Jeff Schapiro has found a neat way of carving out a bit of extra room in his anxiety closet for its newest denizen, Bob McDonnell…he gives long-time closeteer Doug Wilder a room-mate: Ken Cuccinelli.
The Republican nominee for governor may be the former Democratic governor’s doppelganger: fiercely independent, occasionally theatrical, icy cool under fire. At his best when turning on presumed friends. Possessing a rigorous intellect with which he rationalizes an ethical blind spot.
One can be forgiven if Jeff is projecting a little (or a lot). But Wilder serves merely as a foil for this piece. Oh that’s not to say Jeff doesn’t administer a few kicks and digs to the former governor along the way. He does. Repeatedly and with glee.
But his real aim is to put this whole special session call of Cuccinelli’s in perspective. Jeff says that because Cuccinelli has taken the soiled lucre (and turkey dinners) of Jonnie Williams, that Ken needs to deflect attention elsewhere. And what better way to do so than a special legislative session on ethics reform?
It solves so many problems! Nevermind that some Democrats have been saying since spring that a special session is necessary to clean up this mess. This is all about Ken’s need to change the subject. Ethics reform just happens to be one that fits the current news cycle.
And to show how truly ludicrous this whole special session idea is, Jeff paints a tale of horribles, as seen through Bob McDonnell’s eyes:
It is McDonnell’s expressed plan to ask the 2014 General Assembly to consider changes to the disclosure requirements that would discourage, if not prohibit, behavior that he and his family elevated to tabloid fodder.
Because the legislature starts working in earnest after McDonnell’s leaves office in January, he won’t be here to see if his proposal becomes a reality. Plus, whatever the legislature does won’t apply to him — because he might never hold elective office again.
It is McDonnell’s apparent fear that a special session of the General Assembly would spiral out of control. Rather than being brief and to the point, it could become a free-for-all in which Democrats — and election-jittery Republicans — do the unthinkable or an approximation thereof.
That is, the GOP-dominated House could be forced by Democrats to debate articles of impeachment, alleging crimes and misdemeanors by McDonnell. Or the House and evenly split Virginia Senate — with a jilted Bolling as tiebreaker — might approve resolutions condemning McDonnell’s shabby conduct.
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This is not the first time I have heard how a special session could turn into an impeachment battle. But Jeff’s tale omits a rather important fact: the Speaker would rule any impeachment motions out-of-order. How soon we forget that Bill Howell has a gavel.
But let’s look at this scenario in another light. Does the case for a special session rise or fall over what it might do to Bob McDonnell’s feelings? Despite a long search, I could find no mention of the General Assembly’s duty to buoy the Governor’s self-esteem in the constitution. Even Jeff doesn’t believe this line of thinking, as earlier in his piece, he describes the Governor as “a nearly invisible, besieged short-timer who sullied state government.” Further, when Jeff writes that any ethics reform proposals McDonnell may offer to the January session won’t apply to him, he misses the much harder truth…
The General Assembly, even today, does not care what McDonnell may have in mind for cleaning up the gift culture. They have already turned the page.
Let’s be brutally honest: a special session is a long shot call on Cuccinelli’s part and not a small part of his move is based on politics. That does not — in the least — detract from the notion that holding a special session is the right thing to do. If everyone acknowledges the system needs to be reformed, why wait? Delay is death for reform. And I’ll repeat what Paul Goldman had to say on the matter, because it remains true:
Cuccinelli’s support is a GOOD THING if you are a REAL REFORMER. My not-so-smart phone is full of texts and emails saying Cuccinelli is faking, he is just using this as a ploy. My response: That is so childish. Dr. King had it right: When a thing is right, the time is always right. Let’s assume Cuccinelli isn’t sincere, that he is just seizing a political opportunity. My response: You don’t think some Democrats are doing the same thing in refusing to back reform now, willing to sacrifice real reform on the theory they can get more votes by keeping the mess alive through November? “Man up” for gosh sakes. This is how politics works: YOU KEEP YOU EYE ON WHAT THE PEOPLE NEED AND YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN AS BEST YOU CAN. If Democrats keep up this “holier than thou” attitude on reform, they could actually lose a sure win this November. Mark my words.
Anyone who has had any success in politics knows INSTINCTIVELY that you are going to have to force politicians to give up their perks and privileges. They only do it under DURESS, which to them is the threat of suffering a political problem with the voters. None of the special interest groups want ethics reform now do they? This would reduce their leverage!
He’s still exactly right.
Do what’s right and hold the special session before the November election. For the Governor, it’s an opportunity to get his ideas on reform actually considered, rather than dismissed out of hand. For General Assembly members, it puts down a clear marker for the voters. If it becomes an issue in your campaigns, so be it.
And it’s here we get to the real reason why the worthies are reluctant to embrace the idea of a special session. They yearn to be chaste, just not yet.
Call the special session, and stand with Ken.
