Allen Wrench

Regardless of its intentions, NVTC's recent award to Sen. George Allen -- who's running for re-election -- has a political tinge. That makes it wrong.

Washington Business Journal - April 14, 2006

We make a big deal in this town about separating our business organizations from political action committees -- and for good reason. It's the law, so it's not negotiable. But it also makes good business sense. As an organization whose mission is to advocate for business in front of elected officials, you don't want to find yourself on the wrong side of the ballot come election night.

Of course, it's all really a matter of semantics, isn't it? Though there is a legal distinction between a business group and its political action committee, you'd be hard-pressed to find a PAC that gives money to someone who doesn't enjoy the support of the business group it is attached to.

That's what makes the appearance of a clear and convincing line between politics and advocacy so very important -- especially during an election year.

And it's what makes the Northern Virginia Technology Council's decision to honor Sen. George Allen with a special chairman's award -- as it did April 5 -- all the more confusing.

The NVTC takes great pains to draw itself as a non-partisan, nonpolitical group whose only mission is to further the causes of the tech industry in Northern Virginia.

Anyone with the temerity to suggest the group is as political as its president (and Friend of President George W.), Bobbie Kilberg, will be curtly reminded of the organization's clarity of mission.

And don't even suggest that the NVTC endorses political candidates -- whether by announcement or implication. You'll be reminded that would be illegal, and that it is, indeed, the group's political action committee -- NVTC TechPAC -- that endorses political candidates.

Of course, it isn't illegal to give a sitting senator who's standing for re-election an award. (Same goes for a sitting governor who's clearly running for president -- as in the case of Mark Warner, whom NVTC honored in November 2005.) But it's decidedly curious why an organization that is almost condescending in its reminders about the difference between its nonpolitical self and its very political PAC would create even the appearance of playing politics.

Especially when you consider that NVTC's Chairman's Award isn't an annual thing. It's awarded at the recommendation of the organization's chairman, in consultation with Kilberg and the NVTC executive committee.

It may be true that Allen has done some good work on behalf of the industry this year. And that honoring Warner last year creates the appearance of balance in NVTC's choices. But that won't -- and shouldn't -- silence the critics.

You're not likely to find George Allen on anyone's short list of tech titans, in this or any other year. And while it's true that Warner likely will run for president, he wasn't -- and isn't -- a declared candidate for anything.

So back to the real question of why NVTC would run the risk of blurring the line between honoring Allen and endorsing him when its leadership so clearly hates the idea of doing any such thing.

A cynic would say the reason is simple: Allen's running for re-election and has friends in high places at the NVTC. And it's not such a leap for just regular people to make, either. It's surprising that an organization as savvy as NVTC allowed that to happen.

Isn't it?

Comments