Wow, this is just brazen. Remember that the Arlington County Board (not “of Supervisors,” as Barbara Favola has been erroneously calling it for months now) has an internal policy against taking donations from real estate developers with business before the board. Well, John Shooshan is a huge developer, with tons of business in Arlington County. If that’s not a violation of the Arlington County Board’s rule, I’m not sure what would be. The reason for this rule, by the way, is to avoid any impropriety, or even the appearance of impropriety, by Arlington elected officials.
In that context, what kind of message does having one of Arlington’s major developers as the chair of your fundraising committee send to citizens and voters? Also, do Democrats seriously think that Republican Caren Merrick won’t hit Favola hard on this issue, assuming – and this is a big assumption – that Favola manages to win the nomination over Jaime Areizaga-Soto?
The bottom line here: given the fact that a major real estate developer, with business before the Arlington County Board (not “of Supervisors”) over the years, is serving as Barbara Favola’s Fundraising Committee Chair, it’s time for Favola – at the absolute minimum – to immediately step down from the Arlington County Board (not “of Supervisors”). Otherwise, this is going to be an ongoing issue, and a potentially serious issue – one we need like a hole in the head – this fall.
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