As Election Day nears, the race between former Governor George Allen (R) and incumbent Sen. Chuck Robb (D) for a coveted U.S. Senate seat is heating up. The most recent development includes allegations of misusing Virginia State Lottery funds for advertisements that some say are politically charged.
Saturday, four Virginia General Assembly Democrats announced that they will sue to "prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for political purposes." Citing a $1.2 million Virginia Lottery television ad campaign, which touts the Standard of Learning tests, Del. Bob Brink (D) claimed that the ads constitute a misuse of funds and are "basically a PR move."
Republican George Allen pushed the SOL tests as one of his main education priorities during his term as governor. The SOLs are a series of competency tests in four core subject areas that set goals and expectations for teachers and students throughout Virginia.
The ad campaign, which began in June, was renewed in September and will continue to air until just before Election Day, said Del. Clifton A. "Chip" Woodrum (D), who is not involved in the lawsuit.
Brink also noted that "the timing of the ads is a little suspicious."
But Ed Matricardi, executive director for the Republican Party of Virginia, said "I don't think the ads will have any effect on the Senate race."
The commercials do not mention the Senate race and simply are touting the fact that "lottery proceeds are going back to the localities," Matricardi said.
In a letter to Penelope W. Kyle, Virginia Department of Lottery director, Woodrum said the ads violate Virginia Code Section 58.1-4022(E). He said the law only allows use of funds to inform the public of "the fact that the net proceeds are paid into the general fund of the Commonwealth."
Because the commercials say how the money is spent shows that they "contravene the restrictions contained in that statute both in the letter of the law as well as in its spirit," he said.
Matricardi said there were no complaints about the ads when they ran in June but only now as the elections draw near.
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