Many, many months – and a gazillion lame excuses (e.g, he “forgot!”, “There are some bells you can’t unring”) – after he SHOULD have declared the gifts he got from his corrupt pal Jonnie Williams of Star Scientific, SHOULD have returned them or donated the money to charity, and SHOULD have apologized to the voters of Virginia, Ken Cuccinelli has FINALLY gotten around to doing one of those things (sort of), with time running out and down an average of 7 points in the polls to Terry McAuliffe. Pathetic.
Also, you’ve just gotta love how Cuccinelli starts off blabbering about “ObamaCare” and the “EPA.” Now, desperate to get back in this race, he’s trying to focus the voters of Virginia on his…far-right-wing agenda?!? As if that’s going to help him any? What a dolt.
P.S. And, of course, Cuccinelli goes right to the Virginia “reporter” who’s friendliest to him (and to Republicans in general), Ryan Nobles, for an EXCLUSIVE T.V. interview. Give me a break. If Cuccinelli were confident about this, he’d go to a journalist who’d ask tough questions – Bob Lewis, Julian Walker, let’s say – not to the guy who lobbed softballs to Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney in 2012. Ugh. (note: apparently, Cuccinelli talked to Bob Lewis of the AP first, so Nobles’ interview was only exclusive on TV)
P.P.S. See the DPVA and McAuliffe campaign statements on the “flip;” more statements in the comments section.
DPVA Statement on Cuccinelli’s Unethical Star Scientfic Gifts Scandal
Democratic Party of Virginia spokesman Brian Coy released the following statement responding to the latest developments in Ken Cuccinell’s ongoing scandal with Star Scientific and CEO Jonnie Williams:
“Today Ken Cuccinelli admitted that it was wrong for him to accept $18,000 in gifts and trips from a company and its CEO as he was supposed to be tracking them down for $1.7 million in taxes. This late, clearly political act can’t undo his unethical pattern of putting his own financial interests ahead of Virginia families.
“From not prosecuting a donor who was stealing from a veterans ‘charity’ to helping an out-of-state corporate donor in their fight against Virginia landowners, to his Star Scientific scandal, Cuccinelli has led the most scandal plagued Attorney General’s office in recent memory.”
McAuliffe Campaign Statement on Cuccinelli’s Star Scientific Gifts Scandal
“Ken Cuccinelli has led the most scandal-plagued Attorney General’s office in recent memory – his tenure defined by scandal and conflicts that embarrass Virginia like Star Scientific, Bobby Thompson and helping out-of-state energy companies in their battle against Virginia landowners,” said McAuliffe spokesperson Josh Schwerin. “Cuccinelli’s pattern of ethical behavior is always the same: get caught in scandals, do nothing for months, and then buckle to pressure for his own political reasons. Cuccinelli’s actions today are a reminder that he failed to seriously pursue Star Scientific for the $1.7 million they owed in back taxes at the same time that he was taking lavish gifts, luxury vacations and extravagant meals from the company’s CEO.”
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