial Office Building in Montross.

“It is my hope we can bring this matter to a swift conclusion without the need for litigation,” wrote VOPA Managing Attorney Jonathan G. Martinis. “After three years, Westmoreland County owes its citizens with disabilities nothing less.”

On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia notified the county that it intends to file a lawsuit under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act unless the county promptly provides handicapped access to the offices of the Circuit Court clerk.

County Administrator Norm Risavi said that a team composed of a professional engineer, a building inspector and the county’s maintenance supervisor inspected all county buildings yesterday for ADA compliance.

Risavi said he hoped to have a plan and a budget for ADA projects ready for approval by the Board of Supervisors at its April 10 meeting. A supplemental appropriation by the supervisors may be necessary to fund the work, he said.

Risavi would not estimate when the various ramps, curb cuts, bathroom renovations and signage would be installed.

He said some of the work could be done by county staff, but other jobs would be put out for bids under the county Procurement and Contract Administration Policy.

But last year, Risavi waived bid requirements for renovating the old courthouse’s second floor as an office for Circuit Court Judge George Mason III.

“I have determined that competitive sealed bidding would not be practicable or fiscally advantageous to the county,” Risavi wrote in a finding on the judge’s office. “Competitive negotiations would better serve the county.”

Last year, the judge’s office was expected to cost $100,000. Now, Risavi said it will cost $140,000.

Crookery isn’t just for Caroline County!

A story in the March 15 Free Lance-Star attracted the attention of both the ACLU and VOPA, Willis and Martinis said. The story described Mason’s expensive office and problems of handicapped accessibility at it and other county buildings

“This is almost hard to believe,” said Willis.

“It’s bad enough to flaunt the law by ignoring the rights of disabled persons, but it is an outright affront to human decency to spend more than $100,000 to renovate a building without adding something as simple and inexpensive as ramps that rise 3 feet.”

In a March 17 letter to Gayle Harding, a wheelchair-bound resident of Coles Point, Martinis said he had sent a VOPA paralegal to survey the English Building and the old courthouse 200 yards away.

Harding complained to the county and VOPA in 2000 about accessibility problems at the English Building. In April 2003, the county finally agreed to fix them.

It only took you guys over six years to do it!

“What, me worry?”