Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, December 13, 1993 TAG: 9312130004
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DALE EISMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
On Tuesday the 2nd, after a brilliant but exhausting campaign, Allen secured the grand prize of Virginia politics. He beat overwhelming odds and not only defeated but crushed Mary Sue Terry and the Democrats.
So how did the new governor-elect unwind?
He arranged a $100,000 contribution to his transition fund from seven of Virginia's largest corporations.
It was all perfectly legal, and perfectly innocent, say several people close to the transaction. But it might give pause to anyone who recalls Allen's campaign rhetoric about his independence from special interests.
As Allen savored victory that day, he returned a congratulatory call from directors of Bassett Furniture Industries, one of the state's manufacturing giants. Around the table were chief executives of four other big companies: Dominion Resources, the corporate parent of Virginia Power; United Co., a huge coal company; CSX, the Richmond-based railroad conglomerate; and CCA Industries, a holding company also based in Richmond.
The group's members assured Allen they wanted his administration to be successful. Was there anything they could do, they asked?
Of course, in politics, there's always something people with money can do.
The General Assembly had provided $65,000 for his transition to office, Allen told the businessmen, and already his staff knew that wouldn't be enough.
"A few guys happened to be chatting with the governor-elect. And out of a conversation there is a need that happened to be developed and we said, `We can do it,' " recalled CCA President William Goodwin.
The five big businesses around the table in Bassett that day pledged to raise some money. They recruited two more: electronics retailer Circuit City and petrochemical manufacturer Ethyl Corp.
On Nov. 24, the day before Thanksgiving, each cut a check for $14,300, rounding off their shares of the $100,000 Allen's staff said was needed. The total came to $100,100.
"We were very surprised to receive seven checks for $14,300," said Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary. "And we were very gratified. But it was their decision as to how to raise the money."
Stroupe rejected comparisons to a big-ticket GOP reception and dinner dreamed up by embattled party Chairman Pat McSweeney.
Allen's problem with that event, which he refused to attend, was the suggestion to invitees that they'd get some extra access to or favors from the governor-elect in return for big checks, Stroupe said.
Goodwin expressed similar sentiments. "I really don't think there's a story there," he said of the Bassett call. Allen thanked the group for helping out, but he didn't offer and the group certainly didn't expect anything in return for its assistance, Goodwin said.
"It was a bunch of guys who try to help government as much as we can," he said. "My guess is, if Mary Sue won, we'd probably have done the same thing."
Exactly. That's politics. And even George Allen's promised "honest new generation of leadership" isn't going to change it.
\ DALE EISMAN is editor of this newspaper's Richmond bureau.
by CNB