Star Scientific scandal extends to VRS

money matters 2

According to the Richmond Times Dispatch, the Virginia Retirement System, VRS, bought 71,900 shares of Star Scientific over a three month period of time.

Last year, the Virginia Retirement System purchased – and sold at a loss — 71,900 shares of Star Scientific stock over a three-month period, VRS head Robert P. Schultze confirmed to the Richmond Times-Dispatch Friday.

Schultze said the $58 billion pension system found no evidence that the governor or any member of his administration influenced its purchase and sale of the Star stock. He said it was the result of decisions made by a VRS investment team using a computer trading program to assess stocks.

VRS made the investment Aug. 28, 2012, a day the stock closed at $3.99 a share. Over the next three months it was sold off in three separate transactions: on October 2, when shares closed at $3.14, and on October 3 when shares closed at $3.23.

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Open Thread………………………………………Tuesday, July 9

mimosaOne of the icons of summer, the blooming pink mimosa.  It’s a personal favorite of mine and one I am doomed to not have in my yard.  Every time I get one some idiot comes along and cuts it down or kills it in some bizarre way.  One I had suffered death by dog.  Need I elaborate?

 

If anyone has a sapling, please give me a holler.  I will try one more time.

 

Governor Ultra Sound and the Smoking Gun

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Jonnie Williams clearly had advantages that other businessmen did not have. Bob McDonnell has not been particular honest about his dealings. He had access to the Virginia Health Secretary.

Bob McDonnell should be worried. He took a hell of a lot of money from a snake oil salesman–Jonnie Williams. Lung guard and a cure for wrinkles? This guy has a mighty fantastic track record. Basically, he is some folks might also call a crook.

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Issa removes foot from mouth


Politico.com:

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? Not Rep. Elijah Cummings, according to Rep. Darrell Issa.

The California Republican and chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee awkwardly put his foot in his mouth when he compared Cummings, his ranking member, to “a little boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar” during a hearing Thursday on the IRS scandal.

Issa — who recently found himself in trouble with GOP leadership for calling White House press secretary Jay Carney a “paid liar” — made the kids-rhyme reference in anger when Cummings (D-Md.) suggested that he was linking the IRS targeting of conservative groups to the White House.

“I’m always shocked when the ranking member seems to want to say, like a little boy whose hand has been caught in a cookie jar, ‘What hand? What cookie?’ I’ve never said it leads to the White House,” Issa said.

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