Governor Bob McDonnell holds interest in millions of dollars of real estate and one property, a home previously occupied by his daughter and son-in-law, is now being rented by him to a state employee he hand-picked for the job.
State Health Commissioner Dr Cynthia Romero is renting McDonnell’s 835,000 dollar Henrico County home. A McDonnell spokesperson confirmed the rental but did not reveal any details of the agreement between McDonnell and Romero. Political analyst Larry Sabato says this is no doubt a conflict of interest that anyone would recognize.
"Anybody out there listening understands immediately that it is a conflict of interest. Would they like to rent a house from their boss, would they be able to call up the boss late at night when the plumbing's not working, or would they be able to appeal a rent increase. Suppose the governor wanted to fire the commissioner, dont you think given his financial squeeze that he might be hesitant to dismiss a commissioner for any cause, knowing that it may cause 3-thousand dollars a month to disappear."
McDonnell is taking a lot of flak and it is showing in some public polls and around the state’s capitol.
"When you look at interested public opinion and you listen to even Republican legislators, who will talk privately, they will tell you how disappointed they are in Governor McDonnell."
State Health Commissioner Dr Cynthia Romero is renting McDonnell’s 835,000 dollar Henrico County home. A McDonnell spokesperson confirmed the rental but did not reveal any details of the agreement between McDonnell and Romero. Political analyst Larry Sabato says this is no doubt a conflict of interest that anyone would recognize:
This property is not part of MoBo Real Estate partners LLC the governor and his sister use to manage properties owned in Virginia Beach. A $70,000 loan by Star Scientifics Jonnie Williams to MoBo provides one of the more direct financial links between McDonnell and Williams.