Comments on: Fliergate update: Iwans paid for fliers

By: fran roehm

fran roehm — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:10:03 +0000

IMHO, it’s interesting to me,with the underlying racism that exists here that Will Sessoms would use Barak Obama’s implied endorsement to get elected. I miss Meyera Oberndorf.

By: Randy Klear

Randy Klear — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:32:41 +0000

If Iwans was Sessoms’ campaign manager, this should have been reported as an in-kind contribution by the Sessoms campaign. There is no possible way to justify it as an “independent expenditure”.

By: spotter

spotter — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:47:14 +0000

Dave Iwans is a professional “media consultant,” just like Kirwin. Do you really think that he unintentionally printed, paid for, and distributed these fliers? And that the fliers just happened to wind up in certain precincts, distributed to certain voters, by NSU fraternity brothers?

It shouldn’t be difficult at all to prove that the violation was willful.

Also, isn’t Iwans required to disclose these payments? Did he comply with that law?

By: Melody Thord

Melody Thord — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:38:19 +0000

So you were expecting honesty from the Pile-it? They have mangled their product more than a VDOT road crew fixing potholes! You can’t lay off half your workforce and expect to keep any degree of quality with your product. Pile-it has destroyed itself! The only place any of us can look for quality in reporting is the internet and bloggers! The quality and level of excellence you demand on your blog, far exceeds anything you’ll ever find in the Pile-it!

By: Meat Loaf Lewis

Meat Loaf Lewis — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:16:02 +0000

While not on the same level or degree of crime, don’t some of these points sound somewhat like the Nixon White House defense talking points for Watergate?

“It was just a break-in . . no big deal. No one at the White House or close to Nixon had anything to do with it. Nixon certainly didn’t know anything about it.”

“This didn’t have any effect on the election. It was no big deal, just someone leaving a disclaimer off. I know they all said they had nothing to do with it at first, and now the campaign manager not only KNEW about it, but paid for it out of his pocket. But that still doesn’t mean others knew about it, including Sessoms. And sure, they all met in the law firm offices of Sessoms’ best buddy, Billy Harrison, the night before the election, but that doesn’t mean the Mayor knew anything about it, just because his campaign manager and best friend did.”

“It’s still not that big of a deal. They just left off the disclaimer; it’s not like they were trying to tamper with the election results. Uuuhh, actually they were. But so what? Just because they tried something illegal so as to deceive voters doesn’t mean it worked and actually swayed the election. OK, so they WERE trying to sway the election by deceiving voters. There’s no proof that it worked (Really? Check out Vivian Paige’s analysis).”

“Just because TWO mayoral candidates — Oberndorf AND Scott Taylor — filed complaints, doesn’t mean anyone cares. Just because Sessoms and his buddies tampered with an election doesn’t mean it would have changed the results. And we certainly know that Will Sessoms didn’t know anything about it, don’t we? Or do we?”

“Oh,that’s right — he said he didn’t. Just like Bruce Williams and Dave Iwans said they didn’t know anything about it. So Sessoms probably is telling the truth, even if no one else is.”

“So the VP editorial page is right — why are we wasting time looking into an election that was tampered with? Slap Iwans on the wrist, assume Sessoms is telling the truth and let’s get on with doing the developers’ business and letting Iwans go back to work for Paul Fraim/Will Sessoms (one and the same).”

“After all, the VP endorsed Sessoms without asking any real questions, so why take a chance on embarassing them by finding out he actually knew something. Those pesky grand juries and Commonwealth Attorneys!! ”

“The VP editorial board doesn’t respect the electoral process and the voters, so why should Sessoms, his campaign and his cronies?”

By: Brian Kirwin

Brian Kirwin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:20:30 +0000

Actually, the penalties are civil ones unless “In the case of a willful violation, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.”

By: Sessoms Flier Fiasco: What’s the Rush? « Great Blue Heron

Sessoms Flier Fiasco: What’s the Rush? « Great Blue Heron — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:53:12 +0000

[...] top off its stunted reporting and editorial protection of Will Sessoms, the Pilot incongruously claims that we don’t know [...]

By: Anon E. Mouse

Anon E. Mouse — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:51:48 +0000

“We didn’t willfully or intentionally break any laws,”

Criminal intent is not necessary for prosecution or conviction.