Ken Cuccinelli on Immigration

Illegal immigration is one of many issues that an Attorney General will be focused on during his tenure. With the rise of illegal immigrants in Virginia, it is important that the Attorney General address any legal issues that may arise in a fair manner. There is no doubt that we have a candidate seeking the Attorney General nomination, who has a noted legislative record on handling illegal immigration, and that candidate is Ken Cuccinelli.

Ken Cuccinelli is a founding member of the national organization for State Legislators for Legal Immigration. He will ensure that legislation is passed to crack down on illegal aliens who repeatedly break laws, such as identity theft and joining violent criminal gangs. If they break the laws, then they get deported.

Cuccinelli has also passed legislation that requires employers to do background checks and ensure that only legal residents are hired. (Reference SB517). Additionally, Cuccinelli has always supported E-Verify (even though, a certain AG candidate has accused Cuccinelli of being soft on illegal immigration and being against E-Verify). Cuccinelli has also been successful by passing legislation that will give local municipalities legal authority to investigate illegal boarding houses.

So, if you think Cuccinelli is soft on illegal immigration, you are wrongly mistaken. Throughout his legislative career, Cuccinelli has been working hard to make Virginia a safe place to live, work, and conduct business. He has always been strong on adhering to both the Virginia and U.S. Constitution, and this is why I am supporting Ken Cuccinelli on May 30^th.

**Cross Posted at Crystal Clear Conservative

Republican Liberty Caucus of Virginia Endorses Ken Cuccinelli

Today, the Republican Liberty Caucus of Virginia endorsed Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General for his record and commitment to reduce the size of government, as well as fighting to defend our personal liberties.

RLC-Virginia Chairman Bert Mueller said in a statement that,

“Small government and personal liberty advocates have been increasingly frustrated with the Republican Party, contributing to the Party’s weakening presence in the Commonwealth. Ken Cuccinelli is a breath of fresh air for the cause of liberty and personal responsibility.”

“In the lead up to what promises to be a spirited and competitive Virginia GOP convention in Richmond next month — and with the 2005 Attorney General race being decided by just a few hundred votes — grassroots activists who favor Constitutionally limited government are poised to advance our cause and intend to make a difference in Virginia’s Attorney General race.”

This is good news and a great endorsement for Cuccinelli, as the RLC-Virginia is a strong network of volunteer grassroots activists dedicated to the principles of liberty, limited government, and free enterprise within the Republican party.

**Cross Posted at Virginia News Platoon and Crystal Clear Conservative

Brownlee Report Mentions Crystal Clear Conservative

One would think that John Brownlee’s campaign would do their research before sending out their report.  As someone who runs the Bloggers 4 Ken Cuccinelli blog, you would think they would not want to quote their opponent’s supporter.   However, I was surprised to have received their report to find that they borrowed a quote from me to twist it in their favor.  Yes, this race is too close to call, but it is not in your favor, Mr. Brownlee.

Another interesting point from this report is that Brownlee quoted undecided voters in his statistics.  The straw poll was decided based on the people who were able to cast the votes.   This means that people had their minds made up when voting.  Ken Cuccinelli won the Straw Poll and Brownlee was in second place.  Clearly, more people support Cuccinelli, and the undecided vote would not have a factor, since it was a straw poll.  Another additional factor to consider:  the luncheon was right after the debate.  More people were concerned about getting good seats at the luncheon and decided to go upstairs without casting a vote.   This is not to say that they were undecided voters.

On Saturday morning at the Advance, attendees had the opportunity to see our three candidates for Attorney General meet in their first debate (more on that below).  After the debate, a straw poll was held.  No candidate received a majority of the vote (remember a candidate in a convention must receive a majority in order to receive the nomination).

320 votes were cast in the poll; Ken Cuccinelli received 153 (47.8%), John Brownlee received 123 (38.4%) and David Foster Received 44 (13.8%).  RPV staff confirms there were 530+ registrants for the Advance, meaning at least 210 Republican registrants did not vote and may be undecided at this time in the Attorney General contest.  Considering the 210 as undecided, the race stands at:

Undecided:         39.6%
Cuccinelli:          28.9%
BROWNLEE:     23.2%
Foster:                8.3%

We are excited and encouraged by these results.  First and foremost, the straw poll shows the race for Attorney General is wide open.  One of our opponent’s primary arguments to voters is that he is the inevitable nominee.  This past weekend’s gathering has laid that argument to rest.  As the blog Crystal Clear Conservative puts it, “…this race is way too close to call.  It will be a tight race until the Convention on [May 30].”

There is still a lot of time left to get delegates for the Convention on May 30.  I am supporting Ken Cuccinelli, as he will stand on behalf for our core principles and adhere to the Constitution.  From the results at the AG debate on Saturday, Cuccinelli offers the experience and understanding needed for the office of Attorney General.

**Cross Posted at Crystal Clear Conservative

Recap of the First AG Debate

In a packed audience, the first Attorney General debate began with great fanfare. John Brownlee, Ken Cuccinelli, and Dave Foster are there to state the reasons why Republicans should be supporting them during the convention in May. The debate began with opening remarks from former Governor Jim Gilmore. Gilmore gave a brief synopsis of why he believed the party failed to elect Republicans last month. Former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore moderated the debate.

Opening remarks commenced with Brownlee, who mentioned that he will be the candidate in the form of Kilgore and Gilmore. Cuccinelli opened by touting his legislative record in the General Assembly as a State Senator. Foster talked about how he was the only Republican to have been elected in the “People’s Republic of Arlington.” Foster also talked about how education is close to his heart.

First question to the candidates: If your wife had a web page devoted to you, what would she say about you? What would be your strengths and weaknesses according to your spouse?

Brownlee: I hope she would say it was my dedication to public service. When we met in 1997, I had served in the Army. I wanted to give back. My parents worked hard to provide me with a strong education that included law school. Then, he served as a prosecutor in Washington, D.C., and George W. Bush awarded me with being the District Attorney for the western district of Virginia.

Brownlee did not answer what his weaknesses were, as the question was asked.

Cuccinelli: My wife would say I’m stubborn and that I like to argue a lot. I am blunt, what you see is what you get. I believe in running for office as the founding fathers would have intended. She sees this as both a strength and a weakness.

Foster: My wife would say that I have an obscure devotion as a family. I work as a partner in an international law firm, Fulbright and Dworski, as well as serving in the school board.

Second question to the candidates: What is the proper role for Attorney General?

Cuccinelli: There are an enormous number of companies coming from all states. We need to consult with other states’ attorney generals. The reasons to enter interstate dealings shouldn’t be for personal profit, but to obey the law.

Foster: The Attorney General’s office is the third largest law firm in the state, behind McGuire Woods and Hunt and Williams.  He mentioned his experience with his law firm and said that he would have the experience to hire and fire.

Brownlee: The Attorney General’s office is to uphold the Virginia Constitution and to have prosecutorial powers.  He mentioned Medicaid and how he prosecuted offenses to those who wrongly took money from seniors.

Third question: What would you have done about HB 3202? Would you have challenged this law?

Foster accused Tim Kaine of this travesty, and then he mentioned how he would have challenged this act.

Brownlee mentioned that he had some issues with HB 3202, but hopefully, he will trust

Cuccinelli said he thought HB 3202 was unconstitutional because of the regional tax authorities. “The Constitution comes first.” Cuccinelli said, “We need to move towards a free market approach [when it comes to a HOT lanes toll].

Next question: What role will death penalty play in your campaign? What will you do when it comes to your administration?

Brownlee said that the death penalty should be handled in a sober matter. Virginia will continue to have the death penalty that will be used in the most heinous and brutal crimes. He believes that the triggerman rule should be abolished.

Cuccinelli mentioned his experience serving on the Courts Committee in the State Senate and said that death penalty has been addressed regularly. He supports the death penalty and will back it as an Attorney General. It is the sensitive issue.

Foster mentioned how the triggerman rule does not make sense to him, but he would uphold the death penalty.

REAL ID position

Cuccinelli hit a home run with his answer. The upcoming session, Cuccinelli will be introducing a bill to get REAL ID requirements out of Virginia.

Foster skirted this question, and Brownlee did not fully answer the question.

Do you agree or disagree with the Republican Party position on illegal immigration?

Foster said that we need to be open to immigrants, but we should enforce the laws.

Brownlee said we are a party that believes in the rule of law. Second, we are a compassionate party that fights to keep families together. My campaign is uniquely qualified to handle this issue.

Cuccinelli said that we should be reaching out to immigrants. We should enforce the immigration laws and he has passed legislation to ban boarding houses, which is a huge problem in Northern Virginia. He has a track record of reaching out to the ethnic communities.

Recap of the Closing Statements

Brownlee mentioned his experience as a federal prosecutor will make him a great candidate for Attorney General.

Cuccinelli mentioned that he is the only candidate in the AG race who is 100% pro-life. He lives in Northern Virginia, and his commitment to the core principles. They are something to believe in and get behind. People have sacrificed so much for the core principles.

**Cross Posted at Crystal Clear Conservative

Ken Cuccinelli Named Legislator of the Year

Congratulations to Ken Cuccinelli for being named “Legislator of the Year” by The Family Foundation!  I couldn’t think of a better legislator to give this award to, since Cuccinelli stands strong for protecting family values.

Here is the media release from the Cuccinelli campaign:

Cuccinelli named Family Foundation

Legislator of the Year

(Richmond, VA) – State Senator Ken Cuccinelli was named “Legislator of the Year” by The Family Foundation at their 2008 Annual Gala this evening. “It’s very humbling to be singled out among all of our dedicated pro-family representatives in Richmond,” said Cuccinelli.  “But our efforts in Richmond on behalf of Virginia’s families couldn’t be successful without the hard work of groups like The Family Foundation.” “The traditional values we grew up with are under daily assault by liberals in Washington and Hollywood.  We are not immune to the attacks on our culture here in Virginia and need to stand up for faith and families.”

State Senator Ken Cuccinelli has been a member of the Virginia Senate since 2002 and a leader on family issues.  He was a leader in the campaign for the Marriage Amendment in 2006, and was the tie breaking vote to override Governor Warner’s veto of the partial birth abortion ban.  Ken and his wife Teiro have five daughters and one son.

# # #

Cross posted at Crystal Clear Conservative

Say what?

Shifting gears to state politics for a while, John Brownlee – candidate for Attorney General – announced that he was “the most Conservative candidate EVER to run for statewide office” (Crystal Clear Conservative).

Is that so, John?

Putting aside the fact that Cuccinelli is more pro-life than Brownlee, I’d like to know where Brownlee was during the special session, when Senator Cuccinelli was among the leaders in fighting against proposed tax increases in both parties.

Before anyone tries to complain the Attorneys General don’t deal with tax issues, I would remind them that the incumbent AG is still touting his role in the HB3202 debacle from last year. After the special session, I am sure Ken Cuccinelli will not repeat that mistake.

I have no such assurances with Brownlee.

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

Brownlee: The Most Conservative Candidate EVER!

John Brownlee, who is running for Virginia’s Attorney General in 2009, has declared himself to be the most Conservative candidate EVER to run for statewide office.  Huh?!?

During a speech before the Colonial Republican Women’s Club Annual Fall BBQ yesterday, Brownlee made this false claim and declaring that he is the most conservative candidate running for Attorney General.

Do we really know Brownlee’s stances on issues?   Right now, Brownlee has made no known stances on whether he is pro-life, against illegal immigration or where he stands on tort reform cases.

Since he is not so concrete on his stances, how can he declare himself the most conservative candidate?   I guess, if we all wanted to be like Brownlee, we too could say that we are the most (fill in the blank) candidate ever!

**Cross Posted at Crystal Clear Conservative**

Mr. Brownlee, if you’re going after Ken Cuccinelli on abortion, you’d better have your facts right

My good friend Shaun started quite the brouhaha over the Attorney General’s race, even getting the attention of candidate John Brownlee.  Upon closer look though, Brownlee may have done more to hurt his own cause than help it.

Brownlee was miffed about Shaun’s comments on the Bearing Drift podcast, in particular Shaun’s declaration that Brownlee “is not as strong on the pro-life issue as Cuccinelli has proven to be.”

Brownlee’s response revealed a shocking, jaw-dropping, ignorance (Bearing Drift):

“We both believe that life begins at conception and that abortion should be illegal unless it is to protect the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest,” said Brownlee.

WRONG!

Cuccinelli’s pro-life position does not include rape or incest exceptions.  While I can understand that such exceptions divide the pro-life community, for those of us who agree with Cuccinelli (Shaun and myself are among them), that clearly delineates Cuccinelli as more pro-life than Brownlee.  More to the point, it shows Brownlee really has no idea what his opponents’ views are.  This reveals a shocking amount of ignorance about state politics, one that Republicans must keep in mind when nominating a candidate.

That ignorance flows through to his second statement on the issue:

Brownlee also stated that in the six years Cuccinelli has served as a state Senator that abortion is still legal and he has done little to advance the cause of making it illegal.

Crystal Clear Conservative already dealt with this, but once again, Brownlee seems to have no clue what Cuccinelli has done in Richmond to protect unborn children, including his fight to defund Planned Parenthood.  Moreover, it forces me to bring something else up.

John Brownlee, according to his own website, was U.S. Attorney for seven years, longer than Cuccinelli was in the state senate.  More importantly, Brownlee was active with the judicial branch of the Federal government, the branch which actually legalized abortion in 1973.  How many times did Brownlee fight to have Roe v. Wade overturned?  In how many cases did his office stand up for pre-born children?  If there were any, his website makes no mention of it.

Given that the Attorney General of Virginia would have to defend any pro-life measure signed into law in the federal courts, you would think Brownlee would at least note some role he played on that issue.  More likely, he did nothing.

Perhaps he had no opportunity, but that doesn’t give him the right to pretend Cuccinelli’s pro-life record doesn’t exist; nor does it give him (Brownlee) the right to mischaracterize Cuccinelli’s position.

All in all, Brownlee’s response actually made me happier for choosing to support Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General.

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal

The True Side of John Brownlee

Are we really seeing the true side of John Brownlee, one of the candidates running for the Attorney General’s office in Virginia?   After a recent online radio interview (from Virginia Politics on Demand) on Bearing Drift, we are starting to learn more about Brownlee’s views on the pro-life issue.  During this interview, Shaun Kenney (who is a cost host of the show) talked about how much stronger Ken Cuccinelli was on the pro-life record, compared to John Brownlee’s not-so known record.   After this interview, Brownlee attempted to clarify his unknown record by saying that both him and Cuccinelli are pro-life on many issues.   However, do we know Brownlee’s views on the pro-life issue?

       Brownlee makes an assertion in his response to Bearing Drift:

 ”in the six years Cuccinelli has served as a state Senator that abortion is still legal and he has done little to advance the cause of making it illegal.”

One question to Brownlee:  Didn’t the Supreme Court rule in 1972 that abortion is legal (Roe v. Wade)?  This is a Federal governance issue, and there is only so much you can do at the state level to pass a complete ban.  Cuccinelli is a staunch pro-life advocate, who has stood strong on this issue at the legislative level.  So, his assertion is moot.

         The more I hear about Brownlee, the less I like.  Brownlee has not be clear on many issues of importance to Virginia, such as illegal immigration, etc.

         Cuccinelli has the proven leadership and legislative experience for this position.  As an attorney, Cuccinelli understands both the Virginia and U.S. Constitutions.  This is why I am supporting Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General.

**Cross Posted to Crystal Clear Conservative**

Ken Cuccinelli Ahead In Fundraising

Ken Cuccinelli is one of the most dedicated and strong campaigners in Virginia politics.  Cuccinelli always stands for what he believes in, regardless of what others may think, and this is why I am supporting him.   He knows what it takes to win, and his recent fundraising edge proves this point.

Cuccinelli raised over $125,000, and his campaign currently has $110,000 on hand.   The reason behind his strong fundraising is that he does not stray away from his message for standing up for preserving property rights, defending the 2nd Amendment, upholding the Constitution and protecting the sanctity of life.

Cuccinelli said, “Conservatives are responding to my record of defending Life, protecting our communities, preserving Constitutional rights, and fighting to reign in the size of government.  I’m very excited about the early enthusiasm we’ve been generating across the Commonwealth.”

For more information, check out his website.

**Cross Posted at Crystal Clear Conservative**