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I want to start off by saying that I am grateful to State Senator Bryce Reeves for helping me to make up my mind in the Lt. Governor’s race. I was having a hard time choosing between the three candidates. Glenn Davis’ support for expanding Medicaid in Virginia is a non starter as far as supporting him goes. So my choices were down to Reeves and State Senator Jill Vogel.
Last Fall, you may have read about an email that was circulated around the state that made references to rumors that were going around alleging that Reeves had had an affair. Or perhaps more than one. But you probably did not hear about the email until Reeves began bringing it up over and over again a couple months ago. And like most Virginian’s with an interest in politics, I took that rumor with a grain of salt. In fact, I went salt-free on this one. Imagine. A political candidate was being accused of having an affair. Not even being accused, just mentioning that there were rumors going around. Ho hum.
Nobody believes that stuff!
And in my non-legal opinion, the email only mentioned the rumors and made no claim that they were true or that the person writing the email had any knowledge or evidence that it was true. So I don’t see that the email even arose to the level of defamation for a public figure. And the harm an unsubstantiated rumor like that does is dubious to say the least.
This would have been long forgotten by now just like countless unsubstantiated rumors about rumors before it.
But it looks like Reeves does not want this to go away. In fact, Reeves seems intent on keeping this in the news. And I believe his latest subpoenas put him over the “want to clear my name” level and right into the unhealthy obsession stratosphere. He has been very vocal in his obsession and makes sure that the story is covered every time he has his attorney issue a subpoena.
He was very vocal about trying to force Vogel to turn over all of her private computers and devices to prove she did not send the email which was sent from her neighbor’s open WiFi. It was my conclusion that the neighbor’s WiFi was used by mistake by a “hacker” who saw two open WiFi devices (Vogel’s and the neighbor’s) and was not sure which was which. And they picked the wrong one. (Read my observations here.) Why would Vogel use her neighbor’s WiFi to send such an email? That wouldn’t obfuscate anything!
And this should have ended there. But Reeves attorney issued a subpoena for Vogel’s computers and devices according to the WaPo and Reeves said he offered to pay for a forensic analysis. I cannot find an update on this subpoena, but an attorney issued subpoena is subject to a motion to quash in a court. Without a judge validating the need for a subpoena, it is worthless. (I can find no update to this situation.)
But now, Reeves has issued subpoenas to a couple of grassroots activists that support Vogel. This is unbelievable. Reeves is acting like a High School bully and has apparently decided his campaign strategy is now to go after Vogel and her supporters.
Well, count me as a Jill Vogel supporter now. I don’t see Reeves actions as reflecting a stable candidacy worthy of my endorsement or support. We need a candidate that will reflect the values of the Virginia Republican Party and not this vindictive childish behavior Reeves is exhibiting.
This was a story that initially got nowhere. Nobody paid attention to it last Fall and it simply dies and was forgotten. Any harm done to Reeves by this email is 100% his own doing. The story dies early last Fall. This proves to me that Reeves is not the type of person that we need as Lt. Governor in Virginia.
Like Reeves, I too am a Veteran. When I was in the Navy I worked for Admiral Rickover, the “Father of the Nuclear Navy”. In the Navy Nuclear Program, a couple of speeding tickets would disqualify you from even getting into the program. Admiral Rickover called it “demonstrated unreliability”.
Jill Vogel has shown style and grace in this relentless attack. She has clearly demonstrated her leadership and has shown the qualities Virginia needs for a Lt. Governor. Reeves, on the other hand, took a dead story and has resurrected it and fanned the flames and runs around the Commonwealth whining about what “she” did to him.
Senator Reeves, you did this to yourself and I consider you an embarrassment to the Commonwealth. Not leadership material.
So I personally endorse Jill Vogel for Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.