Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 29, 1995 TAG: 9507310064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
House of Delegates candidate Newell Falkinburg says he knew two months ago that the heirs to the Marion Via fortune wanted to funnel contributions to his campaign in such a way that their names wouldn't show up on any of the required financial disclosure forms.
But Falkinburg says he didn't realize then that it's illegal in Virginia for contributors to orchestrate anonymous contributions.
The Roanoke Republican said he sought a meeting with one of the late Marion Via's two sons - he wouldn't say which one - in the spring to solicit a contribution.
``He said he believed he'd contribute something to my campaign,'' Falkinburg said Friday. ``But he had a real thing about privacy. ... I've always known the Vias were private people. I wasn't surprised. Marion Via used to do a lot of stuff anonymously'' when she contributed to civic causes.
When the meeting ended, Falkinburg said, he didn't know exactly how the contribution would be made.
``I didn't really pay much attention to how I would get the money,'' Falkinburg said. ``I knew it would be done some way other than writing me a check directly. It would be done privately, so his anonymity would be preserved. He didn't want to have his name in the paper and I didn't pay any attention.''
Not long afterward, brothers Peter and Edward Via donated $100,000 to a political action committee controlled by Gov. George Allen, specifying that the money be designated for Falkinburg and another Republican legislative candidate from the Roanoke Valley, Trixie Averill.
Had the contribution been ``passed through'' to the candidates as a donation from the Campaign for Honest Change, the actual source of the money would effectively have been concealed.
This week, it was learned that Allen's PAC returned the Vias' money, saying state election rules prohibit funneling contributions through other groups, and the Vias wound up donating the money directly to Averill and Falkinburg. Each campaign received $50,000.
Averill and Falkinburg say the Vias' effort to arrange an anonymous contribution was an innocent effort by a family that zealously avoids the limelight. ``They value their privacy,'' Averill said.
But Democrats stepped up their efforts Friday to portray the Vias' contributions as something more sinister.
Del. Clifton ``Chip'' Woodrum, D-Roanoke - Falkinburg's opponent - said his rival should have known better than to discuss an anonymous contribution. ``In our democratic form of government, we do things in a public way,'' Woodrum said. ``Failure to disclose is the stuff of money-laundering and Watergate. I would think that would be well-known by anyone interested in serving the public.''
House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Roanoke County - Averill's opponent - called the money ``tainted'' and suggested the Republicans refuse it. He said both Averill and Falkinburg should be asked, ```Did you engage in some kind of conspiracy to circumvent the law?' This is beyond politics. Somebody should answer some difficult questions.''
Unlike Falkinburg, Averill said she did not solicit the Vias for a contribution. ``They solicited me,'' she said. ``They made the first contact, just out of the blue,'' with a telephone call from Peter Via. He promised a contribution from both him and his brother.
Averill said the Vias didn't mention anything about wanting the contributions to be anonymous. ``I take great offense at [Cranwell] calling it tainted money. [The Vias] ought to sue him. That's a harsh thing for him to say.''
When Marion Via, one of the Roanoke Valley's best-known benefactors, died in January 1993, she left her fortune to her sons. Neither the sons nor their lawyer, John Rocovich, could be reached for comment.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB