Tag Archives: Crime

Dave LaRock’s social media problem

Posted on by |

In an article published Wednesday, Times-Mirror reporter Trevor Baratko explores the “wild, wild west” of campaigning in a still emerging online social media environment. Baratko approached my husband and me for this article because we had both been removed multiple times after “liking” Dave LaRock’s campaign page on Facebook. It’s common practice on Facebook to “like” a page for the purpose of monitoring the page’s activity and engaging in dialogue, and as I note in comments at the Times-Mirror, we have at no time been enabled to participate in discussion on that page although LaRock is campaigning to be our representative in the House of Delegates.

It’s an open question how exactly candidates for public office should navigate the new environment in which they find themselves. Many public figures and businesses have discovered that blocking critical comments from their Facebook pages only makes them appear imperious and as if they have something to hide. For an example of a different way to handle criticism (or in this case, open hostility and threats) see how the group Queer at Patrick Henry College dealt with PHC Chancellor Mike Farris’ comments on their Facebook page.

Facebook management isn’t the only area in which Dave LaRock has exhibited an inability to tolerate disagreement or criticism, however. A need for control coupled with entitlement, the sense that he has a special right to operate above the law, seems to be the character trait that most animates him. His 2012 arrest (final disposition still pending) for trespassing and destruction of property has become somewhat well known, prompting a falsehood-riddled “damage control” post (authored under an unaccountable pseudonym on a Republican blog) that LaRock is now distributing as his official statement on the matter. Continue reading →

BoS preparing to throw Delgaudio overboard?

Posted on by |

Update (Jan. 3): Mr. Delgaudio’s attorney has released a statement purporting to explain the board’s 8-0-1 (Clarke absent) vote to strip him of his committee appointments. King asserts that Delgaudio “voted for the committee assignments to avoid embroiling the entire Board in another controversy.” In light of Mr. Delgaudio’s conduct since taking office in 1999, this statement should cause us all to collapse upon the floor in a great heaving orgy of mirth (don’t worry, Barbara! We’re fine!). King also feels it’s “unfortunate” that the Chairman used the board’s regular Rules of Procedures in their customary fashion for making appointments in a new term, and would prefer that the board instead “pass a resolution, establish a committee, conduct an investigation and, if necessary, hold a hearing,” which wouldn’t embroil the entire board in another controversy at all.

Two observations: One, an internal investigation and hearing is what was suspended when evidence of criminal misconduct was “discovered” by York in the documents he had been holding in secret since March, and the investigation was turned over to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Two, King’s statement is carefully worded to hold just the Chairman responsible for the vote, as if the other supervisors couldn’t have withheld their approval. Does this mean we won’t be seeing any more hugs?

BoS preparing to throw Delgaudio overboard?

That’s one interpretation of today’s news, that the reorganization of the Board of Supervisors for 2013 has left the suddenly and curiously silent Mr. Delgaudio with no, count them, zero committee appointments. Now is that any way to treat a comrade you like and respect? Real Advocate speculates:

Perhaps the spectacle of his combative participation in the November 20 Finance, Government Services and Operations Committee meeting made everyone a bit uncomfortable. During that meeting, Delgaudio loudly objected to proposed changes to the board’s policy prohibiting the use of county aides in their Supervisor’s campaign or private business, the very activities for which he is being investigated.

Very loudly, as is his habit when trying to get attention. If you’ve never witnessed his voice rising in contrived petulant outrage, you’re really missing out. Here, he’s responding to a proposed revision that Supervisor Buona characterizes as “standard, and mirrors what I’ve seen in many other HR policies.” I’m afraid the transcript doesn’t really do this justice:

Continue reading →

The Sterling Report (for the rest of us)

Posted on by |

I received my taxpayer funded campaign newsletter from Eugene Delgaudio.  

The newsletter should have been titled the “Sterling District Newsletter” not “The Delgaudio Report.”  Our tax dollars are for educating the community and not for generating political name recognition.  Delgaudio should not misappropriate tax dollars for the benefit of his re-election campaign.

Continue reading →

Lying About Crime Statistics

Posted on by |

At the LCDC meeting last night. Ron Speakman came to seek our endorsement for Sheriff. The LCDC declined to endorse anyone for that office this year, as there is no Democrat running.

One assertion that Mr. Speakman made, and is no doubt a core part of his campaign pitch, is that violent crime has increased 46% from 2006 to 2009 as reported by the FBI. This is patently and categorically false. In truth, all crime, including violent crime, has been falling for a decade or more.

Perhaps Mr. Speakman was specifically referring to Virginia, or Northern Virginia. In that case, his statement remains categorically false.

The bottom line is that Mr. Speakman’s campaign for Sheriff is based on stirring up fear and using bald-faced lies to do it. It’s worthwhile for us, as Democrats, to correct such assertions with facts and fear with reason whenever the opportunity presents itself. Reality, after all, has a liberal bias.