Now I do occasionally read Blue Virginia. Call it professional courtesy among bloggers. And when I do, I usually need to lay down afterwards or take another blood pressure pill. And today’s no exception. So as I await the hoped Pacquino victory, I saw this!
Here’s April Moore, the presumed Dem nominee for state senate (she has a nice pix on her campaign website! I love the mountains.) running against Senator (and ought to have been Attorney General) Mark Obenshain. And her piece on him – allegedly directed to conservatives – is shameful! She implies clearly the senator is corrupt. An apology is in order. Here’s some highlights (or more truthful – lowlights):
When I announced my campaign, I spoke of how Big Money is getting too many of our legislators – including Mr. Obenshain – to serve its interests at the expense of ordinary Virginians.
One response I got was, “Corruption has always been around. What’s the big deal?”
It’s true; corruption is nothing new. But in America today, we’ve got a new kind of corruption that is a much greater danger. And the need to stop it is a big deal.
***
Because the Koch Brothers are so good at using their money to buy political power, you don’t have to be a Sherlock Holmes to understand the meaning of the following fact: when Mark Obenshain ran for statewide office here in Virginia in 2013, he was given a big chunk of money by the Koch Brothers. We can assume they had good reason to believe that Mr. Obenshain could be relied on to advance their anti-democracy agenda. (And advance it he already has-sponsoring multiple bills written not by lawmakers but by corporations, through ALEC).
***
It would be a big enough deal if Mr. Obenshain were only bought into the Old Corruption, doing the bidding of Dominion Power, giving it more than its fair share at the expense of 37,000 households right here in the district our senator is supposed to be serving.
But in addition to his being an accomplice to this Old Corruption, Mark Obenshain has been chosen by the leaders of this New Corruption.
Moore has some nerve and she adds to it by piling on ALEC and the evil Koch brothers!
In this new corruption, the money power is destroying our democracy, turning our country into a place where the few rule the many. We can see this transformation happening with a shadowy organization — one that has escaped most people’s awareness — called ALEC.
Growing up in America, we’re taught that our laws are written by the legislators we elect. That is becoming less and less true. In state after state – including Virginia – laws are being passed that are written by this organization – ALEC – that advance the interests of Big Money, often at the expense of average citizens. Sure, the laws get passed by the legislators, but those laws have been written by the Big Money people who can bankroll our legislators’ re-election campaigns.
Legislation is suggested by legislators and usually written by Legislative Services. Now ALEC has ideas but so does the Left, too. How about Planned Parenthood? They have a legislative agenda. Their 501 c 4 organization can be accessed through their website.
Here is her ad hominem attack on the Koch Brothers:
And no one better represents this democracy-destroying new corruption than two men whose private wealth of almost $100 billion has been funding not only ALEC but many other efforts that are quietly but effectively using their money to get what they want, at our expense. I’m talking about the Koch Brothers.
The Koch Brothers have worked with untiring zeal and an absolutely brilliant strategy to transform the America our founders gave us into one where the few call the shots and the many are forced or conned into going along.
Now if April Moore thinks this will persuade CONSERVATIVES to vote for her, she might need a new campaign team. I am glad there is a contest in this district. Moore can debate on the issues. And should. But Mark Obenshain is a senator of integrity and honor. April Moore has no right to impugn that. She should apologize to Senator Obenshain. (I am sorry I misspelled the senator’s name in the original title. We fixed that.)
Article written by: Elwood "Sandy" Sanders
About Elwood Sanders
Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)
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