Chap Petersen to Governor: Disclose Gifts or Resign

By William Callahan

State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) is calling on Gov. Bob McDonnell to come clean and hand over gifts he’s received from Star Scientific executive Jonnie Williams or resign his office.

It is mandatory for state officials to disclose gifts to the public in order to avoid conflicts of interest, and McDonnell has come under fire recently for failing to disclose a number of expensive gifts from Williams.

Williams paid for the $15,000 catering bill at McDonnell’s daughter’s wedding, as well as a $6,500 Rolex watch that was later given to the governor as a gift.

Williams’ company, which makes nutritional supplements, is currently embroiled in a lawsuit against the Commonwealth to overturn a $1.7 million tax assessment.

In a letter sent to the governor Tuesday, Petersen demanded that McDonnell either turn the gifts over or sell them and donate the money to the state’s Literary Fund.

“That is the only method by which the public can regain trust in your office,” Petersen wrote in his letter. “Without that trust, there is no purpose in continuing to serve.”

Tucker Martin, McDonnell’s press secretary, told The Roanoke Timesthat Petersen’s letter was “blatantly political” and that the Commonwealth’s gift disclosure laws do not apply to members of an official’s family.

“The senator’s letter appears to be premised on unconfirmed and inaccurate media reports,” Martin told the Times.

The issue has prompted Virginia’s gubernatorial candidates torelease their own gift disclosure policies.

Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe has proposed a ban on gifts to an official or their family valued over $100, a measure that the rest of his ticket has endorsed.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican candidate, proposed a mandatory 10-day reporting period for any gift over $500. The proposal would also eliminate the family loophole.

During a Tuesday stop at Greenspring Retirement Community in Springfield, Cuccinelli said that the controversies surrounding McDonnell were distracting voters from his campaign.

"More than anything it's a distraction,” Cuccinelli said. “I'm trying to run a race and we're talking about jobs and the middle class here."

He added that he had not been subpoenaed to testify in court over corruption allegations being raised against the Governor.