WaPo is reporting tonight that Northrop Grumman, a large military contractor, has chosen Virginia over Maryland as the home of it’s corporate headquarters. This is a win for Governor Bob McDonnell, who has publicly lobbied for the defense contractor. Additionally, this is a slap in the face to Democratic detractors, who argued that Ken Cuccinelli’s public battles with the federal government as well as Bob McDonnell’s miscue with the Confederate History Month would prevent corporations and jobs, specifically NG, from doing business within the Commonwealth.
WaPo:
Gov. Robert F. McDonnell and Northrop Grumman will announce Tuesday that the defense giant has selected Virginia over Maryland for its corporate headquarters, two sources familar with the deal said late Monday afternoon.
The company is still considering sites in Fairfax and Arlington counties for its headquarters, but has ruled out Rockville, Md, the sources say.
On a related note, former gubernatorial wanna-be Terry McAuliffe gave an interview today in probably what may be the worst timed interview in 2010, attempting to blast Governor McDonnell on jobs creation, due to the aforementioned miscues. Whoops.
McAuliffe said, “People are disappointed in several controversies that have arisen early in [McDonnell’s] administration . . . and are exasperated by the time and attention spent on these divisive social issues that don’t create jobs.”
..
In a sign that McAuliffe is keeping his options open, he’s hired as a new aide Levar Stoney, former executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia. Stoney was at McAuliffe’s side this afternoon during the interview.
Glad to see Levar Stoney is keeping up his spectacular track record from 2009 as Creigh Deed’s political director (thesis anyone?) and allowing McAuliffe to look like a complete moron on the record, the same day of very public job coup. Bravo.
