The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
Bobby Mathieson had just gotten to the General Assembly for his first term as a delegate when his legislative aide went on an illegal spending spree that lasted more than a year and a half.
From January 2008 through September 2009, more than 900 unauthorized expenditures were made with Mathieson's campaign funds, totaling more than $50,000.
That analysis was provided by the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonprofit tracker of money in Virginia politics, based on amended campaign documents that Mathieson's campaign filed with the State Board of Elections.
Last month, Mathieson's former aide, Jason Wesley Robinson, was sentenced to serve three years in prison in connection with the illegal spending and eluding a law enforcement officer who tried to serve him with warrants.
The filings show that as political action groups and citizens contributed to the campaign, Robinson was often making several transactions a day with campaign money.
The analysis found that Robinson spent the most money - more than $10,000 - in 59 transactions at the Oceanfront restaurant Catch 31.
He also spent campaign money on everyday expenses like gas, cigarettes and clothing, despite receiving a salary of about $34,000, Mathieson said.
"I was certainly angry that he lived the life of Riley on the Mathieson account," he said.
The largest number of transactions were made at assorted 7-Elevens.
Robinson, 26, was also a fan of Town Center restaurants, visiting Bravo Cucina Italiana, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Sonoma Wine Bar and others there on more than 100 occasions.
He also spent more than $900 on 21 transactions at Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control stores with money from the campaign coffers, according to the analysis.
Robinson also tallied expenses on a gym membership at Town Center Fitness, Funny Bone Comedy Club, J. Crew and Victoria's Secret, according to the analysis.
The bulk of the spending took place in Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
Mathieson said he didn't know what his former aide did during his off-hours and that there weren't any major red flags until he saw the balance had dwindled in his campaign account in September 2009.
His re-election campaign raised more than $743,000 in the race for the 21st House District. He narrowly lost to then-Virginia Beach City Councilman Ron Villanueva.
Mathieson fired Robinson and asked state police to investigate.
Robinson had been convicted of embezzlement in 2004; Mathieson has said he did not know about that conviction when he hired Robinson in 2007.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 222-5119, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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Let's get real
It is apparent that the individual plead guilty and has been sentenced. But what really is not spoken is who else should of known about this? There are monthly financial reports that are approved by either the delegate/candidate or his campaign treasurer. So, did this stealing happen without knowledge of two supposedly responsible individuals who approved the financial reports? I think the VP is doing their job on reporting this story but the reporter is not following through with the entire story.
$743k in campaign contributions...
for a House of Delegates race. Does that sound right?
He must have thought he was
He must have thought he was in elected office.
Robinson and Sharon McDonald
sure know how to PARTAY on someone else's dime!
Robinson's going to jail.
Sharon will finesse her way out of her predicament like Sheriif McCabe did a few years ago. Just say "I'm sorry [I got caught]," and pay up and all is forgiven.
as a former police officer
As a retired police officer one would have thought Bobby would have seen this sooner but if you trust your staff and don't watch them you can get burned. He obviously didn't do his due diligence by checking him out before hiring him. I would have expected better fm him.
I would expect ANYONE to do
I would expect ANYONE to do a criminal background check. And then you can keep him if you want but don't let him near money. Plus, you should keep a better eye on the account and how much is being spent. This should have been caught a long long time ago.
VP goes easier on Democrats than Republicans
The VP almost always gives the Democrats softer hits. But at least the Pilot does do investigations on Democrats, like with the Norfolk Commissioner, which seem to have been very thorough, and they have put together a very interesting series of articles, and it is ongoing.
Story not about Mathieson
The delegate is history, so his party doesn't matter. Think the story is about the kid who misused funds.
The VP, while biased, has had some big stories recently about known Democrats, Moss and McDonald, in Norfolk. So this is not a story where the Pilot is couching its bias.
Points that Mathieson should have known are valid, but sometimes politicos look at these reports as minutia. They shouldn't, but they do.
If you are pointing out bias, use valid examples, like why did it take so much time for the story to come out, not which party is involved.
The Pilot's bias benefits the incumbent, not the party. IMHO
Party affiliation
You can bet if it had been an(R). The V-P would have ensured it was printed in the named. This is for those of you who don't think the V-P isn't biased.
U R Right
Jay Jay you hit the nail on the head. If an R would have followed his name the Pilot would have been screaming about the wasteful spending.