Virginia governor’s wife was paid $36,000 as consultant to coal philanthropy

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Washington Post

By Rosalind S. Helderman, Rosalind S. Helderman Jun 03, 2013 01:14 AM EDT
The Washington Post

Maureen McDonnell, the wife of Virginia’s governor, was paid $36,000 last year to attend a handful of meetings as a consultant to the philanthropic arm of one of the state’s major coal companies, a top coal company official said.

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) indicated on his annual financial disclosure forms for 2011 and 2012 that his wife served as a paid trustee of a family charity, the Frances G. and James W. McGlothlin Foundation.

But in an interview, James McGlothlin said the $21 million family foundation never named McDonnell to its board.

Instead, McGlothlin said, the family asked Maureen McDonnell to become an adviser to the charitable efforts of both the family foundation and the United Co., a natural resources and real estate company in Bristol, Va., that has made the McGlothlins one of the wealthiest families in the state.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-politics/virginia-governors-wife-was-paid-36000-as-consultant-to-coal-philanthropy/2013/06/02/c8d6ff50-c868-11e2-9245-773c0123c027_story.html

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Front page, above the fold, but not the lead story for the day.

[Berlum]

1. How cozy. Republican Family Values are just so damn profitable.

Must be nice to have a First Class Ticket on the Republican Gravy Train as it steals from and lies to America.

[rurallib]

2. One term - ya gotta grab the bribes while they are there

they won't be there tomorrow.
First the daughter - then the wife - how much family does this guy have?

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. LOL it shows you how cheap they really are.......

only paying her 36K.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. Yes, but:

From the article:

Elected officials in Virginia are legally required to disclose any employer that pays their spouses at least $10,000 annually. Separately, they also are required to disclose whether they or their spouses are paid directors or officers of any company.

If the governor had indicated that Maureen McDonnell’s position with the United Co. was a job that provided her with an annual salary, the public would have been able to conclude that her paycheck exceeded the $10,000 reporting threshold.

By listing it as a paid trusteeship instead, he did not have to provide any information about the size of her compensation.
....

For a few days of work, Maureen McDonnell picked up a salary nearly equivalent to the average starting pay of a Virginia teacher. As governor, Robert McDonnell is paid $175,000 a year.

I'm not laughing. As a Virginia taxpayer, I'm handed the bill for this.

[Doctor_J]

5. Ah, to have a media present

If a (D) governor and his wife pulled off something like this, every radio station, TV "news" station and newspaper in the US would speak of nothing else for 3 days. As it is, it will disappear like one of Limpballs' farts on a windy Palm beach day.

When we're ready to revolt, Hate Radio will be target one.

[SunSeeker]

6. "Coal philanthropy" is an oxymoron. nt

[Leontius]

7. Va needs some serious open government standards and laws to be enacted and

enforced. Sadly the chance of this happening is non-existent everyone in power likes it just the way it is.