In the Hook‘s profile of commonwealth’s attorney Jim Camblos, he eventually realized he couldn’t defend himself. By the time Lisa Provence asked him why he didn’t bring charges in the death of the Deane family on 29N, he flat out refused to discuss it. Based on last night’s candidate forum, it looks like Camblos has discovered what the rest of us know: his record is indefensible. As Rob Seal writes in today’s Daily Progress, Camblos refused to stand on his record when challenged on it. Democratic challenger Denise Lunsford pledged to restore the good name of the office, citing Camblos’ habitual bungling of serious cases, setting criminals free. Camblos simply wouldn’t respond, providing only the non sequitur that he’d “stay positive,” thus declaring that even he thinks his record is a negative.
Sheriff candidates Chip Harding (the Republican) and Larry Claytor (the Democrat) seem to have had a more informative exchange at the event. Claytor is campaigning on simply doing what the sheriff’s office is tasked to do and doing it well — transporting prisoners, serving people papers and securing the courtroom — while Harding is campaigning on expanding the office’s mission, creating a new system in which deputies would track down online sexual predators. Ironically, this places both of them in the opposite camps that would traditionally be expected for the two parties, with Harding seeking to expand government and Claytor seeking to hold the line. Presumably Harding’s time in the Charlottesville Police and the Claytor’s pedigree as an Albemarle Republican has something to do with that.
Disclaimer: I have contributed to both of the Democrats mentioned here, including $200 to Larry Claytor.
I would like an enterprising reporter to follow up on Camblos assertion to the effect he has many (100) endorsements from police officers.
Not that I doubt his statement – my interest is in what the police oficer`s response will be when queried as to their reasons for endorsing Camblos.
Uh…don’t we already have something called a “police department” that is charged with tracking down online sexual predators? Leave it to a Republican to try to use scare tactics to get elected. I’m surprised he isn’t quoted as saying “I’m campaigning on expanding the office’s mission, creating a new system in which deputies would track down online sexual predators, as seen on the popular MSNBC show, To Catch a Predator, and track down terror cells that may be operating in Albemarle County.”
Seems to me that Harding’s approach would only bring confusion and jurisdictional nightmares. If tracking down online predators is his passion, maybe he should apply for a job with the Albemarle Police, not the Sheriff’s office.
I see a common thread amongst the Democratic candidates…
Claytor: Waste less of the taxpayer’s money and make the sheriffs office run well.
Lunsford: Get rid of incompetence and run the commonwealth’s attorney’s office well.
Shipp: The clerk’s office is already being run well, and I’ll use my 31 years of experience helping to run it well to keep it running well.
The candidates for sheriff cited similar pedigrees: Both have long experience in local law enforcement, both said they were heavily involved in the development of DNA as a law-enforcement tool
Is this true? I thought that Harding clearly was the DNA guy. Pushing Richmond to get the DNA bank up, funded, and running. I thought that the HOOK even did a cover story on Harding and DNA.
In his last election, I don’t recall Claytor with a single mention of this. I could certain be misinformed about Claytor’s record.
I’m not saying it’s the biggest issue just that this comparsion seems really off the mark. Anybody know what the reporter was speaking of?
Claytor appears to have had at least as much to do with it as Harding. (He’s a CSI, or something like that, and apparently has been for a great many years.) Claytor’s got some kind of a long, close history with the guy who runs the state crime lab, and had something to do with the first court case premised on a cold hit.
As you can tell, I barely know what I’m talking about here. :) Maybe somebody more knowledgeable will chime in.
dkachur– if you read the article it said that Harding was going to do online predator work with volunteers. That’s not going to cost much (if any)money. Cost was also cited as a reason it was too difficult to start the DNA data base that Harding lobbied so hard for years ago. I think all would agree that turned in to a great law enforcement asset and the best kind of “government expansion”.
If you want to just say vote Democrat, then fine. Nowhere does Claytor promise he will spend less taxpayer money if elected. I think that Waldo has overstated what Harding’s focus will be. The article does not mention “expansion of government” just a mention of volunteers. The sheriff can only spend the money that the BOS gives him. So expanding the sheriff’s office in any meaningful monetary way seems unlikely.
I don’t blame him for little cheerleading as Waldo was honest in admitting that he gave Claytor $200. This is why I most respectfully disagree with him. It’s a shame more blogs aren’t like this one.
I’m not inclined to defend every decision Camblos has made–but just wanted to point out that in a civil suit Mr. Deane brought against Ms. Roth, the jury decided that the event was a tragic accident and awarded no damages to Mr. Deane. The standard of proof for a civil trial is lower than it is for a criminal trial. So I think Camblos was right that a conviction wasn’t likely on this one.
Mark, I wasn’t referring to Harding when I was mentioning saving taxpayer money. I was referring to Robb. Not only has Robb wasted homeland security grants on meaningless ventures, but he has four deputies (I think it’s four) working on “special projects” that go outside the scope of the sheriff’s office duties. It has engendered resentment within the sheriff’s department and it’s a waste of money. Claytor would turn those projects into volunteer efforts and put those deputies back to doing their actual jobs.
And if I wasn’t clear before, I completely apologize. Here you go…
VOTE DEMOCRATIC!
Perlogik,
Claytor was a member of a group of statewide CSIs who assisted Dr. Paul Ferrara (the REAL DNA Dude) in pushing for the switch from serology to DNA at the State Lab.
Claytor and his colleges along with Ferrara also lobbied for the creation of the DNA Data Bank as well.
The group is called the Virginia Forensic Science Academy Alumni Association:
Here is their web site: http://www.dfs.state.va.us/services/forensicTraining/forensicScienceAcademyAlumniAssociation.cfm
Claytor is still a member and served 15 years on their executive board, also serving two years as their president.
By the way Claytor graduated from the VFSA with the highest possible honors.
Harding had nothing to do with the founding of the DNA data base, this happened about a decade before he got involved in the issue . . . though some how people in Charlottesville seem to get this impression . . . somehow, hmmmmm . . . Though, Harding should be commended, he did take a leadership role on the funding issue, but he was among many who were trying to get more funding to pay for annalists to tackle the back log of samples . . . some of them evidently dating from before the Data Bank was established.
If you would like to learn more about Larry Claytor and his candidacy
http://www.larryclaytor.org/Dynamic/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=16
dkachur well if you are talking about Robb and Homeland money we most heartily agree. Does anyone remember the huge boulders he put on one side of the County office building (to protect it from car bombs) while on the other side of the building there was a drive up window to pay your taxes. That one had a lot of people shaking their heads.
I think that Harding has a great deal of experience as a supervisor and his DNA work really has impressed me. I was unaware till today that Claytor had any involvement at all in DNA.
“if you read the article it said that Harding was going to do online predator work with volunteers. That’s not going to cost much (if any)money.”
Mark88, I completely disagree, you will need a very high level of training to make sure that these volunteers do not damage cases by entrapment and all sorts of land mines; training is very expensive . . . there are actually a whole host of costs associated with this proposed program . . . nothing is free.
Especially if you are going to duplicate services the police department are already providing.
“ironically, this places both of them in the opposite camps that would traditionally be expected for the two parties.”
Waldo, I would slightly disagree, if post-Mark Warner-Virginia Democrats are about anything, its not necessarily expanding Government, but making sure that Government works efficiently for the good of the most amount of people.
Duplicating services does not seem the best way to achieve this . . . especially when those services are achieving results:
http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP/MGArticle/CDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352529706&path=
Mark88,
Harding evidently is a big Ed Robb fan, he has him on the front of his Web Page . . . can we expect more of the same?
Claytor fan I’m am confused after some goggling
Google search on (“Paul Ferrara” Larry Claytor) = 3 hits
(“Paul Ferrara” Chip Harding)= 108 hits
From democratic city councilor Dave Norris I read:
Chip’s a good guy and he’s done some damn fine work on the statewide DNA database (among other causes), so I wish him well in his campaign. He and I did the Sorensen Candidate Training Program together last year and I know he’s going to run a good race.
From a Department of Justice convention: He founded and co-chaired a political activist group called Citizens for DNA. In 1998, the group was instrumental in lobbying then Governor George Allen and Virginia’s elected officials to support a multi-million dollar appropriation to reduce the backlog of unanalyzed DNA Data Bank samples. Starting in October 1999 with the arrest of a rapist/robber who attacked a University of Virginia student, the police department in Charlottesville, population 40,000, led the entire country in DNA Data Base “cold hits” per capita for 18 months. This success has been featured in stories on National Public Radio, CBS Television, and by media in France and Germany. The local Virginia media refers to Captain Harding as “The DNA Dude”.
From Claytor’s site:. Due to their efforts, in 1989, Virginia’s forensic laboratory became the first state lab in the nation to offer DNA analysis to law enforcement agencies! During that year, Larry was the lead Crime Scene Investigator and collected the DNA evidence in an Albemarle County rape case. This resulted in one of the first DNA matches of crime scene samples with suspect DNA utilizing this new technology instead of conventional serology.
What I learned is that Larry Claytor was the president of a group that help supported the establishment the DNA data base. He the first person Virginia to collect a DNA sample and get a conviction using DNA. This DNA timeline seems stop cold in 1990.
Chip Harding help fix a significantly under funded database that was backlog in a way that allowed numerous serious felons to go unpunished. His work was more directly involved than Larry Claytor a seemingly every level. It seems wrong to say their involvement is equal.
Perlogik has it correct. I know both of them well and both have commendable records of service, but Harding did more in regard to fundraising and interaction with the General Assembly regarding the DNA database. Claytor, as VFSA president merely endorsed the funding as a spokesman for the VFSA.
It’s just logical. One guy says that he doesn’t want to expand the sheriff’s office, the other guy says he does. You can’t add a new government program without spending more. It’s the reverse of the traditional division, which is that Republicans say they’ll stop the expansion of government and Democrats promise new programs. If Democrats adding new programs requires more tax dollars, it stands to reason that Republicans adding new programs will likewise require more tax dollars.
On the matter of overstating, that’s simply one of the primary things that Harding is campaigning on. I’ve seen him speak once, and that was his focus. As the Progress explained, that was his focus last night. And on his own web page he names just four planks in his platform, and that’s one of them.
This is the first mention that I have ever seen anywhere of a civil suit brought against Roth by Deane. It’s never been mentioned in any press coverage, I can find nothing in Google, and nothing turns up in LexisNexis. Do you have a source for this?
“You can’t add a new government program without spending more.”
Well after reading the four planks you might want to rethink that.
“Goal Three: Save the tax payer dollars by getting more non-violent inmates out working making money for us!”
Clearly he can fund goal two with goal three. More services without more tax dollars. I would further say that making inmates earn their keep is VERY republican. This is before applying for federal or state grants for online crime against children funds which could help fund goal two as well.
Don’t you think it’s a little unfair to give say Harding is going to spend more tax dollars and not mention that he also plans to make money as well?
Waldo, I was a member of the jury.
Perlogik,
This isn’t some pissing contest, and it isn’t about who gets the most google hits. And it isn’t about taking away anything from Harding, its just making sure that credit gets due where its due.
(and by the way, the underfunding aint fixed; its a national issue, every DNA database in the country needs more money )
Further more I certainly stated that Harding is to be commended for the leadership role that he played, but it is absolutely ridiculous to give him credit for all of the work of so many people, who were not as adapt at getting in front of cameras, and who chipped (no pun intended) away at this issue when it wasn’t so sexy.
This issue is too large for anyone person to take sole credit, and folks like you want to give all the credit to Harding.
For instance does Harding (or for that matter the reporters who interviewed him) ever tell us who else was involved in procuring the 9 million? Are you really going to suggest that he was solely responsible for this, and that Dr. Ferrera and his colleges at the VFSA folks had nothing to do with this . . . you really think that they were just sitting on their hands while the samples piled up ?
Also, to poopooh Claytor’s work or to say that Claytor’s timeline ends at 1990 is absurd and insulting. You simply can not find everything you need to know about this issue on google.
Claytor was involved extensively in statewide training and promotion in the use of the new technology (he in fact did not serve as president of the VFSAA until 97, but before that he had held all the major chairs of the group). Claytor and his colleges were the ones who helped established the ground rules, the mechanics that make the whole thing work.
They were the working group that assisted Ferrara and worked with their advocate, Dickie Cranwell and A.L. Philpott in crafting the legislation that allowed Virginia to have the FIRST state forensic science laboratory in the USA to provide DNA testing in criminal cases; and to have the very FIRST DNA Databank law in the country!
Secondly you read the piece on Claytor’s web site wrong, not only was Claytor part of a handful of CSIs who saw the potential in the new DNA technology, which at the time was looked on skeptically, but Claytor was involved in establishing how DNA–then an unproven technology was presented in testimony. Here’s the exact quote from Claytor’s web site:
“Working with Lindsay Dorrier (then Albemarle’s Commonwealth Attorney) and Dr. Paul Ferrara (then Director of the State Forensic Lab), Larry participated in preparing the very first case to use expert DNA testimony by lab examiners in a Virginia State Court.”
This is huge, it doesn’t matter when it accrued!
Plus, to correct you, its the, “Charlottesville-Albemarle area, in particular, [that] has one of the nation’s highest per-capita rates of crimes solved by DNA evidence.” ; thats from Harding’s very own web site.
And guess what, its the CSI guys on the ground that are responsible for this, not the pencil pushers; Dr. Ferrera explains,
“The ability to develop DNA profiles from an infinite variety of objects (cigarette butts, chewing gum, hat bands, telephones, half-eaten bagels, breast swabs, etc.) containing minute amounts of various body fluids and tissue, is both a blessing and a curse; the properly trained, DNA-savvy crime scene investigator will collect many more items of evidence from more crime scenes which may potentially contain some probative biological material. ”
Hmmm, who has been working on this issue since the mid 80s, who is one of the highest rated CSI in the state!?
Who has worked on most of the major criminal cases in the county for the last 25 years–including the arrest of the suspect in the serial rapist case?
Who’s an academy instructor at the state level and graduated from the Academy with their highest award? Thats right, Larry Claytor. And all of this is why he has been the county’s go to(CSI)guy on the most difficult cases.
So, I wonder if its safe to assume that the Albemarle half of Charlottesville-Albemarle has something to do with the high rate of crimes solved by DNA evidence? Maybe?
But, I suppose its all just a coincidence, and not that Claytor knows his shit about this issue? Couldn’t be that, right? Not enough google hits.
Read here for a great summary of the history of the Data Bank and the problems it still faces:
http://www.news.vcu.edu/vcu_view/pages.aspx?nid=908
Claytor Fan since it’s the weekend I hope to be a little lighter in my comments.
who has been working on this issue since the mid 80s, who is one of the highest rated CSI in the state!? Shaft? Right On!
Sorry, that line just made me start thinking about the song
Since you brought up Dr. Paul Ferrara, I thought it might be fun to see how many google “hits” one would get comparing the two. I thought that be appropriate considering the point of DNA testing is getting hits. I think that Claytor contributions are important and was not denigrating them at all. However elections are about comparisons; so on DNA, Chip Harding seems to have had more extensive involvement than the Progress would lead one to believe. If we were talking about the rescue squad I would certainly say that Claytor was more experienced there. I’m sure Harding could come up with some rescue squad experience but it’s unlikely to rival Claytor’s. By giving Claytor credit for his rescue squad work I hope it is also understood that no one is saying he did it on his own.
I glad to hear that Claytor has been involved in DNA since 1990- I can only report what I read and you seem to have access to an extensive Claytor narrative. It wasn’t an insult nor absurd, it was just what was available online.
It’s ridiculous to politicize the positions of Sheriff and Clerk ‘o Court with party labels. I can see where maybe it’s relevant for Comm. Atty., but only barely. The job descriptions are pretty well fixed. Vote for who you think’ll do the best job.
I had absolutely no idea he had such plans at the time that I wrote that; I’ve known of his agenda only from being familiar with his campaign, rather than reading that section of his website.
But it occurs to me that we’re sort of talking past each other. I think you regard his proposal to add a new program as a bad thing — or at least that I think it’s a bad thing — because it will presumably cost money. We have an electorate and representatives who have shown themselves to be very eager to add new programs and spend more money. Ask people how much more they’re willing to spend in taxes not to have kids molested by internet predators, and I suspect you’ll find they quite like the idea. Claytor’s proposal to basically do nothing new, on the other hand, is not likely to win him many votes. People love bold proposals and promises of bigger, better things. Democrats are already suspicious of Claytor, because he’s a newcomer to the Democratic Party, and this sort of thing just reminds them of why they might want to give him a pass come next month’s election.
That is enormously interesting — I’ll question you no more. :) Though that raises more questions than it answers, w/r/t the case. If the criminal matter is as straightforward as the civil matter, why is Camblos so terrified of discussing it? And while the accident may well not have risen to the level of warranting civil action (I have no idea, knowing nothing of law), that doesn’t mean that the girl didn’t deserve, say, a traffic ticket. Heck, I once rear-ended a guy on 81. It was a total accident, of course, in Thanksgiving weekend stop-and-go traffic. But I got a ticket, as well I should have. That truck driver that I just wrote about, also an accident, and he’s charged with manslaughter. It’s the inconsistency that I — and so many others — find so baffling.
Absolutely. I wish more Democrats would understand this, which would allow them to support Claytor. Perhaps that’s why I know so many Republicans who are supporting him — they can look past that label — as well as Democrats supporting Harding. And clerk of court…don’t even get me started on that. I don’t know what business I have in casting a vote for that job at all. As if I have the faintest idea of what makes for a good clerk of court.
Waldo,
A lot of of people don’t have the faintest idea of what makes a good legislator, much less a good executive.
“I had absolutely no idea he had such plans at the time that I wrote that;”
Well, that is certainly a horse of a different color. Since you provided the link, I simply assumed you had read the planks. I think that if someone can add programs and have them be revenue neutral the taxpayers get more value for the same money. We were talking past each other. ;)
Since we have a police force it seems silly to have a sheriff department any way. And the Clerk of The Court really needs to be appointed, having Paul Garret in an 8 year term seems proof of that. I also use to think the soil and water should be appointed but I have the feeling that may change in the future.
Claytor Fan. I believe if Claytor had gotten Robb’s endorsement he probably have put it on his website as well. Along with the endorsement of most the living ex-sheriffs as well. It might be all, I just don’t know.
to go back a little, I congratulate Sheriff Robb for being innovative with his department, especially if he can do it within his current budget. Adding special projects can increase morale within the department, giving qualified members a chance to develop additional skill sets. This is not to mention these activities can be very beneficial to the community.
That said, I’m supporting Mr. Claytor. No one mentioned that he is President of the CA Rescue Squad therefore he has experience with managing a fairly large organization and its budget. Someone mentioned using volunteers and here to Mr. Claytor should have the advantage because of his association with the rescue squad.
The community should however count itself luck to have two excellent candidates. I wish them both luck.
CrozetResident,
Obviously, I agree with your support for Claytor, especially in regards to his EMT and emergency rescue work, not just with the squad but also with the Underwater Recovery Unit. And of course the Sheriff’s Office has a Search and Rescue Unit.
But, Ed Robb has a lot of baggage in this town, to say the least, you mention Ed’s name around the county and you’ll get a lot of smiles and they aint the laughing with him type, either.
And if you talk to some of the folks who use the court services you find a lot of stories of bad moral in the Sheriff’s Office and and an Office stretched too thin as it is, not to mention this stuff Harding wants to add!
Mark88,
you dont seem to know the history between Claytor and Robb; Claytor ran against Robb last time as an Independent and evidently it got pretty ugly.
And yep there is no surprise, that when called on, all the Republican former Sheriffs, salute and endorse the Republican candidate.
Again this revenue neutral thing, you admit that the glorified tips program is going to have major costs associated with it, but then you say this work program will pay for it; well, whats going to pay for the work program?
Plus, if you consider the fact that the only hole (Chip’s words) in the Regional ICAC in this area IS THE CHARLOTTESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT!!!– you know where Chip is badge number 2.
I think that it is much more, much more critical that the Charlottesville Police Department get an ICAC unit up and running; than Harding starting this tips program, especially considering that in the region where he is applying for his new job, that the ACPD has a vigorous program up and running and making busts (they have been a member of the regional ICAC since 2001) Its all here in the this article:
http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP/MGArticle/CDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352529706&path=
Harding wants to duplicate things that are already being done! Why not focus in the city where he works now and where they are not being done?
True on the ICAC issue. CPD depends on the State Police for computer investigations,which takes many months. A very behind the times approach considering Charlottesville is probably one of the most internet connected cities in the commonwealth. The training costs money though, money the city would rather spend on other things besides it’s police department.
But of course the CPD some how found the money and tried to put up surveillance cameras all around the city
Anyway, ummmmm, now that we have established all of that, so how about how Lunsford kicked ass?
You are right. There was civil trial. In the trial judge Petross ruled (with the jury out of the courtroom) that 300 feet of Roths skid marks were not admissable because no one testified they saw her make them. (although officer McCormic said her car was in the end of the marks) So all the skid marks the jury heard about was just over 200 feet of skid marks. If I were on jury the I probaly would have found her not guilty based on the information they had. There were other things the jury was was not allowed to hear also. We apealed to the Va supreme court they overturned judge Petross,s ruling and granted a new trial. We were tired of it all. We took a small settelment about $19,000. each after C F O got their share. I never mentioned the civil trail because I didn’t think it was the issue. THE issue is Roth left 692 feet of skid marks and Comblos sees NO traffic violation there. The issue is not the size of the bug or the kind of bug. THE ISSUE IS THREE PEOPLD DIED ON JUNE 11 1998 AND CAMBLOS DOESN’T GIVE A DAMM. THEY GOT NO JUSTICE. When Camblos had me arrested and put in jail he tried to keep me in jail with NO bond for tresspasing. I was rleased on $10,000. cash bond. The charges were later dismissed. NO police department understands why no charges were placed against Roth. I have showed the police reports to a lot of them. If he did not get paid for his dision he truly is a STUPID man. Is the faimly pissed you damm right we are!
http://eluxtroxl.blogspot.com/2007/09/may-you-reap-what-you-sow.html
An oldie but goodie; remember when Michael Stark got beaten up . . . well:
Read it here:
http://george.loper.org/archives/2006/Nov/849.html
watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H9UAdLItOM
Evidently Harding and Camblos’s and I suppose Dawson’s campaings are being co-managed by the same 3 people , one of those guys is John Darden (former Albemarle GOP chair), and the man who assaulted Stark.
Awesome.
The spell checked version
An oldie but goodie; remember when Michael Stark got beaten up . . . well
Read it here:
http://george.loper.org/archives/2006/Nov/849.html
watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H9UAdLItOM
Evidently Harding and Camblos’s and I suppose Dawson’s campaigns are being co-managed by the same 3 people , one of those guys people is John Darden (former Albemarle GOP chair), and the man who assaulted Stark.
Awesome.
“THE issue is Roth left 692 feet of skid marks”
Accoring to the chart attached a car going 70 mph will leave skid marks of apprx 180 feet. 629 divided by 180 is 3.4 multiply that by 70 and you get 269.1 mph. Am I missing something?
Mr. Deane, I am so sorry for you loss. How fast do you and your lawyer contend this lady was traveling on 29 north in traffic.
http://www.e-z.net/~ts/speedch.htm
Roth said it happened so fast she didn’t have time to react 2 or 3 seconds. But she also testified she was only doing 45 m p h. The book you get from DMV to get your drivers license says you can stop in 211 feet at 55 mph. Everything else her answer was I don’t recall. She also used the sudden emergency defense. When I appealed to the supreme court of VA we appealed on the skid mark issue and the sudden emergency defense. One justice asked her attorney, How long does a sudden emergency last? But they did not rule on that issue. They granted a new trial on the skid mark issue only. If it happened in 2 or 3 seconds as she said, she was doing over 100 mph. If she was only doing 45 she had plenty of time to stop before she skidded 503 feet 9 inches, where she hit Lois in the rear and went another 192 feet. Whatever you believe.
I know she should have been charged with something. Camblos told us it was his decison not to press any charges. Not that it’s important but I ask the officer in charge, Carl Brown, did the air bags go off? and he said he didn’t know. I said you know? At that point I got up and said “let’s go I have heard enough bullshit from you and Camblos” and we left at that point. This was at the meeting when Camblos told us that he was not going to press any charges, about a week after the accident. There were a lot of other stupid things done at the accident. I am getting too long winded. Sorry.
Chip Harding is clearly the most qualified person for the County Sheriff’s position. I do not have the knowledge of the early years of DNA, but I question whether Claytor had any significant input in the initial fathering of the idea of a comprehensive DNA database for Virginia or if he was he one of the many law enforcement personnel consulted simply to express general approval for the idea.
Chip Harding clearly has taken on a leadership role regarding the DNA issue and is a seasoned Commander of the Charlottesville Police Department. What supervisor or commander role has Claytor ever held in is capacity as a law enforcement officer? I am unaware of any that would qualify him for the position of Sheriff. His role with the rescue squad as been far from anything I would characterize as leadership considering the questionable responses surrounding facts pertaining the issue of paid rescue within City.
Clearly Chip Harding is the most qualified candidate for the position of County Sheriff.
Oh, yes the Republican smear machine has started up . . . I suppose one would expect this from a campaign being run by the right wing machine, personalized by Darden and company: see the youtube video I provided of Harding’s campaign manager (if he’s not his manager he certainly is in his inner circle), beating up Michael Stark.
Oh, yes the Republican smear machine has started up
Could you show me where tht is happening in the press or in ads.
Is Darden running for anything?
The only person who seems to be smearing is you.
Perlogik,
I am sorry, maybe I over reacted, but has anyone accused Harding of lying, like Dave just did of Claytor, and like you implied? (I wont even go into to Dave’s other smears, because they are so bold face silly, especially about CARS; anyone who knows anything about that organization knows that Claytor was speaking on the behalf of the whole organization . . . so do you really want to say that all those loyal volunteers, who spend so much of there time protecting our community are irresponsible?)
Also, I am just pointing out the fact that Darden is a very aggressive right wing Republican (is this not true?), and that he is in the inner-circle of Harding’s campaign.
It is surprising to me that Harding is working with such folks when he is trying to give the impression that he is so non-partisan.
I wasn’t remotely saying you were lying. I just wasn’t aware that Dave spoke for the Republican Party. I think by anyone standards these have been clean races. I don’t think that Darden has anything to do with this at all. It you think there is a huge group of nonpartisan people out there with campaign experience you would be mistaken. I giggled at the idea of an “inner circle”; these aren’t big dollar campaigns, the people who stuff envelopes are considered inner circle around here.
I have people working for me that have different beliefs; all I ask is that they do the job their asked to do well. Some of them are even VA tech fans (sorry Waldo) and I still say they are fine people.
Well, maybe not on UVa vs. Va Tech game day but this rest of the year for sure.
As I’ve said, I firmly support Claytor, but I’m not sure that either of these guys are “clearly the most qualified person.” These are two very good candidates with all of the right bona fides about whom intelligent minds may disagree.
That’s not the sort of thing one is supposed to say about one’s candidate (or, rather, the opposition), but I think it’s very true in this race.
I agree completely, Waldo. The race for sheriff is the best race for the county for the simple reason that the county can’t lose with the 2 guys we’ve got running.
I am excited about the race for Commonwealths Attorney this year. After reading about and hearing about Denise Lunsford and making Jim Camblos actually defend his record I think that on November 8th Denise Lunsford with be the Commonwealth Attorney Elect for Albemarle County.
Change is sometimes a good thing, Camblos has been in that position for far too long and I am looking foward to seeing a new person in that poisition.