Gov. Bob McDonnell plans to donate more than $100,000 from his inaugural committee to charity after raising more than the $1.5 million goal.
The committee raised $1.9 million from 1,554 donors and spent $1.6 million on inaugural events for the state's first Republican governor in eight years, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan watchdog of money in politics.
A change in state law since the 2006 inauguration prevents statewide office holders from rolling surpluses into their political action committee fund. The remaining money is now donated to a nonprofit organization.
The fund's balance as of Feb. 28 was $262,429 -- the cycle started Nov. 15, 2009 -- but the committee has yet to settle all bills and expects to give more than $100,000 to charity, according to Phil Cox, who served as McDonnell's campaign manager and now runs his political apparatus.
Among McDonnell's donations was $25,000 from Northrop Grumman, whose corporate headquarters the governor is trying to lure to Northern Virginia, and $15,000 from K12 Management Inc., an online-class provider that was closely involved in the governor's successful legislative effort to increase virtual course offerings to public school students.
Statewide officials could also raise money after the election through other PACs, which do not disclose their first-quarter figures until April 15.
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who won re-election as part of the statewide Republican sweep, raised $85,964 from 155 donors and spent $80,404. He posted a remaining balance of $5,559 as of Feb. 28, but Randy Marcus, chief of staff to Bolling, said "we do not anticipate having any surplus funds in the account because there are a couple of bills left that we haven't paid."
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli raised $244,935 from 326 donors and spent $244,160. He had $774 remaining.
Contact Olympia Meola at (804) 649-6812 or omeola@timesdispatch.com.
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