Chap and Jeannemarie March to a Vote

The conclusion is that no matter who wins the seat, Vienna will be represented in the State Senate by a tax-and-spend liberal. We have more than enough of such creatures on the Fairfax County Board. Why do we need another one in Richmond?

Jeanemarie sent out a flyer with the names of Chap's children and their home phone number and address. That's just nasty.
Vote Chap!

Boy JMDD has really hit this "gun" issue to death. I wonder what her daughter used to aid in a bank robbery?

Hi Voters ...

If my re-election bid is thwarted this year, I will be looking for a new "rising" star to be my "mentor."

I am thinking Jeannemarie Devolites Davis Peterson has an awfully nice ring to it!

Chap, no hard feelings about all the nasty literature going around. Nothing personal - just politics. Call me!

is tax and spend any worse than the borrow and spend tactics of so called conservatives? all that does is delay the pain.

IMHO, as I have said before, on the local level its more about citizen legislators v. careerists. There is all kinds of time for national partisan debates, but how does any of that really affect Vienna or Fairfax County? This area is moderate. It's not hard to the right or the left. In a world where so many people attack each other over partisan positions, I think that it is nice that so many people on this forum, left and right, share similar views about Vienna. I bet some of the people on here don't realize that some of the people they agree with are of a different partisan stripe! At the end of the day, on the local level, its about doing the right thing. If someone has been in for a long time with no real results, generally it is hard to argue that a new person should not be given a chance to try. If a "liberal" gets elected and does something that gets them unelected, then that's the process. As of now we have a "conservative" who has done little. Who knows which is really better, but for me it comes down to not letting anyone become entrenched. That is just not good on the local level regardless of your national party identity.

Get real, there is a lot of money going around looking under rocks, and listening to polls and much has been spent to see where voters are likely to go and which lever they will pull and what issues appear to be hot ticket items, and since the news stories and media coverage of the VA Tech shootings etc, JMDD knows that she will push this item to try and sway more D's to vote for her, and she's counting on her "appearing to be a R" that she can pull votes away from Peterson, because she needs them in an area that is turning more D as time goes by. If you look at her record, she is really a D, which should help her here, but she's running as a R, and she and Tom know that she has to get as many of the D's to vote for her to win. The gun issue may sway enough votes from the voting D's to get her re-elected, but IMHO, Chap is the better candidate on many of the issues here, and he is more honest about the issues he stands behind, and is not out to pretend to be anything he is not. And I voted for Allan, and I will vote for Chap, because he is honest, and I don't get that impression from Jeannmarie Davis... it's all about the job for her, and I think Chap see's the bigger picture and is more concerned about making VA a better place to raise your family. Unfortunately, negative ads seem to work, and Davis has pulled out all the stops to smear Chap, and she may pull it off.

FYI: JDD was front and center for the corruption at Vienna's polls. Did she ever do anything about it? Did she put TC/Mayor in their place for allowing the abuses? Nope.

Premature Flier Stirs Debate On Intent

By Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 30, 2007; B01

A campaign flier for state Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis urging voters to "Vote Today" was distributed over the weekend in scattered neighborhoods across central Fairfax County, drawing accusations that she was intentionally seeking to confuse voters.

Devolites Davis (R) said that the flier had been intended for distribution next week and was hung on the doorknobs by mistake. A similar door hanger was distributed elsewhere in the district, urging voters to the polls next Tuesday, which is Election Day.

"We had door hangers for this weekend and door hangers for Nov. 6," Devolites Davis said. "The volunteers accidentally picked up the wrong ones. Once we discovered it, the campaign sent people out to take them all off and replace them."

But in a campaign that has become one of the most closely watched and hotly contested of all 140 legislative races this year, challenger J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen (D) is calling for an investigation into whether the Devolites Davis campaign intentionally tried to suppress the Democratic vote. Petersen's campaign manager, Joe Abbey, said several campaign volunteers reported Sunday that the "Vote Today" door hanger was seen in portions of Vienna, Fairfax City and Mantua that have slightly higher concentrations of Democratic voters than other precincts in the 34th Senate District.

"It's not like these neighborhoods are next to each other," Abbey said. "It's not like Mantua precinct is next to the town of Vienna. If this is true, then that looks less like, 'Oh, oops, we just opened up the wrong box and sent it out with the volunteers.' "

Petersen said the campaign is probing the incident and seeking legal advice from the state Democratic Party. Intentionally misleading voters about voting dates, times or locations violates state and federal law.

Jesselyn McCurdy, legislative counsel for the ACLU, said deceptive electioneering practices typically involve telling voters to turn out on a date after the election, so that by the time they realize when they were supposed to vote, it's too late. That makes her wonder whether Devolites Davis's intent was to deceive voters.

"Usually, they're calling you on Monday and telling you to vote on Wednesday," she said. "They normally don't give you enough time to correct the information."

Added U.S. Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), Devolites Davis's husband: "When was the last time we ever had an election in Virginia on a Sunday?"

Devolites Davis said the door hangers were intended for her "favorable" households in the district.

Devolites Davis and Petersen are locked in one of the most competitive races of the season. The 34th District is the most Democrat-leaning legislative seat held by a Republican in Virginia, meaning that Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) and U.S. Sen. James Webb (D) won by larger margins in the 34th than any other GOP district.

Devolites Davis has outraised and outspent Petersen, but both have broken ground by buying advertising time on network television, unprecedented for state legislative races in the expensive D.C. area market.

Candidate Cries Foul Over Mailing

Fairfax Senate Hopeful Angry That Foe Disclosed Address

By Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 27, 2007; B05

State Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-Fairfax) has published the home address, telephone number and family members' names of opponent J. Chapman Petersen (D) in a campaign mail piece -- and Petersen says he is furious about it.

At a news conference yesterday, Petersen, a Fairfax City lawyer and former member of the House of Delegates, said he was shocked that a public officeholder would disclose such personal information in a mailing that went to residents of the 34th District.

"Words can't describe the anger I feel," he said. "My family does not live in a gated community. We live on a public street in a subdivision which is easily accessible to strangers. In fact, we are two blocks from the county jail."

Petersen acknowledged that his family has not been overwhelmed with calls. Since the piece began hitting mailboxes Wednesday, only two angry phone calls have come to his home. His wife, Sharon, didn't answer five to 10 other calls, and the callers left no messages, he said.

Davis is in a neck-and-neck race with Petersen to represent the Democratic-leaning district. It is a race that could help determine control of the Virginia Senate.

Davis said that her opponent is making too much of the mail piece and that she did not publish the personal information intentionally. She also said that all of the information is readily available in the telephone book and on the Internet, and that much of it has been published by Petersen himself.

"He sent out a piece with his children's pictures and their names," Davis said. "Give me a break."

Davis's mailing says Petersen worked for a Washington lobbying and law firm, Bracewell & Patterson, that represented such corporate clients as Enron, and accuses him of not disclosing the relationships on conflict-of-interest statements when he was in the House of Delegates.

To illustrate the point, the mail piece features a portion of Petersen's 2004 Statement of Economic Interests. Handwritten by Petersen, the form is circled in red and has a red arrow pointing to it and includes the information about the Petersen family.

"My family is fine," Petersen said at the news conference yesterday. "We've had a stressful couple days, and my wife took the kids to her parents' house yesterday. Regardless, we are back home and everybody's fine. I want to thank the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office and the deputies for making themselves available as needed."

Petersen defended his strong reaction to the mailing as entirely appropriate. Sheriff's deputies have patrolled his neighborhood since Wednesday, but he said he did not request increased protection.

"I think any father would have reacted the same way," he said. "You see your family's name out there and your phone number and your address, and any father would react the same way."

One effect of the mail piece is that the Virginia Coalition of Police and Deputy Sheriffs is thinking about withdrawing its endorsement of Davis, said Marshall Thielen, a member of that organization.

"They're both good candidates for law enforcement," he said. "But what she's done here is just horrible."

Others who attended the news conference to talk about the safety risk of Davis's action included Raymond F. Morrogh, acting commonwealth's attorney, and Del. Stephen C. Shannon (D-Fairfax), a former prosecutor. Both are Democrats and are on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Thielen is also the president of the Fairfax County Police Association, which has endorsed Petersen. That's one reason Davis dismissed the potential loss of the police and deputies coalition's endorsement.

"They're just looking for a reason because they're very Democratic," she said. "He knows that he's wrong on the issues, and so he is trying to create a dramatic diversion to try to vilify me so people who are voting for me will change their minds and vote for him."

Oh, Chappy, lighten up about the thing about your kids.

They're all precious and cute in 1st grade. Just wait till they hit their teens and start hanging with the "wrong" element and "robbing banks."

And, boy, I should know!

Seriously, though, call me! I need to get some new monograms done - not sure if I need to add some more letters...

>>IMHO, as I have said before, on the local level its more about citizen legislators v. careerists. There is all kinds of time for national partisan debates, but how does any of that really affect Vienna or Fairfax County?

I can agree with you here in general, but consider, 'Why is there a Northern Virginia?'. Why is there a West Virginia? And who has been controlling southern Virginia? And why is northern Virginia's infrastructure so neglected despite our region being the economic engine of the mid-Atlantic? Why does northern Virginia have these moderate Republicans on a leash like Jeannemarie and Tom Davis? And why in the hell would we want our representatives sleeping together... how can they possibly be dealt with seriously without their work, our business, being compromised by the taint of nepotism and the inherent lack of confidentiality? Why do you think the southern Republicans have just squeezed compromised Tom out of the picture? Why should we keep accepting this Republican tyranny in Virginia, now twisted in Vienna?

Do you like the abusive driver fees Richmond let Jeannemarie bring home to northern Virginia?

Do you like the 'let the unelected tax themselves transportation plan' Richmond let Jeannemarie bring home to northern Virginia?

Do you like the 'privatized roads with unrestricted tolls' that Richmond lets Jeannemarie bring home to northern Virginia?

Do you like the VDOT service that Richmond lets Jeannemarie bring home to northern Virginia? Do you like how Jeannemarie lets VDOT take OVER A YEAR to rebuild LESS THAN ONE MILE of Beulah Road in her neighborhood? Do you like how Jeannemarie lets VDOT neglect one of our few major arteries into town year after year after year... narrow, shoulder-less, line-less, pot-hole-strewn, floodable Lawyers Road? And the bridge on Hunter Mill over Difficult Run... it floods and shuts down that key road, like we have roads to spare around here. As if Jeannmarie could actually do anything to address these issues... she just a moderate little girl from northern Virginia to Richmond, and now less trust worthy being married to another politician.

Do you like the 'no bid Tysons aerial Metro rail project' Richmond let Jeannemarie bring home to northern Virginia?

Do you like any of the other crap Republicans want to shove down our throats like bashing gays, bashing immigrants, trashing my right to choose, illegal spying, illegal torture, environment desecration, their gods and prayers, a Homeland Security agency nightmare, FAKE NEWS CONFERENCES, etc., etc., etc.?

To hell with just the local issues and careerists... all politics are local. It's time to cut some leashes and run the Old Dominion Republicans out of town... out of Richmond... out of Virginia... out of our America! Vote partisan!

Let's not run the Old Dominion Republicans out of town just yet..

Let's take a studied and historical step back to the history of the Ol'GOP--

Republican Party was founded in 1854, as a backlash movement opposing Southern States Slavery, which was moving towards appoving slavery in the Western Territories. Reps opposed, and formed the GOP as a result - HISTORY LESSON -FIRST REPUBLICAN President - ABE LINCOLN--Republicans fought to pass 13, 14 and 15 Ammendments - Giving African Americans Rights -- EQUAL RIGHTS, and ability to VOTE!

WOMENS Right to Vote was ALL pushed through Congress by the Republican Party. It is because of Republicans that women can vote and serve with equality Today---

Republicans are ALL ABOUT INDIDUAL FREEDOM - Rights of citizens, personal property rights, less government, lower taxes, more personal responsibility.

I would say to Dems - Study the HISTORY of the Republican Party! These are your friends!

And to Reps - Get Back to Basics, and remember your heritage!

The volunteers accidentally picked up the wrong ones

When elections are up for grabs, nothing is done by accident.

This is typical for partisan politics. Same slimy acts as Maud got away with last election when according to some eyewitnesses that poll officials were actually directing voting inside the poll booths! And nothing was done about it! WHAT A DAMNED MESS!

You think politics is supposed to be this bad?

I say vote them all out, and let some new more honorable people in. The present lot is horrible!

One effect of the mail piece is that the Virginia Coalition of Police and Deputy Sheriffs is thinking about withdrawing its endorsement of Davis, said Marshall Thielen, a member of that organization.

"They're both good candidates for law enforcement," he said. "But what she's done here is just horrible."

I am not voting for them this year.

Davis has CROSSED THE LINE and this year, I am going to vote for the D's... in the past, I have always voted republican, but in all frankness, I don't like what I see any of the R's running this year. They are a bunch of backstabbing miserable cut-throats. Just look at the way Republican candidates Maud Robinson and Jane Seeman abused the public trust last election here in Vienna when Rhoda Stevens (close dear friend of Republican Maud Robinson) actually forced people to vote against Stich and Brehoney! If a democratic poll watcher had tried to get people to vote against Robinson, or Seeman, they would have been brought up on charges from the Chief of Police here in Vienna, and the state election officials were openly amazed that Rhoda Stevens was not charged in this case, which make one wonder, how deep the corruption is! Not even an investigation, just swept under the rug so the Virginia Republican Party would not have to air its dirty laundry!

Well, they all should be voted out! They are a bunch of self centered greedy politicians that have proved they cannot be trusted and don't deserve to be re-elected into office to serve our interests especially since they are only interested in their own selfish interests.

Tom Davis donated $400,000 to his wife's campaign! I wonder how much money he gave her from his last round of begging brochures; for his "exploratory for Senate." How much of our (and I say our because I have given him money in the past) donations are going to her? I just find it a bit difficult to believe Tom has $400,000 lying around of his own money? Is this even legal?

Tom Davis donated $400,000 to his wife's campaign!

The $400,000 was not Tom's to give in my opinion, that money was donated to Federal Congressman Tom Davis, the Incumbent Republican candidate for Congress from Virginia's 11th Congressional District... NOT his wife.

But since the country was formed over 200 years ago, no foresaw that husband and wife teams would be running into political situations where these types of things would even be considered, so there's the rub: the money, I guess is free for Tom to do with whatever he pleases, and I think that stinks to high heaven. If the republican party in Virginia does not see fit to give JMDD money because they don't think she is a viable candidate against CP, then JMDD should run a better campaign, and that doesn't mean what she is doing now.

I am disgusted at what the Davis's are doing. But, that is what they have always done, look out for themselves and no one else!

I say, run all the republicans out this year, and next, because they are not good for Virginia or Vienna:
Run Tom Davis OUT
Run Jeannmarie Devolites Davis OUT
Run Maud Robinson OUT
Run Jane Seeman OUT
Run Michael Polychrones OUT
Run Daniel M. Dellinger OUT

The other's I assume are Dem's and should be voted out too, simply because they do nothing but sit on their butts and let the others get away with incompetence!

Republicans are ALL ABOUT INDIDUAL FREEDOM - Rights of citizens, personal property rights, less government, lower taxes, more personal responsibility.

What in tarnation does this have to do with people who are only pretending to be republicans like Jeanmarie Davis, Maud Robinson, and Jane Seeman, they are all a bunch of two-faced backstabbers who do not stand up for the standards of what the Republican party is founded.

Don't want to believe me, look at their voting records, and they may as well call themselves D's for all the trouble they cause.

>>Tom Davis donated $400,000 to his wife's campaign!

Indeed! Jeannemarie's campaign has become very confused with Tom Davis contributing his political cash, staff, dirty tricks, and other resources to her campaign. Her latest mail flyer has her sitting BEHIND Tom Davis holding his shoulders steady so he doesn't fall over, and then they are both BEHIND a group of other people's children... and they stuck a dog in there. Just who is running for re-election... Tom or the dog? This political couple is so confused that they can't figure out which one of them is running for state senate. In NO WAY should Jeannemarie be sitting subserviently BEHIND her prop politician husband Tom Davis on HER campaign flyer. She should have kept her own name and earned her own way instead of becoming an armrest drool maid to Tom. She's done.

About endorsements... if we value teacher endorsements so highly, how come we don't pay them a better salary? We should. Firefighter endorsed? Don't bother calling for donations for firefighters if you're just going to give my money to your politician. Teacher endorsed... Firefighter endorsed... public employees endorsing their legislator bosses who decide their work conditions and employment benefits? Isn't this a conflict of interest? These endorsements of civil servants by their subordinate civil servants are actually pretty meaningless to thinking voters. Their intrinsic value is no more than a mutual back rub with our tax dollars... although Tom probably gets a little more for his contributions. Such public service sympathy endorsements are just an invitation for suckers to give their vote away, like the campaign signs they adorn... insult to injury. Kick the sympathy endorsements and Tom out from under Jeannemarie and let her stand on her own party record.

So whose signs are in Town Council yards, Chap! or Jeannemarie:

Seeman?
Cole, Bukont!
Polychrones?
Kelleher, none!
Robinson?
Lovelace?
Dellinger?
Brehony, Jeannemarie!
Stich?

FYI, Lovelace has all Dem signs in his yard - Chap, Hudgins, etc.

I don't care what side of the fence you are (Dem or Rep), let's make this vote about getting rid of the incumbents.

My ballots this year will be for Spike, Gary (Baise) & Chap.

I saw yet another Jeannemarie ad on TV. Even IF she is telling the truth, her whole campaign has been a mean and vicious attack from the beginning. Even sympathetic voters will find her campaign repulsive since there is nothing attractive about it. And by attacking early and often, she has allowed Chap! ample time to refute and dismiss her claims at every step. She should have taken the high road, and saved the worst for last.

I saw a JDD ad this morning where she says Chap wants guns all over the schools and he doesn't care about the safety of children (note: Chap has three small children). She has gone beyond the level of good taste.

My question - are shotguns, good?!

Ashley E. Devolites, 20, pleaded guilty in March to one of nine holdups authorities say she was involved in: an Aug. 9 robbery of the Jermantown Shell station at the corner of Route 50 and Jermantown Road in Fairfax City. Devolites admitted riding with two other young men to the station in a 1990 Honda registered to her parents, then going in to determine how many employees were inside. She is the daughter of Del. Jeannemarie Devolites (R-Fairfax), the House Majority Whip.

Devolites returned to the car, and prosecutors allege that Emanuel Aquino of Long Island, N.Y., then went inside, brandishing a shotgun, and was recorded by a surveillance camera. The robbery netted $700, which authorities say Devolites, Aquino and a third man, Christopher Martin, used to buy food, alcohol, a hotel room and drugs.

So far, so good!

>>What is the conclusion as this wraps up?

She's done. Her drooling attack campaign manager husband is next.

Hi Chap!

Just wanted to offer congratulations on kicking my tushie this past Tuesday. Tom and I probably should have seen that one coming. But, it did not hurt nearly as bad coming from you (if you get my drift).

I think that we need to have a "sit down" sometime soon to discuss our, er, my political future.

FYI, from here on out, I will just be Jeannemarie. I figure more last names were coming and no sense making my drivers license look like a law firm business card. I like it. Now I'm just like Madonna or Britney.

Cheers, Big Daddy Senator ...

J

Steve Shannon should run for Tom Davis's seat next year.