Monday, February 12, 2007

Terry Kilgore charged once again with associating with Southwest Virginia's finest

Jeff Schapiro tries to slime just about everybody in his latest column, about how Del. Kilgore proposed a bill that Frank Kilgore wanted so he and his wife, Circuit Court Judge Chafin, could have a home on property across the river in Wise County.

I don't understand Schapiro's purpose in exposing the connection between Del. Kilgore and civic-minded people like Frank Kilgore and Chad Dotson. Southwest Virginia needs more people involved in public affairs, not less, and you can disagree with what political activists do or the candidates they support without missing the point that they are trying to make a difference when most people stay on the sidelines.

Now, as to the bill itself, I didn't like it and it deserved its fate, but this story doesn't make Terry Kilgore a tool of the special interests. Before now, I never heard of Frank Kilgore pursuing legislation for himself. I picture him traveling to Richmond with a mother elk in the back of the truck ready to testify on the need to reform the Commonwealth's hunting laws, or pitching the pharmacy school to me (as if I had anything to do with it).

Mr. Schapiro can cry "politics" but sometimes, like Professor Sabato said, politics is a good thing.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Why did this bill deserve its fate? What is the big deal? I could care less if a Judge lives in the County joining the county they live in. It happens all the time in Northern VA. I bet Mr. Schapiro doesn't live in the county he works in. Not many of us do.

Why can't we give a judge the break we would all like to have or have all ready?