Va. Republicans drop fight over access to Kaine’s DNC travel records
BOB BROWN/TIMES-DISPATCH
The governor’s office does not post Kaine’s political events on his official public schedule. But Kaine has said anyone wishing to know his DNC whereabouts simply can ask him or the national party or representatives of his political-action committee, Moving Virginia Forward.
Virginia Republicans will appeal to the court of public opinion instead of a court of law to fight over access to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's out-of-town travel records as Democratic National Committee chairman.
"To continue our pursuit of the documents in question would leave us with the only option of taking the issue to litigation," state GOP Chairman Pat Mullins said in a statement released yesterday, responding to a letter sent by Kaine's office late last week denying his request for the records.
"That course of action would occupy state resources in the use of the public court system and the governor's counsel in defending their refusal," Mullins continued. "In this time of economic difficulty and massive budget shortfalls in Virginia, I cannot in good conscience approve such a proceeding."
Republicans have pressed Kaine to disclose his whereabouts and provide details of his travel and expenses when he leaves Virginia on behalf of his part-time job as DNC chairman.
On Friday, the Kaine administration responded to the request, citing state law and legal precedent that the records are considered "working papers" and do not have to be released.
The governor's office does not post Kaine's political events on his official public schedule. But Kaine has said anyone wishing to know his DNC whereabouts simply can ask him or the national party or representatives of his political-action committee, Moving Virginia Forward.
In previous interviews, he has said the DNC job "absolutely" does not force him to shortchange his state responsibilities.
Republicans, anxious to soften the Democrats' electoral grip on the state in the upcoming statewide elections, have suggested that Kaine is neglecting his day job as governor to further national-party interests at the expense of state taxpayers, who pay for the governor's security.
Early last week, however, Kaine said he would break with past practice of previous governors and instruct the DNC to repay for the state for security costs to protect him when he is out-of-state. Kaine's personal expenses already were being reimbursed by the party.
Kaine spent yesterday in New York raising money for the national party.
"As a Virginia resident, I continue to believe that the people have a right to know where their elected governor is, especially when he leaves the boundaries of the commonwealth for political business unrelated to the concerns of the taxpayers of Virginia," Mullins said.
Contact Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or
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Reader Reactions
You know, whenever liberals tell anyone to “get over it, you lost” I think about the 2000 election and how long it took them to “get over it”. It’s great for a good belly laugh.
Actually, ssn, this about the refusal of the executive to release documents. Nothing more, nothing less. And as far as the Guckert story, you’re right, why let the facts get in the way of the truth as you so distort what really happened. His question wasn’t a plant? Further, it doesn’t surprise me that you think that having the Enron boys come in and dictate energy policy is nothing but business as usual. You know what? This is Bush’s fault, and it’s so bad right now, I doubt Obama will fix it. Of course, I’m sure you guys will still be blaming Bill Clinton, but there’s nothing new there.
There’s no arguing with a true believer.
Good day and good luck to you.
LOL at the RT-D’s liberal bias- hilarious!
dogtown - what to say but “amen.“
Why do the ego challenged republican apologists need to pick fights with other commentators? The original article is long gone to these lonely hearts web surfers.
The entire republican agenda is so bankrupt that a victory is now rated as an unanswered anonymous insult on an anonymous comment section of a far right-wing daily small town newspaper.
To remind, this article is about Republicans giving up a fight that they picked.
At this time in the Bush residency he may have already had a press conference.
Dave - an a true Independent, I disagree with your statement that the “republicans lost”. True, the Republican Candidates lost the election and the Democratic special interests won. To our lasting regret history will prove that the financial well being, physical security, and freedom of United States Citizens were severely compromised.
Democrats deserve credit for perseverance, public relations, and ingenuity: they were able to parlay their anger and false allegations of a stolen 2000 election into eight years of hate, misrepresentation, and obstructionism into sufficient votes among the uninformed voters, rabidly partisan politicians, or liberal members of special-interest groups who stood to gain from a socialist redistribution of wealth to elect the least experienced, most liberal President in history.
jbanks979…are you ignorant, stupid or just a liar? if you can’t see the liberal bias in the TD staff your just not being honest. The comments made by Sotomayor are UNQUESTIONABLY RACIST AND BIGGOTED and should not be tolerated by Repubs. Dems. or any other American!! jbanks979 If you can’t admit that, look in the mirror and ask yourself if YOU are a racist an a biggot!
I do have to laugh when someone accuses the Times-Dispatch of promoting a liberal bias!
now THAT is rich :)
(Also when people are upset that false accusations of racism by idiot conservative demagogs are not treated as actual news stories.)
Dave, you miss the point…What we have here is a media bias issue, among other things. If Kaine was a Republican, he would be TRASHED by the TD, as well as Democrats and the rest of the leftist media. This IS NOT just bitter Republicans getting fired up, it is people pointing out THE HUGE DOUBLE STANDARD between Dems and Repubs! Want proof?...Where are the articles on Sonia Sotomayor’s racism and biggotry, or the trashing of her Wrong decision on the New Haven firefighter’s decision? If Sotomayor was a Republican, she would be GONE!!! Dave, IT’S the FRAUDULENT AND BIASED MEDIA…WAKE UP!!!
actually, you got runover 2000-2008. eight years of getting smashed.
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