Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Attack by Deeds puts Moran on the defensive in race for governor
The battle for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination heats up with charges and rebuttals.
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RICHMOND -- State Sen. Creigh Deeds criticized fellow Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brian Moran on Sunday for accepting campaign contributions from defense contractors who sought federal earmarks from Moran's brother in Congress.
But Deeds also has solicited campaign funds from the Virginia-based defense companies, prompting the Moran campaign to accuse the Bath County senator of hypocrisy in the heat of a three-way fight for the Democratic nomination.
Deeds created fireworks during Sunday's debate at the College of William and Mary when he criticized how Moran and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe of McLean are financing their campaigns. McAuliffe has raised more than $5 million, including large sums from wealthy donors that he cultivated as DNC chairman and a top fundraiser for former President Bill Clinton.
Deeds said Democrats could lose their standing with middle class voters if the party's nominee is perceived to be beholden to wealthy donors or "tainted defense contractors that got millions in earmarks from his brother in Congress."
Moran's older brother James Moran is a veteran Democratic congressman from Alexandria who sits on a powerful House Appropriations subcommittee on defense.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Deeds has solicited contributions from Virginia-based defense contractors that have contributed to Moran's campaign. Deeds' campaign confirmed that he did seek support from the chairman of Dynamis Inc. a Northern Virginia aerospace contractor, as recently as last week.
"It's the height of hypocrisy," Moran campaign manager Andrew Roos said of Deeds' debate attack Sunday.
For Deeds to criticize Moran for accepting donations from defense contractors after seeking support from the industry is "unconscionable," Roos said.
Moran has received more than $366,000 in contributors involved in the defense industry, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Some of those contributors have received congressional earmarks sponsored by Moran's brother, according to a New York Times analysis published last week.
Brian Moran defended the support he has received from the defense sector Sunday, saying they are major Virginia employers who play important roles in supporting military operations.
Deeds, who trails his Democratic rivals in overall fundraising, has collected less than $6,000 from defense interests.
Deeds campaign aides said Tuesday that Deeds is not arguing that all of Moran's defense industry contributions are tainted. They said Deeds was referring Sunday to money Moran has received from lobbyist Paul Magliocchetti of the PMA group, a firm that represented earmark-seeking defense contractors before Congress.
The firm closed after its offices were raided by federal authorities investigating the possible use of straw donors to skirt federal campaign contribution limits, The New York Times reported.
Deeds made no specific references to Magliocchetti in Sunday's debate, though he twice raised the issue of Moran's contributions from defense companies.
But Deeds campaign manager Joe Abbey made no apologies Tuesday for raising the issue of how the candidates are financing their campaigns.
"Our opponents' fundraising says a lot about what types of governors they will be," Abbey said in a statement.
