Happy April Fool’s Day from the Democratic Party of Virginia! (note: there’s nothing funny about Cuccinelli’s unethical behavior)
Richmond, VA – Today in a surprising turn of events, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli announced that he will resign as Virginia’s Attorney General. Cuccinelli said in a statement that issues like his conflict of interest with drug company Star Scientific and his ideological attacks on the bipartisan transportation compromise are making it impossible for him to do his job impartially.
“I have come to realize that my political ambitions are not always compatible with the what’s best for the people of this Commonwealth and that now is the time for me to resign,” said Cuccinelli in a statement. “Virginians need an Attorney General who is focused 100% on their business, not on running a campaign, defending conflict of interest allegations and trying to derail transportation deals.”
Cuccinelli had previously refused to follow the precedent of the past 6 Attorneys General and resign, even as news broke that he failed to disclose holding thousands in stock from a company that is suing Virginia to avoid paying $700,000 in taxes. Cuccinelli’s office insists its failure to move forward on its case against Star Scientific since August of 2011 has nothing to do with the stock he owns or the $13,000 in gifts its CEO gave Cuccinelli that year. Still, he acknowledged that Virginians deserve better than to wonder whether Cuccinelli’s financial stake and close relationship with the company led him to sandbag the lawsuit.
Cuccinelli also said his multiple efforts to torpedo this year’s bipartisan transportation funding deal would make it impossible for him to do his job and represent the law in court impartially. He has so far refused to say whether or not he would repeal the law if elected Governor, but his resignation does mean Virginians can now trust their lawyer to fight to protect the historic funding for roads and infrastructure.
In other news, the Democratic Party of Virginia today wished all Virginians a happy April Fool’s Day and expressed sympathy to voters who are realizing that this prank may be the only time they read about Ken Cuccinelli putting growing our economy and preserving government accountability and transparency ahead of his personal agenda.
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