Whereas, the campaign for Governor of Virginia between Republican Mark Earley and Democrat Mark Warner should present a clear choice for voters, on taxes and others issues; and

Whereas, candidate Warner has attempted to blur those differences, by adopting Republican themes while campaigning in some parts of the state, while returning to Democrat themes elsewhere; and

Whereas, candidate Warner has also launched massive advertising blitzes around the state, funded in part by his personal fortune, through a series of campaign committees; and

Whereas, Virginia’s campaign laws emphasize full disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures by all candidates for state and local office; and

Whereas, candidate Warner has established a series of committees outside of his campaign committee and the state Democrat Party, which are being used to finance part of the Warner campaign’s ad blitz, but which do not include their financial reporting of contributions and expenditures in the disclosure reports for the campaign; and

Whereas, several state legislators have called on the State Board of Elections to investigate whether the use of these multiple committees violates the letter or spirit of Virginia’s campaign laws;

Whereas, candidate Warner can’t have it both ways;

Now, therefore, the Arlington County Republican Committee resolves:

We support the call for an investigation by the State Board of Elections into the use of multiple committees this year by the Warner for Governor campaign. We further legislative review and action to close any loopholes that permit such evasion and dilution of our important campaign disclosure requirements.

Considered and adopted by the Arlington County Republican Committee at its monthly meeting on August 23, 2001, in Arlington, Virginia.

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