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Wilder says tweet about Virginia’s GOP ticket wasn’t ‘endorsing anybody’

Fredrick Kunkle — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:18:47 GMT

Former Virginia governor L. Douglas Wilder said Thursday that a tweet sent out under his name that appeared to be endorsing the GOP ticket was nothing of the kind.

“I’m not endorsing anybody,” Wilder said in an interview Thursday.

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Star Scientific vs. state of Virginia lawsuit headed for December trial

Rosalind S. Helderman — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:00 GMT

A trial date has been set in a tax dispute that pits a controversial dietary supplement maker against the state of Virginia, the first sign of movement in the case in more than 18 months.

A judge in Mecklenburg County, near the North Carolina border, will hear arguments in December over a tax bill contested by Virginia-based Star Scientific Inc., according to lawyers representing the state.

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Terry McAuliffe reverses course, backs bill to allow oil drilling off Virginia coast

Ben Pershing — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:13:00 GMT

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe now supports exploring for oil off the coast of Virginia, reversing his position on an issue that both sides of the debate consider to be crucial to the commonwealth’s long-term energy future.

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Prosecutor investigating McDonnell’s disclosure of gifts

Rosalind S. Helderman — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:08:00 GMT

A Richmond prosecutor is investigating whether Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell violated state gift and disclosure laws — a probe that was initiated by state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II.

Cuccinelli (R) confirmed Wednesday that he asked Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Herring to conduct a review of McDonnell’s annual economic disclosure forms last November.

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McAuliffe ad touts businessman’s role in Virginia transportation compromise

Errin Whack — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:45 GMT

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe is linking himself to the landmark transportation compromise championed by Republican Gov. Robert F. McDonnell in his latest campaign ad, launching statewide on Wednesday.

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Lt. gov. nominee Jackson says ‘no apologies’ for past comments on gays, abortion

Errin Whack — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:38:55 GMT

Virginia’s newly minted Republican lieutenant governor nominee E.W. Jackson says his faith and values inform his conservative stances on issues such as abortion and marriage — and some of his past statements critics are now highlighting as extreme and offensive.

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Bolling blasts selection of E.W. Jackson

Laura Vozzella — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:59:02 GMT

RICHMOND — Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling on Monday sharply criticized his party’s selection of E. W. Jackson as its nominee for lieutenant governor, saying it will “feed the image of extremism” in the party.

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Antiabortion group plans to use Virginia races as ‘template’ for 2014 midterm efforts

Ben Pershing — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:00:20 GMT

A leading antiabortion group plans to use Virginia’s 2013 statewide races as a strategic proving ground ahead of next year’s midterm elections, raising the stakes in a gubernatorial contest marked by heated debate over social issues.

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Cuccinelli drops FOIA claim, says it didn’t match office practice

Rosalind S. Helderman — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:09:00 GMT

Virginia Attorney Gen. Ken Cuccinelli II is dropping his assertion that the Office of the Attorney General is exempt from state public records laws, indicating in a statement Monday that he had asked staff attorneys to stop including the claim in their responses to requests for records from his office.

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Widow of slain Fairfax County officer endorses Cuccinelli in new TV ad

Errin Whack — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:48:46 GMT

Ken Cuccinelli II is launching his first television ad since being named GOP nominee for Virginia governor on Monday, featuring the widow of a slain Fairfax County police officer, who endorses the attorney general.

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Va. GOP picks conservatives for fall ticket; black minister is lieutenant governor choice

Laura Vozzella — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:05:00 GMT

RICHMOND — Thousands of Virginia Republicans on Saturday picked a slate of statewide candidates who vowed to stay true to conservative principles, resisting calls to remake the GOP message after losses in 2012.

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Va. GOP candidates come together for campaign

Laura Vozzella, Fredrick Kunkle — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:02:00 GMT

VIRGINIA BEACH — One day after he beat better funded, better known rivals to become the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, the Rev. E.W. Jackson started his Sunday the way he usually does: preaching to his congregation in Chesapeake.

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Cuccinelli says attorney general’s office is exempt from Virginia public records laws

Rosalind S. Helderman — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:32:00 GMT

Virginia Attorney Gen. Ken T. Cuccinelli (R) has asserted that the state’s freedom of information laws do not apply to the Office of the Attorney General, a break from past practice.

While Cuccinelli’s office has continued to respond to requests for documents under the law — which says that except in certain instances, all records of public bodies should be accessible to the public — it has begun to insert new language into its responses citing a 2011 Virginia Supreme Court case to support the claim that the law does not apply to the office.

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Va. GOP settles on Cuccinelli, Obenshain and Jackson for November ballot

Ben Pershing, Errin Whack — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:46:00 GMT

RICHMOND — Virginia Republicans shook up the outlook for the November elections Saturday, choosing Chesapeake minister E.W. Jackson to run for lieutenant governor alongside their gubernatorial pick Ken Cuccinelli II and attorney general nominee Mark D. Obenshain.

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Wife of Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate steps in to defend him

Fredrick Kunkle — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:45:00 GMT

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe is defending himself from charges of caddish behavior by turning to a woman who knows him best: his wife.

“Anyone who knows Terry knows he is someone who respects women and the role we play in today’s world — and nobody knows that better than me,” Dorothy McAuliffe said in a written statement released by her husband’s campaign as Republicans gathered in Richmond for a two-day convention to anoint his opponent.

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At Va. convention, Jindal says GOP should ‘get over ourselves’ and move forward

Ben Pershing — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:19:38 GMT

RICHMOND -- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal rallied the Virginia GOP Friday night, urging them and Republicans nationwide to stop “hand-wringing” and “navel-gazing” and move forward with the project of reshaping their message.

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Spotlight on contentious field for lieutenant governor as state GOP meets in Richmond

Errin Whack — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:17:00 GMT

RICHMOND — With this year’s GOP gubernatorial nominee set, attention is on two other statewide races on the Republican side of the November ballot — particularly the crowded, contentious field vying to become lieutenant governor.

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McDonnell’s disclosures highlight Virginia’s loose rules for personal gifts to politicians

Rosalind S. Helderman, Laura Vozzella — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:31:00 GMT

The owners of a vineyard who landed Virginia’s first deal to sell wine in China were so thankful for the help of the state officials who negotiated the agreement that they decided to show their gratitude.

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Virginia posts lowest unemployment rate in nearly five years

Errin Whack — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:21:30 GMT

The commonwealth’s jobless rate declined for the second month in a row in April to 5.2 percent, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

April’s unemployment rate is the lowest since November 2008. The state added more than 12,000 jobs last month.

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In race to be his successor, Cuccinelli casts long shadow

Errin Whack — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:36:00 GMT

RICHMOND — Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II isn’t running for reelection, but the Republican gubernatorial candidate is casting a long shadow in the race to replace him.

On the campaign trail, Republican candidates seeking to become the state’s top lawyer are embracing Cuccinelli as an example of how they would approach the job, while Democrats running in next month’s primary say he has too often inserted politics into policy.

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Cuccinelli unveils energy policy, as liberal think tank criticizes his tax plan

Fredrick Kunkle, Ben Pershing — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:45:00 GMT

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II on Thursday sketched the outlines of a comprehensive energy policy that would promote all available sources, from nuclear energy to biomass, while emphasizing the importance of coal and the pursuit of offshore oil.

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Poll: Terry McAuliffe pulls ahead of Ken Cuccinelli in race for Va. governor

Laura Vozzella — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:45:46 GMT

RICHMOND — Democrat Terry McAuliffe has pulled slightly ahead of Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II in the race for Virginia governor, according to a poll released Thursday.

The Quinnipiac University poll shows the former Democratic National Committee chairman getting support from 43 percent of voters while Cuccinelli has 38 percent.

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Planned Parenthood group to rally at Va. GOP convention

Errin Whack — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:44:38 GMT

RICHMOND — Planned Parenthood’s political arm plans to crash the Republican Party of Virginia’s state convention this weekend as part of its ongoing effort to convince voters that GOP gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli II is “wrong for women’s health and wrong for Virginia.”

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D.C. underground power line proposal receives praise, could cost up to $1 billion

Mike DeBonis — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:15:25 GMT

A strange-bedfellows crew of Pepco executives, consumer advocates and utility regulators joined with Mayor Vincent C. Gray Wednesday to cheer a task force’s proposal to spend up to $1 billion to bury many of the city’s most vulnerable power lines to alleviate storm-related outages.

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Cuccinelli appoints private lawyer for McDonnell in mansion chef case

Laura Vozzella — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:03:00 GMT

RICHMOND — Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II on Wednesday appointed a private law firm to represent Gov. Robert F. McDonnell and his office in matters related to the criminal embezzlement case against the former chef at the governor’s mansion.

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