Before we get to Del. Barbara Comstock’s new ad, a bit of background. According to Talking Points Memo, this “GOP attack dog…ran oppo research for the RNC and chaired Scooter Libby’s defense fund,” also “served as a lead investigator for the notoriously partisan House Government Reform committee during the 90s, chaired by GOP congressman Dan Burton.” Comstock also was “a “close associate” of Monica Goodling, the Christian conservative lawyer and Muckraker favorite who later would help keep the Bush Justice Department stocked with good Republicans.” She then “moved to the Bush DOJ, in 2001, to run the department’s public affairs operation — doggedly stiffing reporters as they sought information on the administration’s aggressive tactics in the War on Terror.” As if that’s not bad enough, she then “spent some time helping then-GOP Majority Leader Tom Delay play defense on a host of ethics problems.” On and on it goes – ugh.
Anyway, now Comstock – who really wants to take Frank Wolf’s House seat the minute he retires, and most certainly has no interest in staying in the House of Delegates a second longer than she has to – is out with a reelection ad that is in character with everything about her we’ve outlined above. The two biggest of her Big Lies in this ad?
First, she touts education funding — “More In-State College Spots for Virginia Students” and “Increased Funding for Education” – when in reality she has specifically voted AGAINST these things (e.g., she voted against the conference report to the budget bill which included that money). She also has a long history of voting against education funding in general. Perhaps that might help explain her abysmal 14% rating from the Virginia Education Association in 2012 (on the other hand, the extremist, theocratic “Virginia Family Foundation” just loves loves LOVES her!).
Second, she claims to have gotten a “funded sound wall” for the district. In fact, that was a county project that Fairfax County Board of Supervisors member John Foust (D) delivered (see his website and also here, and note that Barbara Comstock’s name is NOT mentioned anywhere), but that Comstock likes to claim credit for, regardless of the fact that she had nothing whatsoever to do with it.
I asked Kathleen Murphy’s campaign manager, Raymond Rieling, for comment on Comstock’s Big Lie ad, and he responded: “Delegate Comstock has consistently voted to de-fund public education. Her record speaks for itself, and this ad is another example of her saying one thing in Northern Virginia and voting another way in Richmond.”
So true. That’s why, on November 5, I encourage everyone in the 34th House of Delegates district (McLean, Great Falls) to vote for Kathleen Murphy, and to send Barbara Comstock back to being just another GOP “attack dog” in Washington, DC.
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