Al Weed Debates Virgil Goode (R-MZM)

According to the Daily Progress and Bob Gibson, around 300 people showed up last night for a debate between Al Weed and Virgil "I didn't know they were illegal" Goode at the Senior Center in Charlottesville.

A largely partisan and divided crowd of about 300 people at the Senior Center of Charlottesville heard Weed attack Goode as a career politician who takes questionable contributions and supports Bush more than 80 percent of the time, including on the war in Iraq.

Weed, who has a son about to serve a second tour as a surgeon in Iraq, said Goode “follows the Republican lead at every turn” and has never questioned Bush on his war policy in “the failed occupation of Iraq.”

One of the main subjects for debate was the now-infamous MZM contract with the Defense Department, who recently cancelled the contract for the Foreign Supplier Assesment Center (FSAC) and closed the doors the following Monday, July 31, 2006.

Wade’s guilty plea stated that he made the illegal pass-through contributions to Goode’s campaign and that of Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Fla., because he believed they “had the ability to request appropriations funding that would benefit MZM.” Goode denied knowing the contributions were illegal and has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

They also discussed immigration, and Virgil had the predictable answers that have made him the laughing stock (along with Tom Tancredo (R-CO)) of the country when it comes to real debate on that issue.

Virgil IS in denial about the financial windfall he received from Mitchell Wade, the convicted felon.

The Republican said he had “never heard somebody so uninformed as Mr. Weed was in his comments about [MZM and Martinsville]. He said I got nearly $100,000 in illegal contributions. Not so. It was about $46,000 that was straw contributions, but I gave every donation that I could tell was related to MZM to charities around the 5th District.”

Why did you give away over $90,000 then, Mr Goode? For good measure? Do you think that since you gave away more money than you now claim to be 'straw' donations, people will forgive you? Again, do you think we do not know differently?

Virgil Goode is a horrible Congressman for a great District in Virginia. We need to change that to match, with Al Weed, a great man, representing us in the Fighting Fifth District.

Weed blasted Goode for taking what the Democrat called “nearly $100,000 in illegal contributions from a now convicted felon [Wade], and in return got that man $15 million for a useless federal contract - $15 million that could have bought proper body armor for our troops in Iraq.”

“Now that the felon is in jail, the Pentagon has terminated the contract and the taxpayers of Martinsville may owe up to a half-million dollars” for the facility that the defense contractor and its successor abandoned, Weed said. “We deserve better.”

Goode joked that Weed must be smoking marijuana if he thinks MZM got anywhere near $15 million. “Let’s get to his assertion that MZM got $15 million. Totally false,” Goode said. “He must be smoking something like what he’s named for."

Uh, Mr Goode, are you really asking us to believe that things didn't happen the way they have been publically disclosed? Or is it that you still think that none of us can read or use the internet to find out the real truth? The truth is, you accepted almost $100,000 in contributions from the employees and PAC of MZM. You say you had no idea they were illegal, but I find that statement as hard to believe as anything your boss George W. Bush says.

Not only that, but do you really think that it is seemly to criticize Mr. Weed by making jokes about his name? How childish. You yourself made long and loud complaints in the 2004 race because you felt someone was making fun of your name. Maybe that is the standard for a turncoat that calls Republicans his best friends (like George Allen) and refuses to listen to the illogic of his own statements.

If you really think that we believe that you didn't know that the contributions were illegal, then you are too dense to be in Congress. If you did know, then you are a criminal, and should go spend time with your buddy, convicted felon Mitchell Wade.

If you think for a moment that you scare us or that we are going to roll over and cede this race to you, you are mistaken. We will be taking it to you in every way we can. On the internet, in the streets, and at events. There will be no shortage of volunteers to unseat you.

Cross Posted at Daily Kos