Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 21, 1994 TAG: 9404210217
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-9 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Robb, D-Va., denied any involvement in a decision while he was Virginia governor to allow development on land previously designated as delicate wetlands.
The developer, Jerry F. McDonnell, credited Robb and an aide with making the property valuable.
``I owe Chuck Robb and [former Robb aide] Ben Dendy a lot,'' McDonnell told two Robb aides in a 1990 interview, according to a memo obtained by The Washington Post. ``I have all this swampland [that] could not be used. They took care of me. I got $5 million worth of land out there.''
McDonnell told the newspaper he received no special treatment from Robb's administration and denied making the statement attributed to him in the memo.
The two Robb staffers who interviewed McDonnell and others were gathering information on Robb's activities in Virginia Beach during his gubernatorial term from 1982-86. The staffers were trying to defend Robb against accusations he attended beach parties where drugs were used. The Post reported on the memo Wednesday.
Robb was elected to his first term in the Senate in 1986. He is running for re-election this year.
As governor, Robb appointed two members to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission in 1984. The commission approved McDonnell's plan, overturning findings by a local wetlands board.
``I do remember hearing at one point that [McDonnell] was developing some land, just as a friend,'' Robb told the newspaper. ``I don't remember anything more than that. I don't recall ever having any involvement, in any way, shape or form.''
Dendy, assistant for constituent affairs while Robb was governor, said he believed McDonnell's statement was ``just bragging.''
``I never said that. ... I never talked to Chuck Robb about this,'' McDonnell said.
The Post reported that McDonnell acquired the 17-acre site near the oceanfront for about $250,000 in the early 1980s.
This month, the City Council tentatively approved plans for a $46 million entertainment complex on the site.
At the same time Robb and McDonnell became friends, McDonnell was attempting to persuade the Virginia Beach Wetlands Board to let him to fill in some wetlands so the property could be developed. The board rejected him several times.
The last rejection came in June 1984. McDonnell appealed to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
Eight days later, Robb appointed two new members to the state commission. Those new appointees - harbor pilot Ted Wool and former restaurant owner Henry S. ``Tuffy'' Braithwaite - led the fight in July 1984 to overturn the wetlands board's decision. Both Wool and Braithwaite were from Virginia Beach and knew McDonnell.
``Ted Wool and Henry Braithwaite were the two guys who really helped me'' get the ruling overturned, McDonnell said in a recent interview.
Braithwaite said no one told him how to vote on the issue. He said he was simply following the lead of the rest of the commission. Wool made the motion to overturn the wetlands board's decision; Braithwaite seconded it.
Wool died in 1988.
Dendy said that although he does not remember exactly what he may have done, he said he ``might have made a recommendation, made a call ... put a word in'' on McDonnell's behalf to Wool and Braithwaite regarding the commission vote.
Tuesday, Robb issued a statement saying he had "no knowledge" of any improprieties involving his appointees.
"At no time did I attempt to influence their actions on specific matter, nor did I instruct my staff to exert such influence on my behalf," Robb said.
Memo: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.