RICHMOND — Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, who for months has said very little about gifts and loans received from a campaign donor, has launched an aggressive drive to improve his reputation.
Over the past two weeks, he has switched lawyers, hired a private spokesman, apologized to the commonwealth, given back $124,000 to the wealthy benefactor and, on Wednesday, traveled to Afghanistan, looking very much like a governor immersed in something other than his own political and legal troubles. The activity, culminating in McDonnell’s surprise visit to Virginia troops overseas, represents a clear shift in strategy for the governor.
“We’re going to be more aggressive in presenting the governor as a man who is honest, honorable and has spent a good deal of his adult life in public service,” said Rich Galen, the private spokesman McDonnell hired to work with his legal team.
So McDonnell has gone from someone who has done nothing wrong to someone who is apologizing and repaying nearly $125,000 to Jonnie Williams. I am not sure why he went to Afghanistan. He is the govvernor of Virginia. He does not hold national office. I am not sure it is at all appropriate. The bottom line of course, is, who paid for this horse-hair trip?
Couple of things:
1) It’s my understanding that the repayment was for the two loans only. There was no repayment for any of the gifts (Rolex, shopping trip, etc.). Therefore, if this was an attempt to “make amends”, it was disingenuous.
2) Governors have been known to travel, in recent history, to war zones when National Guard troops from their states are deployed to those areas. If VA National Guard troops are on the ground in Afghanistan, then I see nothing wron with the trip.
Is the Afghanistan trip an attempt to distract attention away from the Jonnie Williams affair? Perhaps. Would anyone who has been following the events unfold see through the loan repayment and trip? Absolutely. Virginia’s ethics laws are in sore need of overhaul.
I don’t want to be paying for an apology trip. Where was he the past 3+ years? Was he in Afghanistan? How about Iraq? how about any other place around the world where troops are stationed, including Virginia National Guard.
I call BS on his trip. It is a disingenuous trip.
Totally agree about Virginia’s ethics laws. Right now, unbeknowst to most of us, we live in the land of loosY Goosy
Maybe Weiner will move here.
Ugh! Can you imagine a choice of him or Cuccinelli?
Talk about a decision that could keep you home from the polls.
Governor Weiner or Governor No-Blow.
(Sorry, the Devil made me do it. My hands got taken over temporaily by some naughty force that typed out that unbecoming comment.)
At least Weiner didn’t cost us any money. McDonnell on the other hand was on our dime.
If McDonnell was serious, and wanted to salvage the image of Republicans, he would resign, putting Bolling into the Governorship, due to the appearance of impropriety. If that happens, I bet Bolling would be kicking himself for dropping out of the race.
probably. not even sure that would do it.