Kaine criticizes Howell's fundraising by 'You lie' congressman

By: Jim Nolan | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: September 24, 2009

Now Playing: "You Lie II, Revenge of the Virginia Democrats."

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today said he was "frankly shocked" to see that Speaker of the House William J. Howell, R-Stafford, had asked for fundraising help from the South Carolina congressman who disrupted President Barack Obama's health-care speech to Congress.

"You're known by the company you keep," said Kaine, speaking yesterday afternoon at the state Capitol in Richmond.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouted "You lie!" during Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress after the president said that illegal immigrants would not be covered under his health-reform proposal.

The congressman subsequently apologized to Obama, but refused to formally apologize on the floor of the House, which later voted to sanction Wilson for his behavior.

Howell's Dominion Leadership Trust, which supports GOP candidates for the House of Delegates, asked Wilson to pen a fundraising appeal for the speaker. Howell's top aide, G. Paul Nardo, said there was no downside to enlisting Wilson's help.

Enter Kaine.

"When you pick the loud and disruptive voices who don't have anything constructive to offer and you elevate their undignified behavior, and say, 'Hey, this is who we want on our team,' you say something about your values," Kaine said.

"You say something about the way you'll govern."

Republicans this fall are trying to take back the governor's office and maintain their majority in the House of Delegates, where all 100 seats are up for election. Democrats need to gain six seats to take control.

Kaine, a close Obama ally and chairman of the Democratic National Committee, today incorporated Wilson's pitch for Howell into his own fundraising appeal for Virginia Democratic candidates.

In a letter written for his own political action committee, Moving Virginia Forward, Kaine referred to Wilson as "the congressman who recently embarrassed himself and his constituents by trying to shout down President Obama."

"Now, with their tacit approval of disrespectful behavior, Virginia Republicans are making very plain what values and ideas they hold and how they will govern if given the chance," Kaine wrote.