|
|
|
| Thu, Nov. 12 - - Mobile - RSS | |
|
|
Howell donation draws ire of gubernatorial candidate
Local School Board race turns politicalDate published: 12/20/2007 BY JEFF BRANSCOME Virginia House Speaker Bill Howell contributed $5,000 toward a lawsuit disputing the result of a Stafford School Board election, prompting a well-known senator to send him a letter yesterday asking that he withdraw the donation. In the letter, state Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, said he plans to come to School Board member-elect Patricia Mancini's aid if Howell doesn't stop his "partisan influence." "I am deeply disappointed that you have injected yourself, and in the process, partisan politics, into a School Board election which by law is designed to be free of partisan influence," wrote Deeds, who recently announced plans to run for governor in 2009. Mancini's opponent, Price Jett Jr., filed the lawsuit Nov. 19 after losing by just 55 votes in Stafford County's George Washington District. The lawsuit claims a count of all paper ballots may push him ahead of Mancini by at least a few votes. Howell, R-Stafford, said he's known Jett and his family for at least 20 years and wants to erase any doubt about "the sanctity of that election." Several votes weren't counted for Jett because people wrote in his name but didn't fill in the corresponding box, his lawsuit states. Jett says he wants those votes counted. "I know the family and they're good people," said Howell, who spoke with Deeds yesterday over the phone. "This is nothing personal and, my goodness, the Democrats are trying so hard to politicize this whole thing." Howell contributed to Jett's legal counsel, Troutman Sanders in Richmond, using money from his campaign account, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Ironically, that law firm has made $2,000 in campaign contributions to Deeds since 2004, including $500 this year. Howell encouraged Deeds to help Mancini with her legal costs: "Creigh Deeds of all people ought to be concerned about the sanctity of elections." Deeds barely lost to Robert McDonnell two years ago in the attorney general race, which was subject to a recount. Jett's lawyer, William Hurd, represented McDonnell at the time. Jett, who had no immediate comment, said he didn't know about Deeds' letter until being told by The Free Lance-Star yesterday. Mancini, who is the defendant in Jett's lawsuit, declined to comment. In her counterclaim, she asks that the suit be dismissed and that Jett pay her legal fees. Deeds' spokesman, Peter Jackson, said the senator learned about Howell's involvement after receiving an invitation to a Dec. 30 fundraiser for Mancini. He said Deeds received the notice from Alane Callander, who is an active Stafford Democrat. Callander declined to comment. Jackson said Deeds is considering paying some of Mancini's legal fees for what he calls a frivolous suit. The suit is scheduled to go before a three-judge panel at Stafford Circuit Court next Thursday. Jeff Branscome: 540/374-5402Email: jbranscome@freelancestar.com
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 12/20/2007
Someone do something with that picture of Howell...
(posted by
CorranH96
, Dec. 20, 2007 11:11 am)
Is he auditioning for the role of the Joker in the next Batman movie?
School board politics
(posted by
hpdomi
, Dec. 20, 2007 5:23 am)
Mr. Jett, you lost the election. Be an adult and back off. Mr. Howell, stay out of it; it's a school board election, for Pete's sake! Are the Republicans so desperate that they need to resort to these intimidation tactics?
|
 |
|||
|
|||
