Tim Hugo's Scandalous Connections

By: Jim K.
Published On: 8/28/2007 12:08:51 PM

Tim Hugo, the Republicat incumbant in NOVA's House of Delegates 40th District seat, has launched a negative attack on his Democratic challenger, Rex Simmons, over immigration.  Well, it's time for Democrats to take their gloves off and shine the spotlight on Hugo's pattern of close contacts with persons guilty of unethical or illegal conduct. 

As chief of staff in the late 1990s to the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, "Bud" Shuster, Hugo defended his boss in a transportation-related influence peddling scandal that resulted in the House Ethics Committee issuing a reproach to Shuster in 2000. Another figure in that scandal was Hugo's friend and associate, Ann Eppard, a former Shuster chief of staff.  She was indicted and pleaded guilty in 1999 to accepting unlawful payments from a transportation lobbyist.  Hugo later brought Ms. Eppard onto the "Leadership Council" of his lobbying group, CapNet, which he founded after leaving Shuster's office.

If that weren't enough, after his CapNet enterprise folded in 2005, Hugo joined the Livingston Group, a lobbying firm headed by disgraced, ex-congressman Bob Livingston, who, in the middle of his leading role in the Clinton impeachment proceedings, had been forced to resign because of his own, personal scandal.

In view of this pattern, how can Hugo be trusted to bring the highest standards of conduct to elective office? How can Virginia voters permit a man so emmeshed in transportation scandal hold a position of responsibility over Virginia's transportation policies?

Comments



Bring Scandal to Light in 40th District Race (soccerdem - 8/28/2007 4:08:41 PM)
If mailings aren't sent out to the 40th District voters headlining in large type the relevant details of Hugo, Schuster and Eppard, the voters won't know about them.  They aren't going to Google the stories.  Let's hope Simmons has enough dough, spunk and smartness to play this up, for this was a scandal.

If you play nicey nicey, you cannot win, as Rove and Nixon knew.



Let's Help Rex Get Out The Word (Glant - 8/29/2007 10:01:08 PM)
Rex is running hard in an area with several critical races.  The 40th District overlaps both the George Barker and Janet Oleszek Senate races.  To contribute to help Rex, please click on this link:

http://www.rexsimmon...

Thanks