Democrats, Fimian argue over group membership

Prince William County, Va. - Democrats are again calling out Keith Fimian for his affiliation with the Catholic group Legatus, which they consider a radical right-wing organization.

Democrats initially brought up the issue in 2008 when Fimian, a Republican, first ran against Gerald E. "Gerry" Connolly, a Democrat serving his first term in the 11th Congressional District.

The Fimian campaign says it's all nonsense.

Legatus describes itself on its website as an organization for top-ranking Catholic business leaders.

"The organization offers a unique support network of like-minded Catholics who influence the world marketplace and have the ability to practice and infuse their faith in the daily lives and workplaces of their family, friends, colleagues and employees," the website stated.

Democrats say Fimian's comments during the 2008 campaign for the 11th Congressional District describing the group as a "social club" were off the mark.

"For two years, Keith Fimian has tried to claim that he wasn't involved in a radical political organization but rather was just a member of a social club in order to deny his right-wing extremist anti-choice views," said Pete Frisbie, chairman of the Prince William County Democratic Committee. "But now it turns out that his involvement in this radical group was entirely political and proves that Keith Fimian not only has radical extremist views, but he can't even tell the truth about them."

According to the Federal Election Commission, Fimian used congressional campaign funds in 2008 to pay a Legatus conference fee. Democrats say that implies that he was conducting official business with the organization.

Fimian's campaign manager, Tim Edson, said paying a fee didn't constitute conducting busi-ness with a given group.

"Legatus is not political. Fimian has always been open. When you are a candidate for office, you must file reports on your activity. On advice of our compliance officer, we reported the trip on our FEC form. It's called openness. Something Connolly doesn't believe in."

Edson said other Congress members belong to organizations and that doesn't automatically make the organizations political entities.

"Does every time a Congressman speaks to a group or visits them, they become a political organiza-tion?" Edson said "Members of Congress sit on the Board of the Kennedy Center and the National Zoo, I guess Connolly's hit man thinks those are political organizations too," Edson said.

Connolly's campaign did not have a comment.

Senior Reporter Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.