I consider both Del. Brian Moran and Del. Lionell Spruill friends, and pretty smart guys, to boot. So I was a bit taken aback when the financial reports came out showing Moran paying Spruill during the General Assembly session. I have no problems with Moran paying Spruill for working on his campaign – heck, everybody these days gets paid to work on campaigns. (That is, of course, a topic for another post for another day.) What gave me a bit of heartburn was that the payment was being made during session. Although not illegal, it did carry the unmistakable stench of impropriety.
In response to an editorial in The Virginian Pilot, today”s newspaper printed a statement from Mame Reiley, the director of Virginians for Brian Moran.
In light of the concerns raised, Moran plans to introduce a change to the General Assembly rules that expands the current ban on fundraising during the legislative session to include a ban on employment of any legislator by any candidate for public office or political committee during the same time period.
In addition, whether the House adopts our proposed change or not, Spruill will take unpaid leave from the campaign during next year’s regular General Assembly session.
That is exactly the correct response. We all have blind spots and make boneheaded mistakes. The key is to recognize them and rectify them. This approach does both.
~
And kudos to the Pilot for putting this response online. In the past, these Objection! responses were only available to newspaper subscribers. It’s good to see them available to all.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
This was a smart move for Moran and I’m glad he did it.
As for Spruill, I’ve lost a TON of respect for him. I do not feel like he truely supports the party out of loyalty but feel like this is a “business” opportunity.
As a DNC member he should be working to build the party- NOT just his personal reputation.
What has he done to help out the local Congressional candidates? From what I’ve heard, not much. Guess they haven’t ponied up the dough for his “help”.
Does Spruill have a PAC to help build a “farm team”? What is he doing to help get new Democrats involved? Unless I’m missing something here, it doesn’t seem like much.
Last night former DNC member/current Delegate Jennifer Mclellan opened her doors and threw a fundraiser for Mark Warner, she goes out of her way to do everything she can for the Democratic party and doesn’t put a price tag on her loyalty. She doesn’t throw names around and never brags about who is in her rolodex.
We need more Jennifers and less Spruill.
I think you’re dead wrong on this. Perhaps you don’t know Spruill and what he has done for candidates here locally as well as statewide. He works his butt off for campaigns and candidates and has never gotten paid for his work. Ask Bobby Mathieson or Joe Bouchard or Mick Meyer or any of the other candidates down here how hard he works. Ask Tim Kaine how much work he did on his behalf. Ask Jim Webb. And then look back through vpap or the FEC reports and see if you can find him getting paid for any of this.
Just because you are not aware of something doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. And it is because he doesn’t brag or throw names around that you don’t know what he’s doing.
Vivian,
All I know about Spruill is what I am told from some excellent statewide sources and what I observe.
I know he’s not lifting a finger for some candidates who could use his help.
My impression is that he loves the spotlight and I’m getting vibes of hubris.
It seems like there is always strings attached.
I just have a lot more respect for people who don’t have an ulterior motive. He loves the headlines- you have to admit that much.
I’m not saying he is a bad person. I think the Moran thing was unethical and made me question his committment to the party vs his checkbook.
Can anyone say that he is doing anything to groom the next generation of office holders? What is he doing to build the party? He likes to play kingmaker but only when it benefits him.
He reminds me of a certain “retired” delegate in my hometown. He would “help” another candidate only if it benefited him. He also loved the headlines and bragged quite a bit about how many contacts he had all around the state. This is deja vu all over again.
The irony is that this delegate is now a page to the DNC- and he is late 70s/early 80s…a PAGE.
I don’t understand Democrats in this state sometimes- and it makes me sad.
Well, you’d better check your sources, then. Because in this case, they are dead wrong. And because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean stuff ain’t happening. I gave you a long list of folks for whom Spruill has worked – did you check vpap or the FEC records and find any payments?
Guess not.
As for “grooming the next generation” – to be perfectly honest, I don’t see anyone doing that. As a matter of fact, I brought up that very point with Ward Armstrong when he was in town a couple of weeks ago. So to say Spruill isn’t doing it is a bit disingenuous – because no one seems to be doing it.
Alan Diamonstein applied for the page position because that was his only ticket to the convention. Getting to Denver was difficult for a lot of people. I know folks who wanted to go who simply had no avenue to get there. So dig at him all you want – I don’t know the man except very casually – but try to understand why things happen the way they do.
And yes, Democrats in this state aren’t like Democrats elsewhere.
Vivian,
My sources are excellent- good folks who have been in the party for decades. Yes, I did check VPAP and the FEC (which I always check regularly anyway). You are correct there. Also, there are not only monetary benefits involved for favors.
I AM holding him to a higher standard because he is DNC. That is a leadership position and I’d like to see him take a proactive role in growing our party. The friends that I have in other states that are DNC focus on the future and growing the party. What I find here is many people who will only protect their turf and nothing else.
After working in multiple states and seeing how elected officials groom and encourage the next generation- it is disheartening that this does not happen in Virginia like other states.
I know you are a Spruill fan, but I find this deal with Moran disappointing (and I am a Moran supporter). He put himself in a questionable position and his ethics should be questioned.
I find Diamonstein (I wasn’t going to bring up his name) going to Denver as a page to be pathetic. What’s next- retirees working as pages in the GA next year? Everyone states that they want younger people involved in politics but situations such as this just shuts them out. Yes, many people did want to go to the convention- however, I think that is something you should EARN (like you did). If people don’t get chosen, that just shows that they need to work that much harder and will have a chance again in 4 years.
Diamonstein hung quite a few Democrats out to dry in the 90s due to “gentleman’s agreements” with friends in the GOP. He’s a nice guy but looks out only for himself.
I’m pretty disgusted with the whole process- we have PLEOs that are going that do NOT hold a leadership role with the party, nor are they elected officials. Sometimes it seems like the DPVA has gone back to the smokey room, good-ole-boy days.
I used to think the world of Diamonstein (and volunteered on 3 of his races).
I appreciate your defense of Spruill, however- he brings a lot of heat on himself.
Yeah, proudvadem, you’re misinformed on Spruill. He’s been a tremendous help to a lot of important races over the years, and until recently he’s gone largely unnoticed for it. Of all the elected officials who represent part of South Hampton Roads–federal, state and local–I’d have a hard time finding a reason to not list him as the single most influential and helpful Democratic opinion-makers. The only rival he might have for that disctinction would be Congressman Bobby Scott.
But that is a large part of why this was a big deal for me; to the best of my knowledge, Spruill’s contributions have gone largely unnoticed in the past because no one’s ever had to pay the sort of sum’s he’s receiving for his influence before. Spruill may be advocating on Moran’s behalf because he thinks he’s the best candidate for the job–as he has on behalf of the likes of Tim Kaine, Jim Webb, and Hillary Clinton, to name just a few–but it’s a little bit harder now to tell whether it’s Lionell Spruill talking of Brian Moran’s money.
That’s not an indictment of either Moran or Spruill, by the way, I’m just not particularly a fan of the way the system is evolving. I wish people would stop advertising themselves as being for sale when it comes to primaries because I don’t know who to take seriously anymore.
Silence, I’ve never said he hasn’t helped out on a lot of races. And yes, he is influential.
He’s helpful, but I’d like to see him help out a little more this cycle. The Moran thing raised a HUGE red flag and is a black mark that will probably be used against him during an election.
Silence, my sources are VERY sound and I don’t repeat questionable info. All I can say is these are Democratic activists who have been involved 20-40 years and have held leadership positions in the DPVA. There are also several people from DC who have confirmed these claims.
I will not ever question Spruill’s GOTV efforts- they are second to none and he is great at turning out the vote.
It makes me sad and I wish it was poppycock.
What’s sad is that despite evidence to the contrary – that evidence being that Spruill has worked tirelessly for Democratic candidates and has never gotten paid for it – you still think that he’s getting “favors.” I’m not sure what those favors would be. Care to provide a list?
And to be perfectly honest, I know that the people in “leadership positions with the DPVA” don’t always know what they are talking about. I could give examples but I won’t. Suffice it to say that simply holding a position within the party doesn’t mean beans when it comes to what is really going on.
It takes two to tango and your attack on Spruill while absolving Moran of any responsibility is, again, disingenuous. Being a member of the DNC is no reason to hold someone to a higher standard, at least not in my book.
It appears you are upset that Spruill is not working on local campaigns. Instead of bashing him about it, why don’t you call him and find out why?
IT doesn’t upset me Vivian, but after years and years of seeing elected officials not helping challengers, I think it’s sad. Especially when I see the opposite in other states.
We seem to be the exception to the rule and it’s sad.
I’m not going to bash him for not helping, I just admire elected officials who help us pick up seats and wish he would do more locally. I don’t see it happening since he is busy with Moran’s race.
I am not going to betray the confidence of my sources on a blog but next I see you I may tell you more. The favors are nothing illegal or bad but there is a pattern of quid pro quo that goes into a very “grey” area.
As for the DPVA, I agree with you- some (few) of them do not know what’s going on in local races or what is best for the party. There are some however, who care passionately and want to help out. If you read my statement- “Have held” as in formerly, not current. Since the leadership has changed so frequently- many
Maybe I’m still an idealist and a yellow dog to boot. Perhaps seeing the possibilities while working in different states have made me want better for the party.
Sorry Vivan, but being a member iof the DNC s a distinguished position that is chosen by those in the party. IT is a leadership position in which the member is not only a superdelegate but represents our state at DNC meetings. I expect the DNC members to be role models and the best our party has to offer. I’m not saying Spruill isn’t a good Democrat but this last move was a boneheaded one.
Moran should have thought twice as well, and he did make amends as he should have.
It is easy to cast stones at those who do something, I wonder why you don’t look in your own back yard at the elected officials in your own area who do nothing for anyone else election cycle after election cycle. Spruill is a easy target for you, I have seen the work he has done, and the “sources” you are listening to are off the mark, they have probably called on Spruill for his help at one time or another, however, like most folks it is all about what have you done for me lately.
SJ, like I said- Spruill is a DNC member- distinguished party leader.
My personal elected officials have been pretty dang helpful so far and as Democrats go, they have been great.
Spruill is not a “target” for me. I just find his choices questionable.
And as for my “sources”, since 1992 they have never proved me wrong.
SJ- like I’ve said- Ive seen this not just where I live (Tidewater) but in my hometown.
I’ve also seen a HUGE difference in the other states in which I’ve worked- WA, MA, IA, NM and am using that as a comparison. I’ve emailed friends working in other states, and with the exception of NJ- no one can recall a situation like this.
Yes, I am an idealist and I do love my party- hence the S/N. Spruill is not my representative in the house so I personally don’t have any dealings with him. I just expect better from my DNC rep.
I do believe your sources are generally credible, I’m just not particularly inclined to believe that someone in Washington DC is in a position to be more-knowledgable than I am about something I’ve witnessed first-hand locally. I also have a hard time identifying the sort of character you’ve identified as Lionell Spruill. The only two real strikes I’ve heard against him is that he’s somewhat proprietary about his lists and contacts — which is fair, he’s worked hard to develop his organization, why should he turn it over to a cadre of political consultant and two-bit candidates? — and that he doesn’t expend a lot of resources helping out hopeless campaigns.
I also have a really hard time identifying the character you’ve identified as Lionell Spruill; if he was such a boaster and a name-dropper and all about making himself look like a big-shot, don’t you think he’d have a higher profile? Relative to the amount of political influence he wields, he has the lowest public profile in the state.
Now, are you right about red flags and the potential for this to be used against him in future campaigns? Absolutely. I wish he’d give back the money or donate it to charity; I can’t take his advocacy for Moran seriously while he’s making six-figures a year off of him, which is a shame for both of them — if Spruill were helping him purely because he thinks Moran would be the better Governor, that would go a long way towards persuading me to give Moran a second look.
I’m afraid I just don’t get it, Vivian. Spruill worked, he got paid. Who cares when he got paid?
It amazes me that so many people are so idealistic. I don’t know why he can’t be paid for working. If he is worth it, why not? Besides, maybe Spruill could use the money. Not everyone in politics is rich and maybe that is a good thing. I would think the average voter would vote based upon a candidates platform and not who is supporting them.
The when, Mouse, is related to the rule that doesn’t allow fundraising during session. (A BS rule, if you ask me. C’mon – if I write a check the day before the session starts or the day after the session ends, as opposed to during the session, ya think it makes a difference? Or what about all the wining and dining that goes on during session. How is that different?) Even though I think the rule is BS, it is the rule and I think they made a mistake.
I’m not idealistic, Nicole. Folks have to make a living.
I am unwilling to hold Spruill to a different standard than Moran, which is what proudvadem seems to be doing. Like I said – I consider both of them to be my friends and they are both equally responsible.
Silence – I can saw without a doubt that Spruill was supporting Moran long before this cash situation. And if his support of Moran can’t convince you, perhaps I can 😉 After all, I’m not getting paid.