Democrats doubt depths of Amiral's private pockets

NORFOLK

Democrats are questioning fundraising reports filed by unsuccessful House of Delegates candidate John Amiral, saying they don't believe the Republican had the money to loan his campaign more than $100,000.

Amiral, who was defeated by Democrat Paula Miller on Tuesday, lists his income as $50,000 or less and lives in an apartment in East Ocean View, according to his campaign finance reports.

However, the reports show that he loaned his campaign $113,475, including $79,200 in the last month of his candidacy, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a group that tracks political fundraising and spending.

The loan amount is the largest of any Virginia House of Delegates candidate this year, a VPAP official said.

VPAP reports also show that Amiral repaid himself $12,440 from campaign funds, which is legal. He is still owed another $101,035 he loaned his campaign.

Final campaign reports aren't due until December, but as of Oct. 21, Amiral had spent more than $25,000 on media advertising and more than $8,000 on yard signs. At the time, he had $25,470 left to spend.

"I don't know of anyone who lives in an apartment and drives an old car who can give himself $100,000 in the matter of a couple of weeks," said Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe, for whom Miller works.

McCabe has urged fellow Democrats to ask the Virginia State Board of Elections and Norfolk commonwealth's attorney to investigate Amiral.

"It is bizarre that this man was able to give his campaign this much money," said Diane Kaufman, chairwoman of the Norfolk Democratic City Committee. Kaufman said she is considering asking for an investigation. Virginia law states that all money collected or spent must be disclosed.

Miller declined to comment Thursday.

Amiral said Thursday that an investigation would not uncover anything unethical or illegal.

"All I can tell you is that from our side, everything was kept clean," he said. "I loaned myself money because I believed I was going to win this race."

"It's all my own money," he added.

"They can go ahead and file whatever they want. When they file their complaint, they'll get their answer."

Amiral, 32, waged an aggressive campaign, accusing Miller of cronyism in numerous TV ads for taking a job with McCabe's office.

Amiral's campaign ads made such an impact on polling by Democrats that the party gave Miller $80,187 in the last weeks leading up to the election so that she could respond.

Candidates generally repay loans from campaign contributions, but Amiral has had a difficult time raising large amounts of cash.

The Republican Party of Virginia gave him $13,680, and the Turkish Coalition USA, a political action committee, gave him $10,000, according to his reports. Virginia Beach businessmen Scott Rigell ($3,000) and Jeffrey McWaters ($1,000) were his largest local donors.

Amiral was bitterly critical of McCabe and City Councilman W. Randy Wright, saying they swung the election toward Miller by pressuring voters at the polls.

Amiral said sheriff's deputies worked the polls, some in uniform, for both Miller and McCabe, who also won re-election.

"In some places they had so many deputies at the entrances they were pretty much blocking the entrance," he said. "When you block the pathway like that, people have no choice but to stop."

McCabe said sheriff's deputies volunteer to work at the polls, but they do so on their own time and not in their uniforms.

He denied blocking any entrances, as did Wright, who noted that he spent most of the day at a City Council meeting.

"I would expect no less from someone who ran the most negative campaign I've seen in 16 years of elective office," McCabe said of Amiral.

Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com