Prizes for votes in Waynesboro

By Hawes Spencer | editor@readthehook.com
Published online 5:50am Friday Apr 28th, 2006

VOTE HATFIELD & STEELE AND WIN! WIN! WIN! states a flier posted on vehicles at a Waynesboro steakhouse offering voters who promise to vote for two particular Council candidates a chance at $500 cash prizes, according to a story in this morning's News Virginian. Incumbent Councilman Reo Hatfield and would-be Councilor Pat Steele, the alleged beneficiaries of the cash-for-votes deal, are reportedly not involved in the scheme, the brainchild of George F. Hartsook, president of a PAC called American Property Owners Association, which contends that the offer is legal. The story suggests that it is not.
#

1 comment

Dan Kachur April 28th, 2006 | 9:26am

This seems akin to an employer reimbursing an employee for a political donation of the employer's choice... a la MZM and Virgil Goode.

And if the candidates actually had a part in this, it's far worse.