Conflicts of Interest

The Code of Virginia outlines conflicts of interest for local government officials.

Yes, it is convoluted and takes us into the realm of attorneys, who become politicians, who make laws that only attorneys can understand in order to keep attorneys employed, so they can become future politicians, to make additional laws . . . Do you see the pattern?

There is a very high bar set in order for an official to be prosecuted and/or removed for a conflict-of-interest violation. Remember Will Sessoms? Pled guilty to one misdemeanor, out of [too numerous to count]; and still won re-election in 2016. It seems even he was surprised the voters were misinformed enough to re-elect him as he resigned in April of 2018 and returned to employment at TowneBank. Yes, TowneBank, the prominent name in the conflict of interest case. Is there a need to point out that the majority of the conflicts researched involved developers and builders?

We are condoning these backdoor deals when we don’t vote out those who actively participate in these transactions. For Will Sessoms to be re-elected after his nearly three-decade reign of self-serving votes and appointments — I have to wonder what the City is putting in the tainted water we drink because we are not thinking clearly.