Decision Virginia

Have a nice weekend!

I'm taking the weekend off from political blogging.. here is something to fill the time until I feel like posting something again.

My poor two year old son, sentenced to a life of misery. I am sorry in advance Luke.

 

Treasury confirms Kaine knew of medicaid fraud resolution

It is a lingering disconnect from the news that an unresolved issue between the IRS, the Department of Treasury and the Commonwealth of Virginia was finally settled.

Last Wednesday, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli called a press conference to complain that the IRS and the Department of Treasury were taking too long to resolve a massive settlement struck with the company Abbot Pharmaceuticals. The $125 million was earmarked for state law enforcement agencies after Abbot admitted to promoting the drug Depakote for uses that were not approved by the federal government.

Cuccinelli accused both agencies of taking too long to release the funds and claimed there was no communication from their office as to what the hold up was and how long it was going to be before the money was released.

Only a few hours after the Cuccinelli press event, Treasury sent the Attorney General's Office a letter informing them that the money was on the way. In several instances, Cuccinelli credited his public admonishment of Treasury and the IRS as the reason the release of the money was finally approved.

However, the office of Senator Tim Kaine, who became involved with the issue late in the game, said that they heard from Treasury on the Friday before Cuccinelli's press event that a resolution was coming and a letter would be sent the following week. 

Kaine's office was cc'd on a May 24th e-mail from the Attorney General to Treasury asking for information on the progress of the case. According to his office, they followed up with a phone call the next Wednesday, May 29th. That Friday, May 31st Treasury followed up with a phone call informing Kaine's office that issue was on the verge of being resolved and a letter to the Attorney General should come the next week.

Kaine's office never communicated that information to Cuccinelli's office and the Attorney General claims that they had zero contact from Treasury as well until the letter arrived after his press event.

(We spoke to Cuccinelli one on one Monday)

Cuccinelli told me in an interview this week that he wasn't sure Kaine's office really knew as they claimed.

"I am still not convinced that Senator Kaine's office knew the week before. If they did, I am mystified as to why they wouldn't have communicated that to us," Cuccinelli said.  "There is a reason we were communicating with them. It was to engage them in this process and try and get them to help us move productively toward a resolution of it."

Kaine's office said their communication with both the Attorney General and Treasury was informal. Aside from being cc'd on the e-mail there was no other formal communication between Washington and Richmond. When they learned of the resolution, they assumed the case was closed.

An official from the Department of Treasury confirmed on background that Kaine's office did learn a resolution was coming as they claim.

Meanwhile, Cuccinelli is now prepared for the next fight in this situation, the actual release of the funds. While he is pleased the Treasury Department has promised to begin the process, he plans to stay vigilant until the money actually starts flowing.

Both offices tell me that their main goal is not to take credit,  but to make sure this money finally gets to Virginia. 

"We finished the largest health care fraud case ever investigated by a state it was very successfully executed by folks in this office," said Cuccinelli. "That should be a cause for celebration in this office and everyone in Virginia. We brought one of the bad guys to justice."

The field is set for 2013 Virginia General Election

Virginia is in the spotlight again and we should prepare for an election season that will be as competitive and heated as the presidential election of 2012 that we just survived.

The dust has settled on the Democratic primary and now both parties have their statewide tickets set.

I broke down the implications of the choice Democratic voters made and how much it cost to get there on NBC12 News Today:

 

Here are some interesting stats based on the bulk of returns which are still coming in:

The Virginia primary saw roughly 145,000 voters with some votes still being tallied. Based on the last State Board of Election survey that reported around 5.2 million registered Virginia voters that amounts to a turnout number of close to 3%. A dismal number for sure, but it was actually a tick higher than what we predicted.

Based on the last financial reporting compared to the vote totals here is how much it cost the candidates to compete in the primary.

Lt. Governor's Race:

Ralph Northam (w)    78,058 votes  $632,000 raised     $8.07 per vote

Aneesh Chopra           65,997 votes    $1.4 million raised    $22.26 per vote

Attorney General's Race:

Mark Herring (w)        72,624 votes   $358,000 raised       $4.67 per vote

 Justin Fairfax                 67,983 votes    $330,000 raised      $4.85 per vote

*Note: This is based on VPAP's numbers from 6am. There is still votes out there and there could be updates to the financial reports as well.

The Democrats will gather this morning at the Hippodrome in Richmond for a "Unity" breakfast. We will have more on the event later today on NBC12.

Here is a pic from the Unity Rally. Terry McAuliffe the leader of the Dem ticket welcomed his new partners to the race.

He released the following statement after learning of their victories:

“I would like to congratulate Ralph Northam on becoming the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Ralph has dedicated his career to improving the lives of Virginia's families and communities, both as a State Senator for Virginia and as a pediatric neurologist. Ralph has been a tireless advocate for women's health, has worked to strengthen our education systems, and helped pass crucial legislation aimed at improving the health of Virginians and protecting first responders. I look forward to the work Ralph and I will do together to make Virginia the best state in the nation to do business and raise a family.

“I want to also congratulate Mark Herring on becoming the Democratic nominee for Attorney General of Virginia. The critical work Mark did as co-patron of the bipartisan transportation compromise is a testament to his commitment to tackling the challenges Virginia's communities face in a bipartisan manner.  I look forward to continuing to work with him on issues he has been a leader on in the State Senate representing Loudoun and Fairfax counties, including improving our local education systems and making Virginia more attractive to innovative companies. We need responsible leaders like Mark in Richmond who will strive to make our government more efficient, open, and better for the people of the Commonwealth. I know Mark will restore a pragmatic focus on the issues Virginians care about to the Office of the Attorney General.”

Meanwhile the Republicans are working to define the new ticket as well. In a statement Cuccinelli campaign manager Dave Rexrode describes the group as an "anti-growth, pro-tax ticket". His statement read in part:

"Virginia Democrats nominated three individuals that share a common bond: a clear history of support for policies—including higher taxes, big government programs and anti-competitive regulations— that will move Virginia backwards. Whether it’s their support for ObamaCare and billions in tax hikes, hostility to Virginia coal and offshore oil exploration, or openness to altering the Commonwealth’s right-to-work status, there’s no question that the 2013 Democrat ticket will be among the most liberal in Virginia history. If elected, all three candidates will seek to advance ideologically driven, Washington, DC policies that will only exacerbate the uncertainty felt by so many job creators across the Commonwealth."

 

Democratic primary voters choose experience over potential

It is hard to say that there were surprises in Tuesday night's Virginia primary, because we didn't really know what to expect.

The Democrats filled out their ticket with the two candidates who brought more elective political experience to the table.

Sen. Ralph Northam defeated Obama Technology Czar Aneesh Chopra in the race for Lt. Governor and Sen. Mark Herring held off former Federal Prosecutor Justin Fairfax in the nomination for Attorney General.

You can see a complete county by county breakdown of all the results on VPAP's election page.

Here is my recap from 12 News at 11.

 

I'll dig deeper into the results and what they mean for November Monday morning at 6 on NBC12 News Today.

RPV pulls info request for concealed weapon permit holders

The Republican Party of Virginia has rescinded its Freedom of Information request to Circuit Court Clerks across Virginia to access the information of concealed weapon permit holders across the Commonwealth.

The Party intended to use the information to spread its political message leading up to the fall elections. The release of the information will be illegal in less than a month after the passage of a new law championed by Republicans during the past legislative session.

In a letter via e-mail message to Clerks across Virginia, RPV Executive Director Anthony Reedy explains that the high cost of the request made it impossible for the party to go forward with their voter education effort.

"Unfortunatley the average cost for producing these documents based on the information we have recieved so far would be more than $1,000 per office," wrote Reedy. "At an estimated cost of more than $121,000 for mailing addresses alone, this method of communication is no longer cost effective."

While Reedy says in his letter that the vast majority of the Clerks were "helpful" and "courteous" NBC12 learned that at least 16 Clerks outright refused the RPV request.

In one case, J. Jack Kennedy Jr. the Clerk of Wise County and the City of Norton wrote to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to ask for his legal opinion to determine if the release of the information was in fact legal, even before the law goes into effect.

That will no longer be necessary now that the RPV has pulled back their request.

See letter from the RPV to Circuit Court Clerks below:

Download RPV Clerk of Circuit Court Rescind Letter 6.11.13

See the letter from Kennedy to Cuccinelli below:

Download Clerk letter to cuccinelli

Clerks will not turn over permit records to RPV

The Circuit Court Clerks in charge of releasing the information of concealed weapon permit holders in at least 12 16 Virginia jurisdictions have decided they will not fulfill a request of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV).

Last Friday, we broke the news that the RPV had requested the personal information of hundreds of thousands of permit holders to communicate their political message to them leading up to the fall elections. The RPV was legally allowed to ask for the material, but in less than a month the release of that information will become illegal.

The new law to seal the records of permit holders was passed in the 2013 Virginia General Assembly session and was sponsored and championed by the Republican nominee for Attorney General, Sen. Mark Obenshain.

Joseph Waymack, who brought the issue to our attention, said he will not proceed with the lawsuit he had planned because the Clerk in Prince George, where he lives, is among the 12 clerks who have initially declined to release the information. 

"Due to the fact that Prince George's Clerk is not complying with the request, a lawsuit is no longer necessary," Waymack said in a statement e-mailed to our Jessica Jaglois.  "I had it ready to go this morning but am happy to have won without even filing it."

Waymack also shared the letter Robert Francis, the Clerk in Southhampton County sent to Anthony Reedy, the RPV exectuive director, declining his request. Francis lists three reasons why he planned to decline the request including the upcoming law.

"I would decline based upon my personal belief that it would be improper to disseminate such personal information, especially in light of the passage of Senate Bill 1335 (which takes effect on July 1, 2013), and which statute does not make a distinction as to when applications were filed, thereby expressing the intent of the Legislature that this information remain private," He wrote.

Francis goes on to say that regardless of the passage of the new law, it is not his responsibility to provide anyone such detailed information.

"I am personally committed to the access established by the Freedom of Information Act, as being essential to a democracy," writes Francis.  "Being a child of the Watergate era, I will respect and respond to any appropriate request … but not one intended to merely create a mailing database."

Francis does offer Reedy the opportunity to review the records in person at his office.

According to Waymack the following Clerks have told him they will not fulfill the RPV request:

Barrett Chappell- Dinwiddie

Terry Whittle- Winchester

Tammy Ward- Hopewell

Stacy Stafford- Colonial Heights

Judy Worthington- Chesterfield

Rick Francis- Southampton

Nicole Briggs- Waynesboro

Randy Carter- Suffolk

Lynn Dunlevy- Middlesex

Sharon Jones- Isle of Wight

Cathy Hogan- Bedford

Bishop Knott- Prince George

Tina Sinnen- Virginia Beach

Bubbie Fraley- Giles County

Bruce Patterson- Rockbridge County

Jennifer Sims- Warren County

We will continue to keep you updated as other Clerks respond to the request.

Herring touts broad range of legal experience in race for AG

Sen. Mark Herring feels he has been working his entire career to get to this point. The 51 year old legislator has served as a private practice attorney, and represented local municipalities on many levels.

He is counting on that broad range of experience to put him over the top in Tuesday's Democratic Primary for Attorney General.

Herring has worked to downplay his opponent Justin Fairfax's number one asset, that he is the only prosecutor in the race. Herring believes the office demands the experience of someone who understands all of the many facets of law that are involved in the Attorney General's office. Not just putting the bad guys in jail.

Our full interview with Mark Herring can be found below:

 

Fairfax leaning on his prosecutorial experience in run for AG

Justin Fairfax is a 34 year old former federal prosecutor shooting for the moon in his first run for political office. Fairfax has not been deterred by his opponent, Senator Mark Herring or his experience.

He has traveled the state extensively during this campaign and is hoping his high energy and vision for the Attorney General's Office will help him overcome Herring's traditional base of support.

It was enough to impress the Washington Post editorial board, who gave him their endorsement while at the same time being very kind in their assessment of Herring.

Our full interview with Justin Fairfax can be found below:

 

Tonight on NBC12 News at 6, we will have our profile on the race for Attorney General in the Democratic primary.

Mortgage settlement checks on the way this week

More than 20 thousand Virginians will be getting checks in the mail this week and unlike other suspicious looking checks that often get sent to unsuspecting homeowners, this is for real.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli announced the release of $33 million in mortgage settlement cash to Virginia homeowners who were forclosed upon by one of the 5 big lenders.

The lenders aggreed to settle with 49 states for abusive practices. The total settlement is $996 million.

We sat down with the Attorney General for a brief interview prior to the release of the news that the money was on its way.

That portion of the interview can be found below:

 

Homeonwers who are part of the settlement and are looking for more information on the settlement and when they should expect their checks to arrive, log on to: http://www.nationalmortgagesettlement.com/

This is the second phase of this settlement which allowed for homeowners to apply for direct funding. A seperate portion of settlement money, more than $66 million, was given to the state to use at their discretion. Lawmakers, including Cuccinelli, took some criticism because the lion's share of that cash was put into the State General fund instead of going to impacted homeowners.

The full release from Cuccinelli's office can be found after the jump:

Chopra and Northam approach finish line in primary race

The Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor have just a few short days left to convince what is expected to be a small group of voters that they will be the best candidate to win in November.

The race, which has not been given much attention has had a few small fireworks, but has mostly gone as expected. That also means that there is no clear front runner and Tuesday's result is something no one is ready to predict.

I profiled the race between Aneesh Chopra and Ralph Northam for NBC12.  Here is our story that ran on TV:

  NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News 

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Next Tuesday, voters will go to the polls to pick the down ballot statewide candidates for the Democratic ticket.

Aneesh Chopra and Ralph Northam hope to replace Bill Bolling as Lt. Governor. Both have impressive resumes but are from very different backgrounds. They hope their individual combination of experience will be what Democratic voters are looking for.

Northam is a State Senator, a pediatric neurologist and a man with a wealth of experience in elected politics.

"I've been in the Senate," said Northam. "I know how to get things done."

Chopra has never held elective office, but he has served at the side of Governor Tim Kaine and President Barack Obama. He hopes his background in high tech could play a big role in bringing jobs to Virginia.

"The next four years, the Commonwealth is going to face some big choices about what the economy will look like over the next 40," said Chopra.

Just which message resonates with Democratic voters will be tough to tell. With as little as two percent turnout expected, both sides are tailoring their message in a very specific way.

Northam helped push through major laws, like the statewide ban on smoking in public places. He is pushing his medical experience and his defense of women's rights.

"There is just no reason that legislators, most of whom are men, should be telling women what they should and shouldn't be doing with their bodies," he said.

Chopra wants to build on the 40 different initiatives he has helped to implement during the Kaine administration that are not traditional but he believes have tremendous potential.

"I have this pragmatic, progressive mindset with a portfolio of results," said Chopra. "You don't have to just take my word for it."

Read and see the full story on NBC12.com

You can see our entire, lengthy interviews with both candidates below.

Ralph Northam:

 

Aneesh Chopra: