Check out the following ad from the Abigail Spanberger for Governor campaign, about which Spanberger’s campaign says, “It’s simple — either she lied on her financial disclosures, or she’s lying to Virginians now.”
“There she goes. Winsome Earle-Sears on her way to breaking ethics rules.
‘I’ve got a plane to catch.’ Sears has taken not one but two undisclosed flights on private planes paid for by a top donor. ‘I’ve got a plane to catch.’ Sears violated ethics rules by not reporting the trips. What we’re still trying to figure it out is the quote the Earl Sears campaign gave to the Richmond Times Dispatch, which is reporting about new questions surrounding who is paying for her travel expenses. ‘I’ve got a plane to catch.’ Sears, it’s time to collect your baggage.”
Also, see below for DPVA”s press release yesterday, “WINSOME, LOSE SOME: It’s a Bird … It’s a Plane … No, It’s an Ethics Violation.” Per that press release, “As Sears fails to disclose private flights and continues pushing lies about using the rainy day fund to cover Medicaid cuts, this week is more proof that Virginians can’t trust Sears and with her, it’s Virginians who stand to lose the most.”
P.S. Also, see here for Virginia FOIA Advisory Chair, Del. Marcus Simon, discussing Earle-Sears’ potential failure to disclose private plane use.
WINSOME, LOSE SOME: It’s a Bird … It’s a Plane … No, It’s an Ethics Violation
VIRGINIA – This week has been turbulent for Winsome Earle-Sears. Sears is once again under fire for failing to disclose trips and therefore potentially violating Virginia law. As her secret flight scandal took off, new reporting exposed that she’s been lying to Virginians by claiming she can use Virginia’s “rainy day” reserve to cover the Medicaid cuts in the Trump tax bill she backed even though the math doesn’t add up.
SETTLING THIS WEEK’S SCORE
Winsome’s Wins:
- Unexpected Guests: Outside of a Sears event in Chesterfield, Virginians called out Sears for defending Trump instead of fighting for Virginia and defunding healthcare by backing Trump’s tax bill and saying it “does so many great things.”
- Happy First Day of School: As Charlottesville students began a new school-year, elected leaders called out Winsome Earle-Sears for her extreme record attacking public education and her schemes to defund public schools. Delegate Amy Laufer told attendees “we know that our kids deserve better, and we know that Winsome Earle-Sears is not going to deliver.”
Winsome’s Losses:
- In Flight Turbulence: Sears appears to have failed to disclose a free private plane trip from a donor “whose business was regulated by the state.” This follows Sears failing to disclose – as required by ethics law – gifted trips valued at more than $15,780. When asked if the trip was free and not disclosed as required, Sears’ team said “We’re still trying to figure it out.”
- Mayday: Virginia FOIA Advisory Chair Del. Marcus Simon called on Sears to release the documents relating to her secret flight scandal and is concerned Sears accepted a secretive private flight without disclosing it.
- Liar Liar Pants on Fire: New reporting from Cardinal News details how Sears is lying to Virginians by pushing a fake solution to use Virginia’s “rainy day” reserve to cover the Medicaid cuts in the Trump tax bill she backed. However, Sears’ math doesn’t add up, and Republicans, Democrats, and the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association pointed out the flaws.
- Real Advice for Real Issues: A new column from the Cardinal News slams Sears for repeatedly dismissing Donald Trump’s attacks on Virginia jobs and suggested she take a different tone when talking about the issue. Sears “infamously told a group that ‘it’s not unusual’ for someone to lose a job, so the federal cuts aren’t ‘a huge, huge thing’” and said the federal job cuts aren’t a “real issue” in a recent CNN interview.
As Sears fails to disclose private flights and continues pushing lies about using the rainy day fund to cover Medicaid cuts, this week is more proof that Virginians can’t trust Sears and with her, it’s Virginians who stand to lose the most.
