Kilgore, KBR, and the Coalfields Expressway

By: Jake
Published On: 9/27/2005 1:00:00 AM

Jerry Kilgore, Republican candidate for Governor here in Virginia, was a lobbyist for the construction giant and Halliburton (Dick Cheney, former CEO) subsidiary Kellogg, Brown, and Root (KBR) from 1997 to 2001.  To date, Kilgore has received over $35,000 in campaign donations from KBR.

Coincidentally, KBR was awarded a job for the Coalfield Expressway under the last Republican Governor, Jim Gilmore, who has close ties to the Kilgore family.  Also worth noting is the fact that Jerry Kilgore?s wife, Marty, served as Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth in Gilmore?s administration.

It's interesting: the federal government has pulled funding for the Coalfield Expressway because of delays and cost increases, yet KBR has received millions from the Commonwealth for its involvement.  Million of dollars to KBR, even though no construction has begun and KBR has only completed the "engineering" phase of the project.

Now, the Kilgore camp is trying to place the blame for this situation on the Mark Warner administration - even though the Warner-Kaine administration succeeded in raising VDOT out of its dismal performance record under the Gilmore and Allen administrations.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tim Kaine has stated that Jerry Kilgore's ?relationship with KBR, both as a former lobbyist and recipient of considerable campaign contributions, indicates that [he] may be placing political interest ahead of the interests of his home region.?

Personally, I don?t believe Kilgore ever had any interest in his home region to begin with.  Other than extorting votes from the people there, that is.  Let?s just move on, Jerry.


Comments



Great article Jake, (The Rev - 4/4/2006 11:28:16 PM)
Great article Jake,You hit the nail right on the head,Prime example of how the right wing operate,rape programs put in place to help poor areas,fill their cronie buddies pockets(and family members too) with tax payers money,then cry foul when the program fails. 


I agree with Chris. (KathyinBlacksburg - 4/4/2006 11:28:16 PM)
I agree with Chris.  Months ago I wrote an article at www.democracyforvirginia.org which lamented that, for some, being "from here" is enough, even when there's nothing there except empty rhetoric.  Unfortunately, the article was about our side of the aisle (and likely ticked off a few Democrats we all know and love.  But I concluded by saying by that inane thinking, Kilgore would be the choice of anyyone in SW Virginia simply because he's "from here."  But, as is usually the case when voters go into autopilot, they'd be voting against their own interests.  KBR installing a for-profit highway in the coalfields is just one more example of exploitation.  And Kilgore's conflict of interest is just one more reason voters will get nailed to the wall if they vote for Jerry.  The Coalfield story was excellent, Jake.  Great work!  It would help if the so-called MSM would do its job.  Meanwhile, long live RaisingKaine.com. 


They set up shop two (Chris from ASL - 4/4/2006 11:28:16 PM)
They set up shop two doors down from where I stayed when I was at ASL. It saddens me to see that stories like these and Operation Big Coon Dog keep holding Buchanan County back from the potential it has.  He may be "from there" but I highly doubt that he cares about the real people who are from there.