As perenially ethically challenged Loudoun Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) explained in his one- year late non-apology apology last week, all of his financial and ethical misconduct was just a result of his not being “careful” enough. Yes, who among us, in a moment of inattention, has not misappropriated tens of thousands of dollars in public assets, abused employees, turned an elected office into a full-time fundraising operation, and lied repeatedly about it to fellow officials, the media, and the public?
In taking charge of Delgaudio’s office budget, the full, all-Republican Board of Supervisors was supposedly chastening Delgaudio for precisely these abuses, in which he used funds intended for constituent service and legitimate government expenses instead for personal political operations. One thing the Board did not mention among Delgaudio’s many misuses of funds was the tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money he routinely handed over to his former aide Donny Ferguson — ostensibly for “graphic design” services for his “news(sic)letters” and other mailings, but at rates that should have raised the eyebrows of any sentient human being — $750 to design a postcard, thousands of dollars for each “news(sic)letter.”
in fact, as any sentient human being in Loudoun politics knows, the very fetching Donny in fact runs one of the ugliest political hit and dirty trick operations around. During the last campaign he carried out robocalls smearing lies about Malcolm Baldwin, the candidate running against Republican Geary Higgins for supervisor of the Catoctin District. (Though supposedly an “educational” activity uncoordinated with any candidate, in fact Donny was overheard at a GOP event discussing this very robocall plan with Higgins. Which may explain why Geary tried to block the Board’s punishment of Delgaudio, specifically oposing the takeover of his office budget by the full board.) Back when he worked as Delgaudio’s aide, Donny was so blatantly using his office in the county building for political operations that the board had to install new locks to keep him out of there after hours.
anyway, Eugene this week submitted his first request for approved funds for his office budget. suitably chastened by his censure for misappropriating public assets for political activity, Delgaudio asked for $17,000 to publish three “news(sic)letters” … With $3,700 of that going to Donny, as usual.
plus ca change!
the board voted merely to give their contrite colleague six grand so he can promote himself at taxpayer expense. If that’s not punishment, I don’t know what is.
realloudoun 