We know that Donna Mateer, former aide to Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio, provided a package of documents to Board Chairman Scott York – at his request – information that supports her allegations of Mr. Delgaudio’s improper fundraising, misuse of office, and nasty behavior. And we know that Mr. York then proceeded to do absolutely nothing with the information for approximately six months, only admitting that he had it once that fact was exposed by the Washington Post. What did the package contain?
For some reason, Mr. York doesn’t want that question answered.
This morning, the newly formed Real Advocate Political Action Committee had to file a court petition to force his compliance with a Freedom of Information Act demand submitted by Elizabeth Miller. I sadly note the fact that the board is comprised entirely of fellow members of Mr. Delgaudio’s political party, and that this looks bad.
Instead of providing the records as required by law, the Republicans have circled the wagons around one of their own, issued a meaningless “order” for a sham investigation, and responded to the demand by saying that the evidence York has held for months are now “personnel” records. Or, maybe they are part of an “active investigation.” No explanation is given for how an elected official’s e-mail with citizens and calendar of events and meetings can become a personnel record, nor has the county offered anything to suggest how they could know who is supposed to be investigated or about what (indeed, the county’s last reply to RAPAC’s Miller actually says there are no documents that say anything about either subject).
The Real Advocate press release follows at the end of this post.
This development, on the heels of the federal lawsuit filed against his hate group “Public Advocate” for the theft and defacement of a gay couple’s copyrighted photo, and the revelation of an ongoing FBI investigation into his alleged misuse of office and his hate group activities, must make the predator of Sterling nervous indeed. I alluded here to the fact that there is much more interesting material forthcoming from other FOIA results obtained by citizens. It gets more interesting every day, in fact. If I were you, I would go sign up for email updates.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From: Elizabeth A. Miller
Communications Director
Real Advocate PAC
comm@realadvocate.orgContact: Stevens Miller
Executive Director
Real Advocate PAC
exec@realadvocate.orgOctober 17, 2012
Real Advocate Political Action Committee Sues for Delgaudio Records
“What did the chairman know, and when did he know it?” That’s the question Elizabeth Miller, Communications Director of the political action committee Real Advocate, says she’s trying to answer. Following a stunning article in the Washington Post, where Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio’s county-paid staff aide (since fired by Delgaudio) revealed that she had given documentary evidence that Delgaudio ordered her to assist in his campaign and fund-raising activities to Chairman Scott York in March of this year, Miller has tried to obtain copies of those documents. “Scott York had these items for months and did nothing with them. Suddenly, when the Post reports he has them, he orders up a closed-door, underfunded investigation, and refuses to reveal what he has.” Miller filed a petition today with the Loudoun County District Court, asking the court to order the county to produce York’s documents.
Miller is represented as the petitioner in Real Advocate’s suit by her husband, attorney and former county supervisor Stevens Miller. Responding to the county’s claim that the material is under “active investigation,” he says, “That’s an obvious attempt at a cover-up by an all-Republican board. Real investigations name a subject, specify charges, and set forth deadlines. This board didn’t do any of that. It’s a sham.”
At realadvocate.org, the PAC says, “Real Advocate is dedicated to the removal from office of any elected official, regardless of their party, who relies on, promotes, or condones the hatred of any class of persons.”
Under Virginia law, the county has seven days to appear in court and show why the material Real Advocate has asked for should not be produced. (Hearing is presently set for 8:30 am, Wednesday, October 24.)
Additional Background
Eugene Delgaudio heads “Public Advocate of the United States,” a hate-group named as one of only 34 such groups in the state of Virginia by the Southern Poverty Law Center (along with neo-nazi organizations and chapters of the Ku Klux Klan). Delgaudio may be unique as the only sitting elected government official in the state to be the head of such a group. Delgaudio’s activities have included staging a mock “man-donkey wedding” to protest LGBT rights, claims that Transportation Security Administration officers are homosexuals secretly using airport “pat-downs” for sexual gratification, and the illegal use of a couple’s engagement photo in unauthorized anti-gay political propaganda. Responding to that last example, Southern Poverty Law Center has sponsored a suit brought against Public Advocate in Colorado federal court.
A recent report at The Washington Post alleges Delgaudio has been using his county office and staff for political campaigning and for campaign fund-raising, both for himself and for Public Advocate. The Loudoun county board has ordered an outside investigation, but refuses to reveal anything publicly about the nature of that investigation, despite numerous citizen requests, including the above-mentioned Freedom of Information Act demand.
The Washington Post has previously reported that Delgaudio’s hate-group, which dates back at least well into the last century, pays him an annual salary in excess of $100,000.00 per year, funded largely by donations.
END
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