VA: State Senator Frank Ruff Opens Mouth, Removes All Doubt

From Republican State Senator Frank Ruff in, well, every paper in the district:

'Rep. Goode Has 'The Highest Character'

Editor, The Herald:

I write in amazement that Congressman Virgil Goode's potential opponents in this fall's election have made the following statements regarding Mitchell Wade and his company:

::

Al Weed was quoted saying, "there is a strong taint about the whole thing."

Bern Ewert said that he was "very sad about this continuing story" and that he wanted to "bring honest representation to Washington."

Let me clearly state what the people of the Fifth Congressional District already understand - that we presently have good and honest representation in Virgil Goode and there is absolutely no "taint" surrounding his name.

I have been privledged to know Virgil Goode for over 30 years. I have always considered Virgil a man of the highest character, integrity and honesty.

Virgil Goode has been working tirelessly to bring jobs and economic opportunity to our communities. Our region has been devastated by the loss of jobs over the last decade and Congressman Goode is constantly working to revitalize the economy in our communities.

I find it truly amazing that anyone would even consider running for any office by attacking an incumbent whose morals are beyond reproach for working to create needed jobs.

Virgil Goode's character is beyond question - his political opponent's  motives, in my opinion, are not.

Frank Ruff
Clarkesville

Let's take a close look at this. A Republican state Senator from the Fifth Congressional District writes some astroturf for consumption by the newspapers in the district. He asserts that Virgil Goode, who was named as 'Representative A' in Mitchell Wade's indictment for illegal campaign contributions, "... has been working tirelessly to bring jobs and economic opportunity to our communities." How, you might ask?

By passing only one bill in the House of Representatives in his entire ten-year career there, and making sure that he had all those checks and cash from Wade and his employees so he could locate a few offices in the district. Other than that, Virgil Goode has done little or nothing to bring anything to this district, other than national scorn for yet another politician who claims he can't tell that contributions are overwhelmingly outside his district.

Let's look at another part of that astroturf, shall we? Ruff said, "Let me clearly state what the people of the Fifth Congressional District already understand - that we presently have good and honest representation in Virgil Goode and there is absolutely no "taint" surrounding his name." This was in response to Al Weed's comments that there certainly was "...a strong taint about the whole thing." I have a question: what is Ruff smoking? Does he really believe that Virgil has no taint after national publicity about his taking illegal campaign contributions has embarassed us here in the Fifth?

Here is the next bit of incredulity from Frank: "I find it truly amazing that anyone would even consider running for any office by attacking an incumbent whose morals are beyond reproach for working to create needed jobs." Whoa, Frank, sit down. I know you are getting up in years, but you shouldn't be allowed to have your staff write such a clearly clueless statement that even you know isn't true. Hellooo? Republicans stock-in-trade is all about attacking whomever gets in their way, even fellow Republicans. Remember George W. Bush's treatment of John McCain in South Carolina in the 2000 Presidential contest? If there is a way to assasinate character, the Republicans have used it. Remember John Kerry in 2004? The Swift Boat Liars for Half-truths and Innuendo? And morals beyond reproach? Who do you think you are kidding, Frank? Virgil Goode has toed the line on all things Republican, which make his morals look pretty suspect to me. Like when he voted to turn down funds for first responders in the House, then gave his ill-gotten campaign contributions to firehouses and other organizations in the Fifth. Like when he voted over and over again against the little guy on the bankruptcy votes, the worthless bills he has introduced in Congress that went nowhere and many others. When was the last time you heard Virgil complaining about the treatment of POW's in Iraq? Or complaining about the fact they didn't have enough good quality armour for the troops in Iraq? Or complaining about the worst deficits in our nation's history? He is strangely silent on these and other issues due to one fact; he is a shill for the President's policies in Iraq and at home.

Frank sez, "Virgil Goode's character is beyond question - his political opponent's motives, in my opinion, are not." Now that's the way to show true Republican morals, Frank; make sure you deride and question the motives of the opponent. Is this part of some GOP handbook on how to assasinate the character of the people you don't like?

One only has to wonder where the rock is that Frank Ruff has been hiding under. He himself sounds frighteningly out of touch, or another shill for Republicans everywhere, or both. Virgil says that he didn't know where the contributions came from, and if he is that naive, he doesn't belong in Washington. If Frank Ruff thinks Virgil is A-OK with him, then the residents of Ruff's district here in Virginia should look long and hard at him to determine if he is the kind of representative we want in the General Assembly. Honestly, that letter sounds like a campaign advertisement. Somewhere, Jefferson and Madison are spinning in their graves.

For more information about Virgil, see numerous posts by Waldo on his site.

•  Tips in the Jar

  If you think it is worthy of one.

  Thanks.

  Mark

  PS: I am going to bed soon, so I can't stick around all damn night... ;)

  by Dems2004 on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 12:27:30 AM PDT

•  Let's see..

  Goode = Rep A, Harris = Rep B..  nawww.. no taint there.

  I have a friend in Ruff's district so will pass this along!  Many thanks.

  by kgerber on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 02:57:48 AM PDT

•  Whoo hoo! Al Weed already responded in the Herald

  I'll be contributing to Al Weed.
  Link

  Here's from Weed's letter:

  
  Is The 5th District Waking Up To Goode?

  Many around the nation have been critical of our Congressman's apparent ethical indifference, and they have good reason to wonder. How can Mr. Goode suggest that he was "shocked and amazed" that the contributions were illegal?

  Senator Ruff talks about Mr. Goode's thirty years in politics as a virtue. If he is such a seasoned politician, he should know better. MZM was the largest contributor to his campaign, he helped them get lucrative contracts the Pentagon didn't want, and they did not have to sign a performance bond leaving Martinsville and Henry County potentially to hold the bag. Then many MZM employees, all of whom live outside of the district, magically give him maximum contributions. And we are expected to believe that he was fooled by MZM? Perhaps he was, but it is certainly right, in our democracy, to question a foolish Congressman.

  All across the nation Congressmen are working to get new jobs in districts hurt by globalization, yet only Mr. Goode and Ms. Harris (R-FL) felt that MZM should pay them for these jobs. I guess a $160,000 annual salary is not enough.
  

  
  

  by kgerber on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 03:09:40 AM PDT

•  Par for the course in CT

  It seems Republican operatives are coming out of the woodwork in support of their congresspeople.  Just last week someone named Art Mannion wrote a LTE in support of Nancy Johnson CT-05 and bashing her potential opponent in November.  A quick google search revealed that he is infact part of the Republican state central committee and coincidentally on the local board of ethics (that's a laugh).  This dude was also an executive VP of Sure Power Energy.  So of course I wrote a followup LTE exposing this hack.  It should be in today's paper infact.

  The sad part is that they're not only worried at this early stage when their opponents are not even known but that they're using operatives to puff themselves up.  We just have to expose them for what they are.

  by DisNoir36 on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 03:36:14 AM PDT

•  Hope you are responding

  with an lte to every paper in the district.
  If I lived up there, I'd be real interested to know what "jobs" Virgie created in that 10 year period you spoke of. Flesh that out a little, bill number, etc, and let 'er rip.

  by emmasnacker on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 06:03:00 AM PDT