REPORT: STIMPSON attacks FORMER GOVERNOR McDONNELL in effort to SMEAR SPEAKER HOWELL!

Bearing Drift reported this story [by Brian Kirwin] on the Susan Stimpson campaign mailer attacking Speaker Howell for his association with an unknown corrupt politician:

Tried to Halt Corruption Investigation

“[The Speaker]…offered himself as a character witness for a government official who was convicted of 11 corrpution counts.”

That was in fact former Governor McDonnell.  You know how I feel about that.  I agree with the Speaker about the need for prayer:

Speaker Bill Howell has known Bob McDonnell for decades. They started a bible (sic – should be “Bible”) study and prayer group together that the Speaker still leads today. McDonnell attended one earlier this year. The House even awarded Howell and McDonnell the “BFF” award in one of their session-ending ceremonies. Speaker Bill Howell attended the appeals hearing and testified as a character witness for Bob McDonnell.

Howell released this statement then:

“I have known Bob McDonnell for a long time and consider him a close friend. I am heartbroken by the pain he and his family have suffered and by what this means for Virginia. Cessie and I offer our sincerest prayers for the McDonnell family during this difficult time.”

Now I like Susan Stimpson.  She’s had (and perhaps has) great potential in politics.  A record of accomplishment.  But this is the wrong race at the wrong time.  I am sure Speaker Howell has made mistakes.  But if conservatives help him in the primary, we gain the right to be heard in the future.  But this McDonnell thing finally did it – I was going to endorse the Speaker anyway but this proved it.  So I’ll encourage others to vote Howell in the primary next Tuesday.  Don’t let Democrats or others claim this “victory”.  Get out for Speaker Howell.