Delgaudio Attorney Responds to Grand Jury, Recall Reports

During the past year, Sterling Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R) has come under fire from multiple directions, with the heat building during the past week.

A special prosecutor investigating an aide’s accusation that the supervisor asked her to do campaign work on county time appears to be assembling a grand jury to consider an indictment, while a new group calling itself Sterling Deserves Better organized to push for the supervisor’s recall.

In addition, an opponent has already launched a campaign against Delgaudio for the 2015 election. Although, he opposes the recall ... at least or now.

In the past, Delgaudio’s attorney, Charles L. King, has called for critics to allow the investigation to run its course. In Tuesday’s message, King suggested the investigation would clear his client, reiterating Delgaudio’s assertions that the only fundraising his aides performed was for a youth sports league.

Here’s the full message issued Tuesday by King.

Regarding grand jury:

It’s sad the political climate in Loudoun County is so toxic we now have a special grand jury to investigate three meetings to raise money for kids in Sterling to play football.

Impaneling a special grand jury tells me Ms. Stamos wants to use all the tools at her disposal to do a thorough investigation.

Since there is a complex fact pattern and large number of documents involved, I wasn't terribly surprised a special grand jury was seated.

Special grand juries are used primarily to investigate and make confidential reports rather than return indictments.  Evidence of wrongdoing found by a special grand jury is usually referred to a regular grand jury for action.

A skilled prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich, but there are serious practical problems with a prosecution based on Donna Mateer's allegations taken at face value.

I repeat my previous request for everybody to wait and let Ms. Stamos do her job.

During the last four months, I have reviewed what I suspect are the documents Donna Mateer took from Supervisor Delgaudio's office and distributed, not only to Chairman York, but to dozens of political activists she hoped would support her. I have also reviewed other documents provided by Supervisor Delgaudio. After reviewing this material, my opinion is when this is over, Supervisor Delgaudio will have been found to have done nothing wrong.

Regarding the recall petition:

The Code of Virginia allows the Circuit Court to conduct a trial over the removal of an elected official after the filing of a petition signed by a number equal to ten percent of the total number of votes cast in the last election. Unlike other states, there will be no recall election.

Supervisor Delgaudio has been elected four times in the most liberal, diverse and necessitous part of Loudoun County.

Why does somebody known for their conservative views and national opposition to the gay and lesbian political agenda continue to win reelection in a district where, demographically, he should not?

If there is a pothole on the street in front of their home, most folks are more concerned about having it filled quickly with Supervisor Delgaudio's help than with his opposition to gay marriage.

Of the almost eighty elected officials serving Loudoun County, in this economy, why is Supervisor Delgaudio the only one who has regularly held a job fair?

Supervisor Delgaudio's opponents may find the residents of Sterling are not  enthusiastic about receiving the assistance and advice of political activists, many of whom live outside Sterling, Loudoun County and even Virginia?