Lateef money prompts concern

Prince William County Chairman Corey A. Stewart wants his opponent, Babur Lateef, to explain why he and his business were contribut­ing money by the thousands to political candidates less than a year before his home went into foreclosure.

An ophthalmologist, Lateef has repeatedly said that his plight was sim­ilar to many small business owners dur­ing the height of the reces­sion, leading ultimately to a foreclosure on his $1.2 ­million mid­county home in the spring of 2010. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Lateef gave $5,200 in cash contribu­tions to various Democratic candidates in 2009. He also contributed $4,800 in in-kind contributions in 2009 and $1,000 in cash donations in December 2008 to Brian Mo­ran's campaign for governor.

His business, Advanced Ophthalmology, also con­tributed more than $2,000 to statewide candidates in 2009.

“Given the fact that he’s donating thousands of dollars in political contributions, it’s just not believable that he couldn’t make his mortgage payments,” Stewart said. “It looks like he deliberately went into foreclosure so he could have his mortgage wiped away in what I would call a scam.” 

Lateef currently rents his home after a relative purchased it an auction for roughly half the price. 

According to Lateef’s campaign spokesman Mike McLaughlin, Lateef was “struggling” at the time of his donations but he wasn’t yet behind on his mortgage payments. 

McLaughlin said that Lateef’s donations were lower than in some previous years but were important for candidates he believed would “make a better place for everyone.” McLaughlin also took a jab at Stewart, as well, calling his comments regarding the foreclosure an insult to Lateef’s reputation. 

“We need a leader that’s not running away from his record of destruction in Prince William County but one that will help someone in tough times,” said McLaughlin. 

It is unknown how much money Lateef was earning at the time of his foreclosure. According to the Business Interests statement he supplied the State Board of Elections, Lateef ’s medical practice grosses more than $250,000. Lateef also earned under $50,000 from services provided at the Prince William Ambulatory Surgery Center and he owns four rental properties — two of which are medical offices in Woodbridge. 

According to county real estate records, Lateef paid $268,000 apiece for his medical offices in 2003 and $314,000 in 2002 for a Woodbridge area townhome. In an interview with the News & Messenger earlier this year, Lateef said he was having difficulty renting out the townhome during the recession. 

Lateef also co-owns a commercial property in Youngstown, Ohio, which he purchased for $185,000 in 2006. 

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-530-3904.