Cuccinelli details transition team
Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli is looking to predecessors from both political parties for guidance on how to run the state's law office.
Cuccinelli announced this morning that his transition will be led by former Attorneys General Andrew Miller, a Democrat, and Republican Richard Cullen, as well as former state GOP chairman Pat McSweeney.
Miller, an unsuccessful candidate for governor and U.S. Senate in the 1970s, practices law in Washington. He's from a storied Democratic family; his father ran for governor in the 1950s, opposing the conservative machine of the late Harry Byrd Sr.
Cullen completed the term of Jim Gilmore, when Gilmore quit in 1997 to run for governor. Cullen now heads a large Richmond law firm that is closely aligned with Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell.
McSweeney is a Richmond lawyer who was on the staff of the commission that rewrote the Virginia Constitution in the early 1970s. More recently, he was the lead lawyer in the case in which the Virginia Supreme Court overturned as taxation without representation a transportation-financing plan defended by McDonnell when he was attorney general.
Rounding out the Cuccinelli transition team: Republican Bernie McNamee, a a Cullen law partner and lobbyist who served in the AG's office under Jerry Kilgore and was an aide to Gov. George Allen. McNamee unsuccessfully sought an appointment to the agency that polices Virginia business, the State Corporation Commission.
In addition to announcing his transition team, Cuccinelli said this morning that he is working to get a full understanding of the issues in front of the attorney general's office now and preparing to continue the work.
He's focused on planning the transition, making hiring decisions and creating his legislative agenda for the upcoming General Assembly session. He plans to announce additional decisions next week, including any structural changes to the office and hiring decisions.
-- Jeff E. Schapiro and Olympia Meola
Reader Reactions
It’s really comical that the AG, who has really quite few chores under the VA constitution, needs a star-studded “transition team.“ I
How do you know these things? Are any of you on Cuccinelli’s campaign staff or involved in the transition? Are you family/friends or are you just speculating? You should remember you are talking about people’s careers and they and their family’s wellbeing.
JustAGirl- that was nice! LMAO
And to think, Ken couldn’t find one woman to work on his transition team. Maybe they didn’t list the support staff. We all know Ken’s views on the role of women—makes Gobob look liberal. I can’t wait to get fitted for my burka.
Gee, that would be a surprise? Every boss wants to surround themselves with folks who will owe their allegiance to them. The real test is making sure such folks are competent. We will know soon enough…
Agreed. Especially in their “special prosecutions unit.“ Wait a minute, did anyone even know they have one of those?
Everyone, including the maintenance staff, will be expected to submit their resignations. Republicans like to call this a “top-down review.“ There aren’t many in the Mims office who will meet Cuccinelli’s “standards”.
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