Special prosecutor to investigate Anderson mailer
Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Paul B. Ebert has asked that a special prosecutor investigate claims that a campaign mailer wrongly released the personal information of Del. Paul F. Nichols.
Republican Rich Anderson, who’s challenging the Democratic incumbent, recently sent a flier to about 15,000 homes in the House of Delegates’ 51st District announcing Nichols’ arrest in 2006 in North Carolina.
Nichols doesn’t dispute the arrest, made while he was on a golf trip to the Outer Banks.
But he said the mailer is misleading and leaves out key details, including the fact that all charges, including one that he assaulted a police officer, were dismissed and that the matter has been expunged from the public record.
Anderson’s campaign, meanwhile, maintains that though the charges were dismissed, the arrest needed to be brought to the attention of voters in northeastern Prince William.
Nichols’ other gripe was that the mailing included an image of his arrest record, which he said recklessly released his personal information, including his Social Security number.
That’s what Ebert’s office would have investigated.
But, reached Monday, Prince William’s top prosecutor said he couldn’t look into the allegation because he’s known Nichols, a Lake Ridge lawyer, for many years.
“I’d be uncomfortable making a ruling one way or another on this case,” Ebert said.
So he asked Chesterfield County Commonwealth’s Attorney, William W. Davenport, or his designate, to take the lead.
Ebert, one of the longest-serving Democrats currently in public office in Prince William, has donated $500 to Nichols’ campaign this year, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, which tracks elections.
The prosecutor also gave Nichols $1,000 toward the lawmaker’s first run for office in 2007.
Nichols’ campaign manager, Kyle Gott, said that, after looking at statutes, it was clear to his candidate that Anderson had broken the law and needed to be investigated.
“Any commonwealth’s attorney’s office in the state, seeing the same thing we saw, would have done it,” he said.
In an e-mail Monday, Anderson said he was assured, by his counsel and others, “that there were no laws broken surrounding releasing anyone’s Social Security number.”
“As I’ve always said, no one’s Social Security number was released to the public,” he said, “only an operator’s license number from a legally obtained arrest record.”
Nichols, however, has noted that, in 2006, his driver’s license number was his Social Security number.
Anderson also said he doesn’t feel he has done anything wrong by releasing information about the arrest.
“This is an important part of Paul Nichols’ resume that was left out last election,” he said.
Staff writer Jonathan Hunley can be reached at 703-369-5738.
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Reader Reactions
Another example of waste of tax payer funds for another political stunt by Democrat Ebert on behalf of his friend Nichols. This is the second time Ebert will fail in his partisan approach to investigations. There was another failed attempt by Ebert to go after another PWC Republican not too long ago.
Phdee’s idea of a bipartisan poll is something thrown together on MSNBC, CBS, or CNN. At least i know that Democrats really aren’t gaining members so much as others really aren’t losing any. Generic Congressional ballot has been against Democrats for most of the year now at least according to bipartisan polls anyway. People are coming to their senses and realize that a party with too much control is not a good thing.
If the Commonwealth’s attorney’s office were not so tied up in partisan politics, Ebert or his designate could investigate this himself.
Isn’t the Chesterfield attorney the same one who asked Ebert a while back to investigate a couple of his cops who had run amuck? A lot of back scratching going on among these two political hacks. And the county’s Republicans have no standing to complain. No one in that “committee” has had the spine to take on Ebert for the last few elections.
I notice General Patton, another tired and spent Republican military retiree, big at the bottle no doubt, is cricizing Ebert for doing his job. At least Ebert himself did not take the case.
It doesn’t not mattrer what a Democrat does—in the eyes fo the going-extinbt Republican party it is always wrong.
It wpuld be great if some of the PWC local Republican party boys were also involved in the alleged crimal matter. Could be big news. Conspiracy??
It is hilarious and exciting to watch and hear the die-hard Republicans—- all such big law and order freaks—try to defend what appears to be a criminal act by a military thug.
Aren’t you for law and order,
Liberalised? And where did you get your legal expertise? While drinking booze? Are you just a tired and spent militarey retiree, watching out for those benefits, while trying to be a loyal Republican.
Why I saw on TV yesterday a poll result that showed only 20% of Americans claim to be Republicans… and Republican congressional approval is just 19%. Yes, a dying breed. Going extinct - like the dodo bird. Unable to adapt to the real world.
“Nichols, however, has noted that, in 2006, his driver’s license number was his Social Security number.“
How long has this half-wit had prior to 2006 to get his driver’s license number changed?
Mine was changed back in 2003.
When you break the law… this is what happens.
I have a feeling Rich Anderson’s community service is going to be along side a road picking up garbage, not representing us in Richmond
Partisan politics coming out of our own Paul Ebert’s office. Who requested the special investigation,his friend Paul Nichols?
And more information comes to light and it shows it was his operators license that was released. Special prosecutor? This case has no merit. ham sandwich i am voting for you next time for sure.
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