Is Sessoms a bully mayor in Virginia Beach? -or- “Vote for me, but ignore the financiers”
By Bearing Drift | Monday, October 11th, 2010 | Politics“Vote for me! ..but ignore my financiers”
-Guest Post by Jim Cohen
In 2008, believing that new leadership prevents stagnant establishment politicians from making a career out of what should be term limited elected positions, I felt it was time for fresh perspectives from leaders in the business community. I wanted Mayor Oberndorf to retire.. enough was enough. So, I put signs up for her opponent, and gave money to the former Vice Mayor Will Sessoms, who successfully raised well over $500K needed to win the election. I did not know the guy well and did not have any reason to doubt his integrity, but, his name was familiar and I associated him with what I felt would best suit the city of Virginia Beach.
Now it appears our Mayor Will Sessoms fundraising machine successfully churned throughout last winter, supposedly raising money to get a head start on his 2012 campaign. Honorable and wise I thought, but historically have mayors taken this approach? Several council members and candidates aware of the mayors fund raising strategy and donor list raised valid concerns over the summer and have privately disclosed their disappointment and in some cases disgust with Mr. Sessoms apparent moves intended to consolidate HIS power, using monies supposedly raised for his 2012 run for re-election, to exert power and influence over current council members campaign funding ops during the November’s elections. Now as November 2nd is mere weeks away, Mayor Sessoms has amassed hundreds of thousands more dollars than every City Council candidate on November’s ballot combined. Along with endorsements, the mayors stated intent is to influence the outcome of the upcoming city council races and to influence voters who will ultimately decide who serves HIS agenda.
There are an escalating number of troubling reports that Will Sessoms arrogantly bullies city council members behind closed doors and now the general public perceives that their mayor is bullying council members more openly. Now with all of the good things I perceived about out mayor, I regretfully question whether the man is the best endorsement for our city council members and candidates. What does accepting the endorsement of Will Sessoms say about the city council member who accepts?
Do you trust your mayor enough to accept his endorsements of candidates? Which city council members can we trust to serve our best interests?
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35 Responses to "Is Sessoms a bully mayor in Virginia Beach? -or- “Vote for me, but ignore the financiers”"
How can a mayor accomplish the goals he laid out during his successful campaign if he doesn’t have a Council he can work with. Remember, Will is not the President of VB, he is more like a prime minister. He needs a majority of Council members to deliver on his promises. Also, so long as there is full disclosure – and there will be – the voters get to make an educated decision.
Several years ago, phanton PACs created at literally the last minute were created to do a candidate’s dirty work and the donors to those PACs were not known until after the election. I do agree though that Will should file a campaign finance report before the election to show who is giving him the money that he turns around and gives to his endorsed candidates. Disclosure is absolutely warranted in this case.
Ron, Obama had a successful campaign too.. Full disclosure.. you are joking with me aren’t you man?
Scott Rigells good friend has some unholy alliances as many politicians do but if he is browbeating council into submission then its time for new blood. Will is overseeeing some great projects but people are hurting bad right now and the spending needs to be aligned with the situation we are in, even if our taxes are lower than most comparable areas. Sweetheart deals need scrutiny, there are a bunch of them locally and some of them ain’t kosher.
Jim -
This post has absolutely ZERO to do with the Congressional Campaign. Don’t take it in that direction, otherwise I will exercise my editorial oversight.
Turbo, you gave money to a candidate you didn’t know much about?
That pretty much cancels out your opinion. You wrote a check and put up signs for a candidate who raised over a half million dollars, and now you have a problem with him doing what every politician in the country does, namely using campaign funds to support like-minded candidates.
Who is your next target? Speaker Howell?
Brian, Among my concerns are whether the mayor is truly bullying other council members. It appears that this may be the case. Regardless of how every other politician operates, is the mayor serving the citizens best interests or his own by influencing voters to choose HIS cohorts over those who naturally represent the electorate without undue arm twisting. Ye$ thi$ doe$ smell like politic$ as u$ual..
I come from a builder developer family, I know how some deals are made and business favors developers with the right connections with the city. I also know the practice of stacking the deck for the benefit of some good ole boys is not fair to tax payers. The mayor is packing the chamber with HIS clients supported by HIS financiers to consolidate HIS power and endorsing all of the councilmen/women who supported his tax increases while blacklisting the only one that opposed some of them. $1.8 Billion budget, thats with a B Brian.
What happened to good governance and management by good people for all people? The job description of mayor does not include king maker but the mayors establishment pawn Dave Redmond is anything but a newcomer to the foot carpet leading to the throne. His camp IS city of VB political establishment. John Atkinson is campaign manager, Bruce Thompson is a major donor, former councilmen Bill Harrison and Linwood Branch are advisors.. developers and hotel owners are closing ranks.
Enough is enough seems so deja vu circa 2008.
This just in.. http://hamptonroads.com/2010/10/atlarge-fields-views-desteph-widely-disparate
Granted, this can be a double-edged sword. However, I agree with Ron: Sessoms is akin to a Prime Minister, needing a majority to get anything done. Therefore, it makes sense to try.
However, I have to think back to what a Sessoms-aligned Councilman told me during his previous tenure on Council, “A Council is only as strong as it’s weakest member.” Not only untrue, but it sets the potential for overkill in trying to control all 11 seats.
Finally, the only reason I can think of for a businessman to give money to Sessoms to spend on whatever is try to mask it’s source. Therefore, raising that much defies logic.
I don’t know-with Sessoms supporting Dave “I’ve never heard of this guy” Redmond and looking at who’s on the Redmond team, John Atkinson is his campaign manager (Is this even ethical?) Former Councilman Linwood “let’s ignore the 31st Street vote because the voters are stupid” Branch and the largest contribute is Bruce Thompson, it doesn’t sound like a political campaign so much as it does the four whores-men of the apocalypse.
With Sessoms supporting Redmond, it’s a no-brainer for me, I have seen Sessoms suck up to those whose support he wanted and after the election, simply informed them “how it’s going to be”. He’s not the kind of guy I’d want to see wielding or more accurately, lording over a city council that is beholden to him for political favors, God knows he already carry’s enough of the developers baggage in this town and I don’t think it’d be wise to not only have a Mayor that’s bought and paid for, but an entire City Council, too?
That’s suicide!
One term is more than enough for Sessoms and I think it’d be a smart play to vote for anyone he doesn’t endorse. At least I know that if they win, they won’t be in the pockets of Will Sessoms.
I’m just not aware of any council members being brow-beaten. These people are adults who ought to be able to stand up for what they believe in – this isn’t student government…
Once again, Sessoms ought to do the right things and file a campaign finance report right now to tell everyone where this money he received and is now passing around came from. Disclosure can’t hurt. In fact, it would end this rumor-mongering about the “high-financiers” out to rig local elections. Also this is a loophole that the General Assembly needs to fix – require any PAC or Committee that spends money to influence the outcome of an election must file at the same time everyone else has to. If Will only raised money now and didn’t spend a dime of it on someone else’s campaign then he wouldn’t have to file a report until the year end report due in January.
What Councilman feel “bullied”? Which councilman did you talk to in order to formulate this opinion? All the council members I know and trust don’t drop on bended knee for anyone. If you have some sort of supporting proof, more than a feeling, please bring it to light.
Let’s be logical for a moment, shall we?
Rita Sweet Bellito received an endorsement form Sessoms which if I am not mistaken, probably got her a lot in the way of financial support from Sessoms buddies-then Dave Redmond, I guy most folks in the general public never heard of (another person in the real-estate business) get’s the nod from Sessoms, whose biggest supporter turns out to be none other than Bruce Thompson.
If this doesn’t cause you concern, it certainly should because anyone who IS running for office on a student council can clearly see that Sessoms is attempting to stack the council the way HE wants it to be-never mind what the people are interested in or think is best.
Do you honestly think that while owing so much to Sessoms and his friends who provided them with the financial resources to run they (Rita and Dave) would risk drawing the ire of the Mayor by opposing him? Oh, they’ll pretend to stand up against him but on the stuff Sessoms and his buddies really want, they’ll follow him.
Of course, I’m sure that if any campaign violations happen this time out, ol’ Will Sessoms already has someone who’ll fall on their sword while he claims “no knowledge”.
I just have to wonder if that person even knows who they are yet???
I still can’t get over the mayor’s response to questions from myself and other patrons at a recent breakfast. His responses reminded me more of a dictator than a representative of the people of Va beach. He actually stated that he wishes he had never publically supported a light rail referendum during his campaign, since that was the only reason he was supporting a “nonbinding” one now. I don’t care if you support rail or not, that attitude shows contempt for the voters.
I have always thought that the council was there to provide a system of checks and balances, a representation of the broad spectrum of citizens that live here. It seems inappropriate to me that the mayor would raise such a substantial amount of money; during the republican primary I might add, in order to heavily influence the outcome of the council elections.
What is it that the mayor is afraid of? Is it that he lacks the ability to articulate his plans effectively enough to gain public support and council votes? Or could it be that some of these projects that his “friends” are funding would be easier to keep out of the headlines if there were no members of council left to ask any tough questions or raise ethical issues.
Isn’t it about time that we had representation that is more concerned about managing our city efficiently, than about supplying contracts to their friends or building some kind of legacy in their name?
Kempsville Conservative, Meet the candidates and the incumbents. Ask and in some cases you may recieve. Like sheep heading for slaughter, the average voter does not know what goes on before council votes then later on wonders wtf happened and why am I paying for it. Based on some comments about the workings of the inner sanctum of city government, it is clear to me that there are clear signs of big guns bullying at least one councilman and a few candidates. Is this BS or is there some truth to it? Is mayor Will Sessoms a bully yes or no? If he is not bullying then why the reports of arm twisting from more than one source? WHO is the mayor working for.. scuze the term but, er.. special interests at play here?
Big government happens.
Jimmy,
If a candidate doesn’t serve the people’s interest, then the people won’t vote for him. At least in most cases.
As for “suicide”, that would be voting for Toni Hedrick. All she does at forums is read the comments Robert Dean wrote for her.
HRTP will be meeting tonight at the vb central library folio room 7PM-9PM.. some candidates may be in attendance. They are not sitting this out.
At the breakfast mentioned above the mayors demeanor was off key and not in keeping with title that goes along with his office title. Willy defines himself by the company he keeps. Bruce Thompson ‘went to school’ for wiretapping Chuck Robb and Bully Harrison beat a woman pretty badly. Both buddys of the mayor and Redmon are well know for their expensive nose candy habit but htats ok, make excuses.
Which breakfast are you guys referring to?
The question this behavior raises is to whom the folks occupying seats on the Virginia Beach City Council are actually “representing”. The comment about Mayor Sessoms running a campaign pledging to support a referendum on light rail – AND TO HONOR THE RESULTS (yes, I personally heard his say this) – is the most revealing to me. Now, after he deceived voters to win an election, he essentially admits that he was simply saying whatever he felt he needed to tell potential voters to win an election. Who can ever trust someone like this? When you study where the more than $600,000 of “donations” came for Will Sessoms and Councilman John Uhrin (who took our Reba McClanan) in the 2008 election, you certainly gain a much greater insight into who bought and paid for their strong influence of our Mayor. Now the same forces are seeking to gain complete control of the rest of City Council. Clearly their target is Councilperson Bill DeSteph.
When theses same forces worked to take out long time councilperson Reba McClanan, they effectively marginalized Councilman Bill DeSteph. But that isn’t good enough for the Beach power brokers, is it? The want Bill DeSteph, or anyone for that matter, that can question their schemes to be silenced. They seek to dictate “consensus” rather that earn consensus on the merits of their plans.
Anyway you look at it – no matter what your views on tourism, development, bankers, or business lobbies and their grand “vision” for Virginia Beach – ending up with a City Council stacked with only folks “representing” certain special interests groups is N-O-T good governance – and it doesn’t end up “representing” the 435,000 citizens of Virginia Beach. It ends up as a force that thumbs its collective nose at the citizens and will view residents as simply a source of “revenue” to be used to fund politically influential “business leaders’ ” pet projects. Nonessential “Wants” like massively taxpayer subsided, low capacity light rail.
A better City Council contains a broad spectrum of citizens from many walks of life, from all age groups, and from all income brackets. Folks who will not simply rubber stamp a certain “vision” being pushed by those business interests that write the largest checks to political campaigns. A better City Council will be comprised of those individuals dedicated to serve the citizens of Virginia Beach, not operatives for a political party catering to the wants of their most influential “donors“.
A great City Council will have 11 individuals who will study all issues before Council, question their fellow City Council members and the City Staff, and who will seek to learn and respect the will of the citizens they are supposed to be “representing”. What we are witnessing is a power grab by certain elements of the business community. City Council is supposed to be a collection of citizens dedicated to serving their fellow citizens.
Reid, you and facts rarely meet, right?
John Uhrin was elected in 2006, not 2008, and I don’t know how you decided that the Rose Hall district candidate was defeated by the Beach district candidate.
So much for your rant destroyed by a faulty premise.
Can I pick up where Brian left off? Reid claiming to support a City Council with people from all walks of life and all income levels is laughable. Reid and his VBTA habitually attack initiatives that could help the poor in our city, and they believe our government should revolve around the middle class.
Don’t believe me? Read the VBTA’s February, 2008 rant-er, “Statement” on light rail and you’ll see it gives special status to owners of single family detached homes. If you live in an apartment, condo, or townhouse, you don’t matter to the VBTA.
As for Reid’s obsession with light rail, that train left the station MONTHS ago. I could explain how the VBTA could perform a strategic retreat to save what’s left of the tiny breakfast cult, but Greenmun, Dean, et al are too pig-headed to listen to anything but their own huge egos.
Brian, thanks for clearing that up. Henry, still spreading your misinformed lies about the VBTA? Shrug. Whatever.
To all, my point is that having a City Council that has only those folks bought and paid for by special business interests is not in the best interest of Beach families.
Reid,
“Lies”? The February, 2008 VBTA LRT rant is a document in the public domain. That you want to try to deny what appears in black and white is comical.
I certainly hope the Mayor is successful in helping to create an effective city council. Afterall, the fiduciary obligations placed on Council to lead and manage the municipal corporation are serious business; no need for ideologues to apply. In fact, while I would not agree that bullying is involved, only DeSteph could have said such a thing since he rarely can get a second for any of his zany motions; of course he would blame the Mayor instead of actually understanding that his motions are bizarre. DeSteph really deserves his retirement.
Mike, I do watch those VBTV recordings of city council meetings often enough and speak to enough people connected to stay appraised. If on and off air appearances mean anything, Desteph appears to pull his weight for the average citizen and seems to get consensus on most of what he pulls for. Check out the tapes for yourself..
True or false:
1. Nine people on council discussed voting to Raise taxes, I’ll say it again, RAISE taxes, but Dyer and Diezel worked with DeSteph and they fought the mayor who had convinced the rest of the concil to raise taxes.
2. DeSteph very openly hammered out a plan and spent months working with council to build consensus on the real estate tax issue and they stayed at $.89.
3. Built concensus while rewriting numerous city ordinances.
Unless you can prove otherwise, both appear to be true. Go ahead Mike, make my day.. check city records, notes and the recordings.. Prove my statements false and I will back down.
So Mike, is the Real reason you are upset with DeSteph because he voted against the mayor when he payed your outfit back for putting in utilities for your company 1/2 a decade back and authorized million$ of taxpayer money for that when most other businesses did not get reimbursed? Was this pay back? Mano y mano, developer y developer. Just sayin.. don’t taze me bro.
And Mike, were you paid back with a sweetheart easement on the Witchduck road project for your outfits property because of your cozy relationship with the Mayor and his well paid buddy Jim Spore (city manager)? Not a bad deal for a former deputy city manager. Was this some kind of a professional courtesy at taxpayer expense?
With all due respects, Will and Mr. city manager get your support and you have to protect them maybe because you get million$ of backaroom project buckaroo$ from them for projects that only select businesses seem to get.
Sweetheart deals, playing favorites, special interests, favors for donors? Hey Mr. Barret, with all due respect.. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! Isn’t this norm what is wrong with politics? Who else presently on city council has a record of telling our mayor to pound sand when he himself deviates from his own political promises to end this type of crap?
Turbo,
I’m apparently up and online before Mike this morning, so I’ll take a crack:
1. False – The others may have discussed Sessoms’ plan, as the Mayor had put it on the agenda, but that doesn’t equal supporting it.
Having avoided raising taxes the last two years by dipping into reserves, the City will have little choice but to do so in FY 2012 unless the economy turns upward.
2. False – the DeSteph “budget plan” contained some items that either couldn’t legally be done or saved little while being highly politically charged. The “budget plan” was nothing but political grandstanding.
3. False – the only noteworthy Ordinance change DeSteph has pushed through was allowing civic leagues to display temporary signs for events. As Mike has noted, the other things DeSteph has wanted to do died for lack of a second.
Well James, now I realize you just make things up in order to appear as if you have knowledge about a topic. From reading your post, I know that you don’t, yet that does not stop you from pontificating as if you did. Just like DeSteph.
Specifics Mr. B.. Has our mayor either in his capacity as vice mayor or mayor done any favors for not just your business, any business, that is not offered to other businesses?
This is all about the mayors business dealings as mayor, not the Towne bank pres where he has done great things without using taxpayer monies, not you or your business.
Back to the OP.. When Oberndorf was in office we had a weak leader. Now we have Will who is a very capable and I believe better than average businessman. Va. Beach needs people who understand the way business fails or succeeds. My issue entails the way he seems to be dealing with council and fundraising to electioneer for his personal favorites.
Yeah I have serious disagreements with his support for defunding schools to help with light rail and frankly it sure seems like payback to contributors but any mayor will be expected to funnel taxpayer funds to their buddies. The reality on the ground is now we are living in post oct 07 and if unchecked council appears ready to raise out taxes as if its pre october 07.
We are looking at a 1.8 Billion dollar budget for this city.. This election year already smells like low tide. Is it appropriate for a sitting mayor to go beyond endorsing candidates and to fund them as well. Who will these people work for?
Yes Cohen, you have engaged in a pure fishing expedition at my expense. Frankly, your credibility is totally shot, and I expect that everyone on this forum knows it. Before you make unfounded allegations, think twice, and don’t. You only disrespect yourself and show the forum what a blow hard you have become.
In regard to a Mayor expressing an opinion about candidates, yes, the Mayor should make it clear with whom he can work to implement the people’s agenda. Now in my view, the Governor should not. He neither knows the candidates well nor does he understand their interaction, and frankly, we need council members who work for us, not him.
Turbo,
“defunding schools to help with light rail”?!? Schools are funded based on a percentage of certain revenue streams under the funding formula, so pursuing light rail doesn’t take one penny from them. Quite to the contrary, actually building LRT would increase those revenues in outlying years, providing additional money for schools.
If you want to slash schools funding, vote for the VBTA/TEA Party slate of DeSteph, Moss, and Hedrick. The deep tax cuts they favor would mean much less money for schools under the formula in subsequent years.
Yes, Henry is correct. The VBTA was advised to cut school funding, to replace all blue collar workers with government contractors, and to stop building new schools whether needed or not. Further, they recommended closing all libraries, recreation centers, museums, and cultural affairs. Their ticket of DeSteph, Moss, and Hedrick really do want to take us back 100 years. Frankly, most of us don’t want to live in a rural county.
“a sweetheart easement on the Witchduck road project for your outfits property”
I would enjoy hearing some details about this.
RK’s comments to city council.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xqc7jsfWic
Yes, listen and watch RK as he tells council that they should listen to the people, then realize that at the meeting at which he said that, supporters of the purchase of the ROW for light rail exceeded opponents by 3-1. Fact is, the population of the Beach supports light rail as the best alternative to added capacity in the I-264 corridor. Soon, RK and the rest of the naysayers will know that as well.
Mike, I have been a supporter of light rail for decades. I remain a supporter of light rail. My issue is who pays for it. October 2007 was 3 years ago. Money is less valuable, people have less of it. Without checks and balances, city council will take the taxpayer money they can get ahold of and raise taxes to get more. Norfolk mismanaged LRT really badly. VB taxpayers to the rescue? NO DEAL!
To put it in perspective, when engineers screw up that bad, wings break off of aircraft, bridges collapse and vehicle brake systems fail.. people die. When city council and mayors screw up, they still have their job and make up for it on other business.
The perfect system of checks and balances is that you have to run for office again; people know about the details of local officials. We have the lowest tax rate, the highest credit rating, and our Mayor and Council has the guts not to simply stand still and cut, which is the prescription for a spiral of deterioration. That’s why Will Sessoms and his supporters applaud his leadership and his ability to see clearly, think rationally, and act in our best interest.
Turbo,
The primary culprit with the Norfolk cost overruns was the way the contracts were structured. Starting with the restructured Skanska contract, that is being taken care of.
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