Category: Caroline County Board of Supervisors

Because thieves watch each other’s backs, right?

She’s also a former editor at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Pamela Mastropaolo of Ruther Glen gave Maxie Rozell $500.00 and Calvin Taylor $375.00 this election cycle.

Consider this gem via LexisNexis from the Richmond Times-Dispatch: Operator of Richmond, Va., Newspaper Argues against Reinstatement [emphasis mine]:

The newspaper’s appeal involves the case of copy editor Pamela J. Mastropaolo. She was fired for “gross misconduct” after she pleaded guilty to a felony charge related to a shoplifting incident in February 1999. The charge was later reduced to a misdemeanor.

[…]

The editor had used her press identification to enter a quilting show and had stolen $ 900 worth of materials from eight vendors in two days, according to the court record.

On July 15, 2007, MSNBC reported that Ms. Mastropaolo gave $1,165.00 and $1.650.00 to the Democratic Party of Virginia in February 2006 and February 2007, respectively.

According to Style Weekly: Times-Dispatch Suspends Two for Political Donations:

The Richmond Times-Dispatch has suspended a reporter and a copy editor for making political donations, a breach of the paper’s code of ethics.

The suspensions followed an MSNBC.com story in June naming Michael Hardy, a Times-Dispatch statehouse reporter, and Pam Mastropaolo, a copy editor, among 143 media professionals from across the country who gave cash to political candidates and parties.

[…]

The 30-day no-pay suspensions began June 27. The newspaper’s union, however, calls the punishment improper and plans to file a grievance this week against Media General, which owns the Times-Dispatch.

A letter from Managing Editor Peggy Bellows to Hardy, obtained by Style, cites the Newsroom’s Guidelines for Professional Conduct, which informs employees that “they must not be active in politics and should guard against public activities or exhibitions in areas of controversy. Some general examples include not donating money or advice to political campaigns.”

She has since left the paper according to a phone call to the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s office.

What next? Teaching ethics at college? Hopefully Maxie Rozell and Calvin Taylor can join her there.

PDF of Calvin Taylor’s campaign finance report.

PDF of Maxie Rozell’s campaign finance report.

Part 1

Apparently Damon Gray was told to take a hike by the Caroline County Democratic Committee:

From The Caroline Progress (print edition, September 5, 2007, p. 6): To Whom It May Concern [emphasis mine]:

To Whom It May Concern

Be it known that any Board of Supervisors Candidate wanting to obtain the Caroline County Democratic Party Nomination for the November 6th 2007 Election must have filed the following documents on or before April 13th 2007 at 5:00 p.m.

Candidates to be determined by a Primary Election/Mass Meeting must have filed:

1. Petition of Qualified Voters (125 signatures of registered voters in the district) (signatures not required for Mass Meeting)
2. Statement of Organization
3. Certificate of Candidate Qualification
4. Declaration of Candidacy
5. Receipt for payment of Primary Filing fee
6. Statement of Economic Interests

The documents must be filed with the chair of the political party, the General County Registrar and the Electoral Board. The Primary filing fee must be filed with the County Treasurer.

No candidate filed for the Democratic Party Nomination in the Bowling Green or Madison Magisterial Districts.

And further proof that Damon Gray is an idiot, from the The Free Lance-Star (June 30, 2001): Base builder now facing drug charges [emphasis mine]:

A Caroline County business owner was charged this week with heading to work at Fort A.P. Hill with drugs in his possession, police said.

Damon Lee Gray, 49, is charged with possessing a controlled substance and possession of marijuana, Caroline Sheriff Homer Johnson said.

Gray owns and operates the Sparta General Store, a popular store in the community south of Bowling Green.

He also has a construction business and is one of the contractors working at A.P. Hill in preparation for the upcoming Boy Scout Jamboree. Johnson said Gray has done excellent work on several county churches.

Johnson said a regional drug task force and others began investigating Gray and others after receiving complaints that Gray and his crew were smoking marijuana at the Army base work sites.

The task force, which includes officers from Caroline, Fluvanna and Louisa counties, had Gray and others under surveillance for a few weeks. The Provost Marshal’s Office at A.P. Hill assisted the task force.

On Tuesday morning, Johnson said, Gray was stopped by military authorities on the Army base. Individuals on federal bases are subject to search without a warrant, Johnson said.

Johnson said police found marijuana and Percocet in Gray’s possession. He did not have a prescription for the painkiller, the sheriff said.

Johnson said an investigation into alleged drug activities involving others is ongoing.

Johnson said it is his understanding that Gray won’t be allowed to work at A.P. Hill pending the outcome of his case. But he said it shouldn’t affect the Jamboree.

“The Scouts are coming as scheduled,” Johnson said. “It will take more than this to slow them down.”

From The Caroline Progress (print edition, August 15, 2007) [emphasis mine]:

To the Editor:

This is to inform the public that the debate held on Monday for candidates seeking election to the Board of Supervisors will not be attended by Damon Gray, Sr. because of prior commitments. Also I feel it would be a conflict of interest because of my being a contractor in the county.

I have been asked by a member of the Caroline Democratic Committee to attend a meeting on Sat., Aug. 18, at 10 a.m., being held at Aunt Sarah’s Pancake House. The purpose is to ask for support from the Democratic Party since I am a registered Democrat.

Thanks for the support you, the public, have shown me. I can be reached at (804) 633-4200 anytime for anyone who may wish to contact me.

-Damon L. Gray, Sr.

If he’s a registered Democrat, why didn’t he run as a Democrat, instead of running as an independent? Do you see Jeff Sili or Bobby Popowicz running as independents?

Of course, honesty doesn’t appear to be one of Mr. Gray’s strong suits, from The Caroline Progress, Almost every supervisor seat contested [emphasis mine]:

Election newcomer Damon Gray, who is seeking the Bowling Green District seat left vacant by retiring incumbent Bob Farmer, recently answered questions about two prior misdemeanor convictions.

Gray, 55, is running as an independent candidate against Republican Jeff Sili and Independent George Spaulding. Gray said he decided to seek election because he wants to make a change.

He said that the people who know him know that he’s a trustworthy person.

“I have nothing to hide,” he said. “I’m an upstanding member of the community.”

The conviction for possession of marijuana came in December 2001, after allegations were made that Gray brought illegal substances onto Fort A.P. Hill, where his contractor’s company was doing work for the 2001 Boy Scout Jamboree. A concurrent felony charge of possession of controlled substance was nolle prosequi.

Gray, who was also convicted in January of this year of misdemeanor spotlighting a deer by firearm, said that he does not think the convictions should have any impact on the campaign.

“I’d rather it stay in the past, but the people who know me will support me,” he said.

Yeah, I bet, a 55 year-old caught with marijuana and who likes to spotlight deer. I guess some people never grow up.