THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009

Creigh Deeds: High Stakes Hide-and-Seek

Democrat Candidate Dodges Debates, Ducks Stances on Issues

RICHMOND - Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins today called on Democratic candidate for governor Creigh Deeds to come out of hiding and answer important policy questions and agree to an aggressive schedule of face-to-face debates with Republican candidate Bob McDonnell. To this point, Deeds has refused to discuss major issues facing the voters and has appeared to be reluctant to appear on stage with McDonnell in a sufficient number of meetings to satisfy voters' interests.

THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009

Editorial: Public, Private

The Richmond Times Dispatch

Public officials have private lives. The public itself should respect that privacy. Private activities are not necessarily created equal, however. Attendance at a child's spelling bee or soccer match is one thing. Attendance at a partisan fundraiser is another.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009

Editorial: The Arrogance of a Divided Leader

InsideNova.com

Back before Gov. Timothy Kaine took on his responsibilities as chairman of the Democratic National Committee we opined that it might not be such a good idea for our state’s governor to divide his limited attention too much. Well, in his new role, Kaine has traveled all around the country to stir up the Democratic masses, but for some reason he isn’t willing to release a schedule of just exactly where his job takes him.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009

Editorial: Mr. Kaine's Travels

Virginians Deserve to Know Where Their Governor Is

The Washington Post

"...Mr. Kaine, who is usually open about his travels, told The Post's Anita Kumar, "If anyone wants to know where I am, all they have to do is ask." But when reporters from this newspaper did just that, filing requests to review Mr. Kaine's schedule, they were either denied or ignored. Mr. Kaine's office offers a slew of reasons, including security and privacy concerns, to explain why the governor must keep his travel records private. None are convincing. Only after media questioning did Mr. Kaine say that the DNC would reimburse Virginia taxpayers for his security on the trips; the governor's office says that was Mr. Kaine's intent the whole time."

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009

Kaine Should Make Travel Records Public

The Virginian-Pilot

Gov. Tim Kaine's second job - as head of the Democratic National Committee - has him traveling a lot, working the party faithful in places like North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Missouri and Ohio over the past few months.

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2009

Editorial: Turn Over the Trip Itineraries, Mr. Governor

The News & Advance

The Democratic partisans among us can argue until they’re blue in the face that it’s all about scoring political points in a gubernatorial election year, but it doesn’t matter one iota.

MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2009

EDITORIAL: Democrats' FOIA problems

The Washington Times

President Obama's promises of greater government transparency haven't panned out. Multiple transparency problems afflict the Obama administration. Just last week, the administration rejected a Freedom of Information Act request for White House logs showing the names of coal executives who had visited the White House to discuss Mr. Obama's "clean coal" policies. This is the same Mr. Obama who as senator castigated the "secret energy meetings" with oil executives at the White House during the Bush administration.  Unfortunately, as if that isn't enough, the Democrats have yet another new transparency problem.

MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2009

Most VA Democrats Back Energy Tax Bill: Where's Deeds?

Kaine, 5 Democrats in Congress Support Enviro Job-Killing Boondoggle; Deeds Hiding

RICHMOND - Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins today repeated his call for Creigh Deeds to reveal his position on the massive energy tax boondoggle known as "Cap-and-Trade" following its approval in the U.S. House of Representatives Friday evening. Governor Tim Kaine released a glowing statement in his role as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee after five Virginia Democratic members of the House voted in favor of the bill. All five Virginia Republican members voted correctly, opposing the job-killing bill.

MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2009

Statement of RPV Chairman Pat Mullins

Regarding Governor Tim Kaine’s Denial of FOIA Request

RICHMOND- Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins today issued a statement regarding Governor Tim Kaine's refusal to release documents requested under Virginia's Freedom of Information Act. Virginia Republicans had sought documents related to Kaine's travel schedule and associated expenses for his job as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. On Friday afternoon, Kaine's office sent a letter detailing the legal rationale for denying the request.

MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2009

Kaine Refuses to Give GOP Travel Records

Richmond Times Dispatch

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is refusing to turn over to the Republican Party of Virginia records of his out-of-state travel as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2009

Will Deeds Stand Up for Workers in His District?

“Cap and Trade” Will Devastate Covington MeadWestvaco Plant

RICHMOND - The so-called "Cap and Trade" climate control legislation currently before Congress will devastate Virginia businesses, including the Covington MeadWestvaco plant, a major employer located in Creigh Deeds' Senate district. In a commentary piece published this week, Mark George, Vice President of the plant, wrote that the legislation would have a severe impact on the company and its 1,500 local employees. Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins today called on Deeds to publicly state his position on Cap and Trade, as Bob McDonnell has already done.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2009

Post Nails Kaine: DNC Travel Primarily on Weekdays

Washington Post Discovers Kaine’s Vast Work Week Political Trips

RICHMOND - The Washington Post has uncovered previously undisclosed accounts of Governor Tim Kaine's travel as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, clearly outlining an itinerary that appears to contain political trips occurring almost exclusively during the normal work week. Seven of the nine excursions revealed by the Post took place on weekdays, amounting to nearly 78-percent of his travel.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2009

RTD Editorial: Governor’s Travels: Let’s See

Richmond Times Dispatch

Tim Kaine holds down two high-profile posts. He serves not only as governor of Virginia but as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. When he accepted President Obama's invitation to head the DNC, Kaine said he would not let his second job interfere with his first.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2009

Va. Governor Is Really Going Places

Kaine's Travels as DNC Chief Not So Easy to Pin Down

Washington Post

"..repeated attempts to review Kaine's schedule -- in Richmond, around the state or across the country -- before and after he became DNC chairman in late January have been unsuccessful. The Washington Post has requested Kaine's calendar through the governor's office, the DNC and his political action committee, Moving Virginia Forward. The requests have been denied or gone unanswered."

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2009

Kaine Admits Virginians Paid for DNC Expenses

- Political Governor Invites ‘Folks’ to Ask Where He Is – (804) 786-2211 -

RICHMOND – Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins today noted that Governor Tim Kaine has finally arranged for the Democratic National Committee to cover the expenses of his Virginia State Police security detail when he travels in his other job of chairman of the DNC.   Kaine also invited Virginians who want to know where he is at any given moment to simply ask him.  He can be reached at the main switchboard number at the Office of the Governor at (804) 786-2211.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2009

Speaker Howell: Virginia Republicans Kept Their Promises on Transportation

Washington Post

"Mr. Kaine professes his commitment to transportation, but Virginia was the very last state to apply for federal stimulus dollars ["Va. Is Last State to Request Stimulus Funds for Roads," Metro, June 17]. While Mr. Kaine repeatedly has turned transportation into a wedge issue for partisan advantage, many of the improvements made this decade can be traced directly to the leadership of House Republicans."

TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2009

Editorial: Where did Gov. Kaine go?

Roanoke Times

When Gov. Tim Kaine started moonlighting as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, he promised his night job would not hinder his day job in Richmond. He should prove it by releasing travel records and information about who is footing the bill for his trips.

MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2009

Tim Kaine Invents Two-Day Work Week

“A Little Fun on the Weekends” Apparently Begins on Wednesday

RICHMOND - Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins today congratulated Tim Kaine for creating what appears to be the first ever two-day work week in any state in America. Facing criticism for his extensive, yet secret, travel schedule as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Kaine explained through a spokeswoman that he conducts national party business mostly on the weekends. Four of the six events highlighted by Virginia Republicans occurred on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.