Today’s News and Messenger reports that the local Democrats have called out Keith Fimian over his membership in Legatus, which Democrats believe is an extreme right wing group. According to News and Messenger:
Prince William County, Va. – Democrats are again calling out Keith Fimian for his affiliation with the Catholic group Legatus, which they consider a radical right-wing organization.
Democrats initially brought up the issue in 2008 when Fimian, a Republican, first ran against Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly, a Democrat serving his first term in the 11th Congressional District.
The Fimian campaign says it’s all nonsense.
Legatus describes itself on its website as an organization for top-ranking Catholic business leaders.
“The organization offers a unique support network of like-minded Catholics who influence the world marketplace and have the ability to practice and infuse their faith in the daily lives and workplaces of their family, friends, colleagues and employees,” the website stated.
Democrats say Fimian’s comments during the 2008 campaign for the 11th Congressional District describing the group as a “social club” were off the mark.
“For two years, Keith Fimian has tried to claim that he wasn’t involved in a radical political organization but rather was just a member of a social club in order to deny his right-wing extremist anti-choice views,” said Pete Frisbie, chairman of the Prince William County Democratic Committee. “But now it turns out that his involvement in this radical group was entirely political and proves that Keith Fimian not only has radical extremist views, but he can’t even tell the truth about them.”
According to the Federal Election Commission, Fimian used congressional campaign funds in 2008 to pay a Legatus conference fee. Democrats say that implies that he was conducting official business with the organization.
Fimian’s campaign manager, Tim Edson, said paying a fee didn’t constitute conducting business with a given group.
Did I read that correctly? Fimian used campaign funds to pay Legatus conference fees? That sure doesn’t seem right. What exactly is Legatus? How does it differ from Opus Dei? I know Legatus was founded by Tom Monaghan, former owner and founder of Domino Pizza. He gave huge amounts of money to organizations I disapproved of like Operation Rescue. I also got the impression that unless you are very wealthy, you don’t get in to Legatus. Check out membership requirements below. So much for the eye of the needle concept. The eye of the needle must have grown.
Let’s hear what they have to say about themselves.
Perhaps our readers will enlighten us as to what Legatus really is. Why is membership in this organization important enough to warrant attention from the Democrats as well as a first page story? Inquiring minds want to know….
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