Norfolk candidate cries foul over Democratic flier

NORFOLK

Commissioner of Revenue Sharon McDonald, a Democrat, strongly objected to a flier passed out to voters Monday, saying it implies that President Barack Obama and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds support her opponent.

McDonald's campaign found fliers distributed in the Poplar Halls neighborhood with "Doug Knack for Commissioner of the Revenue" underneath a photograph of Obama and Deeds. With a headline that says "Leaders We Can Trust," the flier urges voters to support Deeds and fellow Democrats Jody Wagner and Steve Shannon in today's election, along with Knack.

He is running as an independent.

The flier was produced by a political action committee named People First, headed by Vivian J. Paige, a former Democratic candidate for treasurer who writes a popular political blog.

Paige is a Knack supporter. Knack's wife, Kathy Knack, has contributed to the PAC.

Knack said he did not know about the flier, but after The Virginian-Pilot provided him a copy, said: "I don't have an issue with it.

"It doesn't say anything about the Democratic party," he added. "The way this is written, I honestly don't see a legal or ethical issue.

"I can't disagree with what it says as far as leadership and change."

McDonald, the Democratic nominee, said the flier was clearly intended to mislead.

"It implies that he is being endorsed by our president and the three Democratic candidates listed there, and that's untrue," she said.

"A real leader has integrity. It's clear by allowing his name to be put on this ballot, by saying he doesn't have a problem with it, that he lacks integrity."

Paige defended the flier, noting that she did not use the word Democrat. She said it is unlike a flier produced last November in Virginia Beach in which Obama was pictured with Will Sessoms, a candidate for mayor who was supporting Republican John McCain. The Beach flier did not identify who paid for it, a violation of state law.

"I'm just trying to drive voter turnout" for the candidates she supports, Paige said. In doing so, she used an Obama quote from his visit to Old Dominion University last week, in which he said, when speaking of Deeds, he needs "a partner... to help us finish what we started." The quote is just above Knack's name.

"Isn't that what he said?" Paige said of Obama.

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