Campaign Finance Questions Loom: Richmond Assembly Races

#Breaking

By now everyone following Virginia politics knows what is at stake with next Tuesday's General Assembly races. Every seat in the body is on the ballot and Progressives are hoping to turn Virginia #AllBlue. A #BlueVirginia would mean massive changes in the manner in which the Commonwealth of Virginia operate. The Republicans have controlled the Assembly with slim majorities while the Democrats have controlled the Governorship since Republican Bob McDonnell left office in 2014.

How Progressives seek to make such change in Virginia is coming under closer scrutiny. Long claiming that its the Republicans who are in bed with the "special interest", it now appears rather obvious to political observers that it is the Democrat Party of Virginia which has surpassed the State GOP in contributions that in truth has more "special interest" contributions.

This is easily demonstrated by examining the Richmond Assembly races where there are three Senate races and as many competitive Delegate races. These races have witnessed massive contributions this cycle and this is no more evident than contributions linked to the so-called "Clean Virginia" PAC.

Clean Virginia provided contributions, endorsements and support to candidates willing to refuse to take contributions from Dominion Energy a powerful Virginia utility company servicing the Commonwealth. Clean Virginia seeks to out contribute Dominion and thus far and this cycle has. It secured 13 Senatorial candidates and 32 Delegate candidates  to commit to not take contributions from Dominion in exchange for support from Clean Virginia PAC and ultimately its benefactors. Endorsements and support are contingent upon not taking Dominion Energy money.

It goes further though. Clean Energy while claiming to be a bipartisan environmental advocacy group has not contributed to a single Republican. Even those that have in fact pledged not to take Dominion Energy money. The truth behind Clean Energy is it is hardly an organization at all. It appears more a front for "dark money" contributions to candidates.

 Michael Bliss

"Dark money" is a form of campaign finance where organizations making contributions to political campaigns are under no requirement to disclose their donors. In terms of Clean Virginia it is apparent that the donors are in fact Michael Bliss and his wife Sonjia Smith.

 Sonjia Smith

Michael Bliss is a former Golden Sachs executive who now runs the hedge fund group BlueStem Asset Management. The concern currently has over one billion in investments and is based in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Bliss and Smith are staunch supporters of gun bans and gun free zones, repealing right to work laws, support the environmental New Green Deal proposed by Congressional Progressives and also seeks implementation of red flag laws in Virginia.

The couples rather unsavory contributions whether personally or through the dark money Clean Virginia front have poured into races:

Delegate Debra Rodman running for the Senate in the Virginia 12th has taken over $165,000. According to VPAP (Virginia Public Access Project) Rodman has secured $100,000 from Bliss, $55,000 from Smith and 10,059 from Clean Virginia PAC. Rodman has accused her opponent, Senator Siobhan Dunnavant of catering the the "special interest".

In the 10th Senate District, Progressive Ghazala Hashmi has been contributed $50,000 by Bliss and $45,000 by Smith as well as $5,000 from Clean Virginia PAC. Hasmi is running against incumbent Republican Glen Sturtevant and the 10th covers portions of the City of Richmond, Chesterfield and Powhatan Counties.

 Senator Amanda Freeman Chase

In the 11th Senate District where Progressive Amanda Pohl is challenging Conservative Senator Amanda Freeman Chase, Sonjia Smith contributed $35,000 to the Pohl campaign just recently while Bliss contributed to Sheila Bynum Coleman in her race to unseat Speaker of the House Kirk Cox in Chesterfield County in the amount of $40,000. Smith has also contributed to Coleman and provided $30,000 while through the Clean Virginia PAC the couple has provided $2,500 for the Delegate seat.

So it is obvious that you have both people and entities contributing to candidates where the funds are coming from the same originator.

Bliss, Smith and the Clean Virginia PAC have contributed almost $350,000 in just these races alone.

In the 31st House race where Delegate Elizabeth Guzeman is being challenged by DJ Jordan in a competitive race; Bliss contributed $40,000 while Smith added $20,000 and the Clean Virginia PAC $10,059. Their commitment to this race totals $70,059.

In the critical Virginia Beach region, the 7th Senate race where Progressive Delegate Cheryl Turpin is running against Republican Jen Kiggans has been provided $160,000 by the Bliss, Smith, Clean Virginia PAC. And Missy Cotter Smasal has been provided 140,000 for her bid to challenge Republican Bill Destephe.



One thing is very clear. Progressives are taking in funding from what can only be deemed as questionable methods for individuals who claim to support End Citizen United.

#EndCitizenUnited #Hashmi #Chase #Sturtevant #Dunnavant #Kiggans #Guzeman #DJJordan #CleanVirginia #CleanVirginiaPAC #MichaelBliss #SonjiaSmith #Turpin #VaBeachGOP #VASenate #VAHouse #BlueVirginia #HenricoGOP