Ken Cuccinelli and Bob McDonnell: Birds of a feather? (AP Photo)

Press reports reveal Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli launched an investigation of Gov. Bob McDonnell‘s actions that center around a questionable company owner who has showered not only the governor, but also the attorney general, with gifts, free use of his home and other questionable activities.

Which makes us wonder.  Is Cuccinelli investigating himself?  Is he probing his talks with Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams, his use of Williams’ palatial Smith Mountain Lake mansion, his eyebrow-raising and sudden profits off of stock in the company and his own failures to report the stock ownership on financial disclosure forms?

Cuccinelli, Politico and the Richmond Times-Dispatch report, appointed Richmond Commonwealth Attorney Michael Herring to investigate McDonnell’s disclosure of economic interest and benefits from his relationship with Williams.

At the same time, Cuccinelli and his wife were getting free overnight stays at Williams’ home at Smith Mountain Lake, and buying Star Scientific stock after meetings with the company CEO.

Cuccinelli himself violated Virginia’s public official financial disclosure laws by not reporting his stock ownership.  His excuse was that the stock was not valued above the $10,000 minimum required by Virginia law yet he sold a small part of that stock for more than 10 grand and made a $8,500 profit in the sale.

To make matters worse, Cuccinelli lied about his meetings with Williams, first claiming he didn’t meet with him and then later admitting the meetings but claimed they didn’t discuss a controversial lawsuit Williams’ has filed against the state.

What is the lawsuit over?  Taxes.  What did Cuccinelli admit discussing with Williams?  Taxes.

Hmmmm.

Now Cuccinelli is running for governor — the current job he is seeking from the man his office is investigating for the same violations of the law that appear to have been practiced by him.

Hmmmm again.

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• Cuccinelli should step down as AG

Ken Cuccinell: Another day, another lie

Virginia Attorney General Ken Kuccinelli is getting caught in more and more lies about his twisted, unethical and probably illegal relationship with a business executive who showered the AG and Gov. Bob McDonnell with thousands in dollars in gifts.

After first claiming he never talked with Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams, Cuccinelli now admits meeting with him but claims the two talked “only about taxes” and not about the lawsuit the company filed against the state over its tax problems.

Yet, Cuccinelli purchased $10,000 in shares from the company and stayed at the the CEO’s lavish Smith Mountain Lake home twice as a free guest.  Incredibly, Cuccinelli claims he knew nothing about the lawsuit even after he brought in two private lawyers to handle the state’s side of the case.

Williams has spent at least 35 grand on gifts to Cuccinelli and McDonnell.

How badly is Cuccinelli lying?  Hard to say at this point because the man who is supposed to be the Old Dominion’s top law enforcement officer now claims his office does not have to obey the law when it comes to turning over records requested in a freedom of information request to his office.

It’s not the first time the Virginia AG has ignored the law.  He has told state universities to disobey laws that provide fairness in college admissions.  He often urges other state departments and agencies to disregard laws that do not fit into his 0narrowly-focused right-wing agenda.

Both Cuccinelli and McDonnell are under investigation by the FBI over their relationship with Williams and Star Scientific.

Like most candidates for office, Cuccinelli claims he is running for governor “on his record.”

Which raises a question:  Is that his political record or his criminal one?

Related articles

• Cuccinelli’s office: Open government law doesn’t apply to us
• Cuccinelli should step down as AG
• Bob McDonnell faces FBI probe into relationship with wealthy donor
• Virginia Governor and Attorney General Linked in Scandal – NYTimes.com

E.W. Jackson: Another stunning example of GOP extremism

Looks like Virginia’s Republican Party got the statewide ticket it deserves this weekend by nominating the incredibly outrageous minister E.W. Jackson as the candidate for Lt. Governor.

All one has to do is watch and read the quotes of Jackson to see where the party of the elephant is headed in the Old Dominion.

Here’s a sample from Jackson, a black minister from Chesapeake:

The Democrat party has created an unholy alliance between certain so-called civil rights leaders and Planned Parenthood, which has killed unborn black babies by the tens of millions. Planned Parenthood has been far more lethal to black lives than the KKK ever was. And the Democrat party and their black civil rights allies are partners in this genocide.

Say what?  Jackson doesn’t stop there.  He is a stunningly public hater of gays and a rabid right-winger who claims the Democratic party has “an agenda worthy of the Antichrist.”

GOP insiders tell us the current attorney general Ken Cuccinelli, the GOP nominee for governor, is already looking for ways to distance himself from Jackson.

Maybe Virginians should look for ways to distance itself from a party that continues to give us candidates like E.W. Jackson and Ken Cuccinelli or past embarrassments like George Allen and Virgil Goode.

Storm along the ridge north of Copper Hill on Friday.

Jeff Little, the piano player out of Boone, North Carolinia, who sometimes plays concerts with Wayne Henderson, offered this tribute to the legendary Dave Brubeck and his classic song, “Take Five,” during an appearance with Henderson at the Floyd Country Store recently.

Christine Phillips pitched the win

Floyd County High School‘s girls varsity softball team took the district regular season championship Friday with a 12-7 drubbing of Auburn on a rain-soaked field at home.

Riley Underwood put three runs on the scoreboard with a homer and Aimee Royal drove in two runs as the Lady Buffs now have a 9-1 district record and 17-2 overall heading into the tournament season.

Full story and more photos in next week’s Floyd Press.

Full story and more photos in next week’s Floyd Press.

When guitarist Wayne Henderson from Grayson County, Virginia and Jeff Little from Boone, North Carolina, take the stage you can expect not only traditional Bluegrass favorites but a mix of music that seldom finds it way onto stages around here.

At the Floyd Country Store on Mother’s Day, the guitarist who also makes the instrument for famous players including Eric Clapton in his small shop in Rugby and the piano player from Boone performed a collection of songs that ranged from Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” to Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On” to the ballpark classic “Take Me Out to The Ball Game.”

The appreciative audience enjoyed the show.

A new ABC license worked its way through the state bureaucracy and came through this week after weeks of working with officials.

Floyd Mayor Will Griffin says the reopened shop on Locust Street in Floyd will honor the memory of Ryan.  The store is now owned by Ryan’s children and friends.

The Republic of Floyd shop on Locust Street in downtown Floyd.