ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 1996 TAG: 9605130090
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-5 VIRGINIA EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press
Commissioners of the state's legislative watchdog agency plan to consider allegations Monday that David L. Caprara used state employees and public funds to further his political ambitions while director of the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
``I'm certain this will be a hot topic'' at the regular monthly meeting of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, said Del. Jay DeBoer, D-Petersburg. He said he will bring up the issue during the ``other business'' session of the meeting.
Phyllis H. Withers, a policy analyst at the housing agency and a top aide to Caprara during the department's flood relief efforts last summer, made the allegations in May 3 letters to JLARC's 12 commissioners.
``The allegations are pretty serious,'' said JLARC commissioner Del. Vince Callahan, R-Fairfax County.JLARC members ``don't get letters like this very often.''
Caprara resigned this year and is running against 1st District Rep. Herbert Bateman, R-Newport News, in the June 11 GOP primary.
Withers alleged that Caprara used ``state resources [personnel, faxes, phones, etc.] to further his political ambitions.''
``Mr. Caprara ... would ask me to fax information on [Caprara] initiatives to Dr. [Jerry] Falwell - my pastor - and other friends in the Christian Coalition in order to impress them,'' she wrote.Withers said Caprara wanted Falwell's political support, but she ignored Caprara's requests.
Caprara was aware of the allegations Friday but did not return repeated telephone calls seeking comment. His campaign manager, Jack Rohrer, said Caprara was on the road, and Rohrer dismissed the accusations. ``The person making the charges is a disgruntled employee,'' Rohrer said.
``David's agency has been audited each year by the state auditor, and they have received a clean bill of health. There has never been such allegations by any credible entity.''
Del. Franklin Hall, D-Richmond and a JLARC commissioner, said Withers' allegations ``verify what I was told during the [legislative] session, but very frankly didn't delve into it because I didn't have the time or resources.''
Hall said he believes commissioners are ``going to ask for a look-see to see just what is going on and see how bad the situation is. If it's as bad as it appears, we will try to ferret that out.''
He said Withers' letter is unique because ``she is inside enough to know how to raise a complaint and knowledgeable enough to have credibility. It's disturbing.''
Another commissioner, Sen. Stanley C. Walker, D-Norfolk and president pro tem of the Senate, said the Withers letter ``is raising some eyebrows.''
JLARC director Philip A. Leone said he was concerned because ``there aren't a lot of facts accompanying this memo.'' But ``it is signed,'' he said, adding that many complaints that come to JLARC are unsigned.
Withers wrote that when she attempted to talk with Caprara about some of the issues she raised, ``he proceeded immediately to take his files to his car and then began to pressure me into resigning my job and eventually tried to fire me.''
Shortly before that, Withers received a handwritten note that she said was from Caprara. It read: ``Phyllis - Thanks for all the great and successful leadership you are giving to the VA [Virginia] team & flood victims. You're great! Looking forward to having you back very soon! David.''
Withers filed a grievance and remains with the housing agency. Caprara resigned as housing director in January.
Asked if her allegations were politically motivated, Withers said, ``Absolutely not. I had political reasons not to [go public]. I work for this administration.''
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS GENERAL ASSEMBLYby CNB