Alexandria Democrats Grab All of City Hall
Mayor Bill Euille earns re-election to a fourth term, where he will be joined by six Democrats in council chambers.
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Alexandria’s Democrats will once again control City Hall.
Incumbent Democrat Bill Euille was re-elected to a fourth term as mayor early Wednesday morning when the final numbers rolled in, while the party’s slate of council candidates claimed all six seats.
Euille topped independent challenger Andrew Macdonald by almost 20 points, taking 59.53 percent of the vote.
First-time candidate Allison Silberberg was the leading vote getter in the council field, earning 12.30 percent of the vote and the title of vice mayor.
Silberberg was followed by incumbent Del Pepper (11.77 percent), first-time candidate John Taylor Chapman (11.28 percent), former council members Justin Wilson (10.55 percent) and Tim Lovain (10.52 percent) and incumbent Paul Smedberg (10.04 percent).
The election marked a return to one-party rule in the city, which last elected a full slate of Democrats in the May 2006 municipal elections.
Tuesday marked the first time local elections shared the ballot with national races, and Alexandria’s Democratic candidates benefitted from the support of voters who went to the polls to help President Obama reclaim Virginia and the White House, re-elect U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8th) and to help former Democratic governor Tim Kaine defeat Republican George Allen in the state’s U.S. Senate race.
A strong sample ballot effort from the Alexandria Democratic Committee certainly helped push its candidates over the top.
ADC Chair Dak Hardwick praised the slate of council candidates for "doing the hard work" to earn the most votes in a 12-candidate field.
"The people who went to the polls [on Tuesday] voted for candidates committed to moving this city forward and have talked to more voters over a longer period of time than we can remember," Hardwick said at the Alexandria Democratic Committee’s watch party at the Alley Cat Restaurant and Lounge in the West End. "We've been talking to voters since January."
Incumbent Alicia Hughes, running for the first time as a Republican after being elected as an independent in 2009, finished seventh with 8.54 percent of the vote. She finished 4,466 votes behind Smedberg for the final seat.
Hughes was followed by incumbent Republican Frank Fannon (8.52 percent) and Republican Bob Wood (7.94 percent).
Fannon spent $74,717 on his campaign according to the Virginia Public Access Project, the most of any council candidate and more than Euille and Macdonald.
Independent Glenda Davis finished with 3.50 percent of the vote, while Libertarian Robert Kraus followed with 2.64 percent. Independent Jermaine Mincey finished last in the field with 1.92 percent of the vote.
Hardwick said that just because Mayor Euille and the newly-elected council all have D’s next to their names doesn’t mean they have the same opinion on every issue.
“That’s very typical of this party,” Silberberg said. “It’s a big tent.”
Silberberg earned broad appeal by earning endorsements from longtime city Democrats like Patsy Ticer, while also appealing to the city’s anti-waterfront redevelopment movement. Silberberg is opposed to the city’s redevelopment plan.
“Each person got support in different ways,” she said. “I’ve tried to speak from the heart on all the issues. … I’m dedicated to ensuring that Alexandria remains historical and remarkable for years to come. That’s why I took that position on the waterfront.”
Many Democrats said Tuesday night that the election offered proof that the vision for the city set forth by Euille and the party is in fact the right one.
“This election is further vindication of the Democratic leadership in the city and the positive diection the city is moving,” current Vice Mayor Kerry Donley said.
The new city council will be sworn into office in early January.
McBrinn
7:09 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
It's unclear who was elected to Council the way this is written. Are Hughes and Fannon out or in?
Doug
7:27 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
They are out. The six democrats that were on the ballot won: Pepper, Lovain, Wilson, Silberberg, Chapman and Smedberg
Doug
7:32 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
It's unfortunate for all Alexandrians that we now have a mayor and 6 council members who are all of the same party. We are not going to benefit from as much meaningful discourse on important issues within the council chamber.
Tin Idol
4:48 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
There is going to be quite a lot of "meaningful discourse" in City Council Chambers regarding the CONDUCT of Norfolk Southern Railroad and how it is endangering the lives of those who live near the railroad tracks.
Norfolk Southern is going to set aside $20 billion to pay "tort compensation" of $10,000 per man, woman and child within 22 US States who have been affected by their little game of "russian roulette"
...and Norfolk Southern CEO, Wick Moorman is going to place his ENTIRE NET WORTH in the "pool of money" AS WELL AS encourage all of his political friends to do so also.
Wick Moorman is going to get a phone call from the New York City Comptroller's office(Jonathan Liu) who administers the Pension Fund which invests heavily in Norfolk Southern stock ASKING WHY residents who live near railroad tracks are demanding that the SEC freeze Norfolk Southern's assets and halt trading in their stock.
Jonathan Liu is going to be compelled to sue Norfolk Southern on behalf of the Pension Fund
WestEnd
10:31 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Great...let's build all sorts of accommodations for the explosive illegal immigrant population and tax the snot out of the home / property owners. Silberberg is all about this Equal Opportunity Housing nonsense. If you can't afford something...then I am sorry but you have to look elsewhere.
Ruben Duran
7:43 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
More triple density redevelopment is just around the corner, poor traffic management, and a continued lack of commitment to the West End continues. When you walk 5-10 miles and drive 35 plus miles everyday around town without blinders then and only then will you get what I mean. Good Luck to the Fire Department as you will likely become leaner and less effective with longer response times west of Quaker Ln.
donotpaveparadise
7:54 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
And yet it West End voters checked their ballot boxes and brought us what we have now as the Democratic ticket for the local seats. Someone needs to work on waking up the West End to the threat of higher and higher density development to Alexandria.
Lee Hernly
7:45 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
During the debates, many of the Democrats running said they can see Government spending in Alexandria running a Billion dollars a year. Think our taxes are high now?
Tin Idol
4:26 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Well, Lee....
What is needed is something that constructively REBATES those "taxes" and Norfolk Southern Railroad is about to do JUST THAT for playing "russian roulette" with BOTH the "lives" and "physical safety" of the residents of Cameron Station, VA near the Ethanol Transloading Terminal.
This pertains to Norfolk Southern Internal Audit #2009-178 and is an extension of #2009-178 as it pertains to the contract provisions associated with hauling Untited Parcel Service cargo and perhaps cargo for FedEx and other carriers.
Norfolk Southern CEO, Wick Moorman is getting ready to offer $10,000 "tort compensation" to each man, woman, and child residing within what the local fire departments would consider the evacuation areas for chlorine gas, ethanol, anhydrous ammonia, et al... throughout the 22 US States that Norfolk Southern serves.
Lamar Allen of the US DOT- Federal Railroad Administration Drug & Alcohol Testing Division will soon be convinced to offer his resignation.
Barbara Taylor of the Norfolk Southern Medical Review Office will POSITIVELY IDENTIFY the corporate officer who provided her with the instructions regarding the United Parcel Service cargo.
$10,000 per man, woman, & child in 22 US States and also $10,000 for those required to regularly travel across RR Tracks as evidenced by the Canadian National Ethanol burning death at the RR crossing in Rockford, IL.
It would be UNAMERICAN for a household head to refuse $40,000 for a family of four
donotpaveparadise
7:49 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The loss of any bipartisan representation on City Council should be very disturbing to everyone in Alexandria. It is not healthy for a democracy to have only ONE party dictating the terms. Yet having been at the polls on Nov. 6, and having seen how little so many voters knew about the local candidates and about many local issues, it is no wonder the results are what they are.
Lee Hernly
7:54 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
This is why the Democratic party moved the elections when they last had one-party rule. Since Arlington did same years ago, when is the last time a Republican won?
Tin Idol
4:55 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Oh... I wouldn't worry too much about ONE PARTY dictating the terms... it is already being done by the corporate donors.... two politicians on the opposite ends of the political spectrum (Ralph Nader & George Wallace) both stated "there is not a dime's worth of difference between the Democrats & Republicans."
In Political Science classes, the Wallace/Nader quote is reconfigured as "the Democrat and Republican elites have more in common with each other than with the constituencies that they claim to represent"
Life is great...and it's going to get better thanks to Norfolk Southern CEO, Wick Moorman who is going to give the lucky, lucky people of Alexandria $10,000 each for his firm playing "russian roulette" with their lives.
This pertains to Norfolk Southern Internal Audit#2009-178
Gail G
7:56 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
A lot of people voted a straight ticket. The election was a repudiation of Republican right wing extremism at the top, and it trickled down the the local level. I am actually surprised by the numbers though. Hughes got more votes than Fannon. That was surprising. Some theories as to why...Frank angered the local R committee by running his own campaign and not supportin the entire ticket, and/or African Americans stuck with Hughes in higher numbers. In any case, they both lost, and while I like Frank, I'm glad to see Alicia kicked out.
ChicagoBoyWonder
10:09 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Straight ticket = strait jacket
Nate McKenzie
4:25 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
I appreciate that many did vote a straight ticket although in this case, it may have also have been forced by individual positions on the pace of development, rather than their party affiliation. That issue is what drove my vote. Alexandria's issues certainly bear little to no resemblance to national issues so at least to this voter, D vs R is irrelevant for city council.
I think an appropriate discussion is about the pros/cons of at-large elections. Even though I support the ongoing and planned development, I have trouble believing that 6 of 6 reps with the same opinion is representative of Alexandria.
lynnhampton
9:58 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Sounds like sore losers.
To me it is exciting that more than twice as many voters participated in the election. Let's hope everyone stays interested and involved
.
Tin Idol
5:08 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
...and just what is your specific complaint with those of us who are proud to be "sore losers"?
...a "charcater flaw" on our part, perhaps?
I don't have a football.... but if I DID INDEED have a football... I'd take it and go home right this instant.
This pertains toNorfolk Southern Internal Audit #2009-178
Do you remember that DEFEATIST, GLOOMY TV cartoon character, Brainy Smurf???... the one who kept saying, "it'll never worrkkkkk"
There is a whole set of Brainy Smurf "defeatists" who say the same thing about the railroads.....to wit; "it'll neverr worrrkkkk... the railroads have all the money...
....the railroads have all the attorneys... the railroads have all the politicians & bureaucrats within the FRA in their hip pocket.... it'll never worrrkkkk"
There was a Hollywood Actor, Ed Harris who played a "Brainy Smurf"- type FBI Agent in a movie based on the John Grisham novel, "The Firm"....
...well, you folks over in Alexandria can all just imagine how embarrassed Ed Harris felt when Tom Cruise showed him a way to convict the Mafia Law Firm... Ed Harris was MORE EMBARRASSED than Oprah when Tom Cruise jumped up-and-down on her couch AND EVEN more emebarrassed than NBC-TV "Today" host, Matt Lauer when Tom Cruise pusued him through the hallways of 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
So... if the railroads have all this power then surely they would not need to threaten me with physical harm, correct?
..why threaten me WHEN THEY supposedly have all the power?
Nat
11:24 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Between the Mayor & Presidential elections, it is a very sad day indeed. Expect lots of tax increases, EPA will be releasing (cause of the current administration) new regulations, while the impact is towards corporation (anything not solar or wind), it will ultimately be the consumer who pays...
Tin Idol
5:16 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
I know how you feel, Nat and can sympathize with you... I myself feel the EXACT SAME WAY whenever I stare glassy-eyed at FOX NEWS for anything more than 6 hours straight...
Hey...let's both have some fun and MINDLESSLY CHANT to the "tax & spend liberals" about how "they just don't get it" and how 70% of the "mainstream liberal news media" just don't get it either.
That'll get those liberals to leave the Del Ray Patch message threads if BOTH OF US start into some MINDLESS CHANT we've heard repeated to us on FOX NEWS.
I'm perhaps a little more "suspicious" than you, Nat... but I personally think everyone here - except for yoy & me... is related to Dan Rather
million
11:31 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
While losing philosophical diversity on the City Council is unfortunate, it's not like Fannon and Hughes' two votes ever stopped what the other five wanted to pass. How much was passed 5-2 or 4-3? My guess is a lot.
At least the eminent domain admendment at the state level passed so the City Attorney can no longer make thuggish threats to take property for redevelopment.
Margo Heegeman
4:22 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
I believe that traditionally the Vice Mayor goes to the highest vote getter, but the position is still up to a vote by members.
JamesOnThePotomac
8:56 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Stand by for higher taxes with gang.
Gail G
7:25 am on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Tin Idol, what do Ed Harris, Tom Cruise and Oprah have to do with your local problems? I don't follow your train of thought...please explain. This could get interesting.
Tin Idol
10:47 am on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Hello Gail,
Things will INDEED get "interesting".
These are not "local problems".... they're problems that run throughout the 22 US States serviced by Norfolk Southern (these problems run "laterally")
They're also problems that run "longitudinally" from Norfolk Southern CEO, Wick Moorman right down to his salaried trainmasters and hourly-paid yardmasters... "top" to near-"bottom"
You know, Gail... The NCAA Infractions committee didn't just believe the student-athletes who came forward about USC running back, Reggie Bush.
They knew that many disgruntled student-athletes get promises made to them about "playing time" and "reps" during the recruiting process. Promises that cannot be kept because of "limited reps" and "limited amounts" of playing time.
That is why County Politics throughout the whole 50 US States reminds so many of the 19th-century villains who took knives and gored both "widows" and "orphans" in the back... unlike Europe, where a 70% turnout at the voting booth is considered a "poor turnout"... in off-year election primaries in the US, it is not uncommon for the primary turnout to be 40% of eligible voters... sometimes even less than 40%
...>>>> continued in next post
Tin Idol
12:34 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
... >>>> continued from prior post
So with less than 40% turnout sometimes... the "endorsement" by one's political party becomes crucial for the subsets of the electorate that DO INDEED HAVE NEAR-UNIVERSAL TURNOUT... civil servants, bureaucrats, teachers, labor unions, etc
...again...promises are made "early in the game" to EVERYONE knowing full well that somebody will "take the shaft" later on as the sifting/vetting process advances
So there, quite understandably, are feelings of "hurt" and sometimes "anger" within a University NCAA FB program AS WELL AS the county party political apparatus
...but these "wannabe football players" & "wannabee politicians" have SOMETHING IN COMMON; to wit, ...for a discreet amount of time, they have had access to the "inner workings" of an NCAA FB program or a county party political apparatus AND BOTH HAVE witnessed the 10,000 pieces of "dirt"/"corruption" that go unnoticed/unreported...
...well,MOST of those who have been made to feel "hurt" and "anger" about "unkept promises" go "quietly away"
...but SO MANY people have been lied to over the years that there are BOUND TO BE some of the "hurt" and "angry" who say to the people who lied to them and did not keep their promise... "I've got the goods and dirty deeds on you, pal.... no game of musical chairs here... he who lives in glass houses sure better not start throwing stones".
...and this is how "corruption" is "exposed"
Tin Idol
12:40 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
....>>> continued from prior post
The Universities & the County Political Parties then start "hunkering down" and "digging trenches"
No comments on the allegations other than an "emphatic denial" and "kill the messenger" as a "disgruntled crackpot"... like Ohio State University did with running back, Maurice Clarett, when OSU and the NCAA opposed early entry into the NFL Draft for freshmen...old Maurice started talking about the actual amount of ....cough... "workkk" being done by OSU Football Players at Dick Tressel's landscaping business(Dick Tressel was the brother of OSU Head Coach, Jim Tressel)...
...ditto with the student-athletes who reported on all of the dirty deeds done since 1993 in the USC Football program run by 1965 Heisman winner and Athletic Director, Mike Garrett regarding running back, Reggie Bush...
Of course, the NCAA was not going to take at "face value" the allegations of a student-athlete who was "disgruntled" and "angry"... the NCAA demanded "corroboration"
Maurice Clarett then refused to name the specific players on his team who took money "under the table" and Ohio State's corruption lasted another 10 years up until the Sports Illustrated article/exposee
The "disgruntled" student-athletes who were lied to at Mike Garrett's USC DID HOWEVER "blow the whistle" on the "jobs" and "sports vehicles" and "housing for relatives"
With "corroboration", the NCAA Infractions committee hit USC "hard" with "sanctions" and "probation"
Tin Idol
12:56 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
In Cleveland, Ohio's Cuyahoga County... North Royalton Mayor, Cathy Luks decided to oppose Pat O'Malley for the position of "county recorder"
Luks maintained that O'Malley offered her a $50,000 per year job in his office if she would drop her candidacy.Luks reported this and O'Malley was investigated
Like Norfolk Southern... O'Malley strenuously denied the charges.... well, poor old Pat O'Malley who is scheduled to be released from prison soon... was doing a bunch of things wrong...
...so they couldn't nail O'Malley for prison time on the Luks charges but just a little nosing around by the FBI got him convicted on a bunch of stuff that he could not deny.... "corroborated stuff"
"corroboration" = "prison time" for county polticians & judges
"corroboration" = "NCAA sanctions" for dirty football programs
"corroboration"... "to corroborate"
The NCAA demanded "corroboration"
The Cleveland Plain Dealer and TV News Stations demanded "corroboration"
The "disgruntled, delusional crackpot" motif advanced by the crooks to "buy time" DISINTEGRATED IMMEDIATELY in the presence of "corroboration"
Well... old Pat O'Malley was NOT GOING to go to prison quietly because he had been in Cuyahoga County Politics for years and years.
"You judges and auditors and prosecutors ARE ALL doing worse stuff than what I was doing in the County Recorders Office with a simple, corrupt "billboard deal" and "pornography" on my PC Computer
Tin Idol
1:05 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Except...now it was Pat O'Malley himself who needed to provide the "corroboration"...
...now it was Pat O'Malley who became the new "disgruntled crackpot" who better provide "corroboration"
...oh...boy... They were not calling Pat O'Malley a "disgruntled crackpot" for very long.
Pat knew where "all the bodies were buried", so to speak and was able to tell the FBI exactly where to go to look for the "accountant's second sets of books"
Mayor Cathy Luks was the "disgruntled, delusional crackpot" who brought down Pat O'Malley
Pat O'Malley then HIMSELF BECAME the "disgruntled, delusional crackpot" who brought down:
1) The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor (resigned in disgrace... investigation ongoing)
2) 2 Cuyahoga County Judges
3) Umpteen Politicians and City Council Members
4) Cuyahoga County Auditor (prison for the rest of his life, basically)
5) Cuyahoga County Commissioner (prison till he is an old, old man)
6) Metropolitan Housing Director (beat all the charges except for "lying to the FBI")
So... when dealing with Norfolk Southern... we'll BEGIN TO deal with the TONS OF STUFF that can be easily "corroborated"...
...and then we'll work on "corroborating" the balance of the stuff through other means.
To give you all a "sound byte" which encapsulizes Norfolk Southern's tenuous set of circumstances....
...Norfolk Southern cannot ADMIT TO THE TRUTH and they also HAVE NO GOOD LIE to tell either.
...back here at The Patch after I have some lunch
Gail G
1:35 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Well, Tin Idol, that sure is some story. I'm still not sure how any of it connects to Alexandria elections, but if some guy with a funny name like Wick Moorman is going to give me $10,000, I'll play along.
Tin Idol
6:30 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Though this be "madness", there was "method" in it --
--- Hamlet
Hello Gail,
There is indeed a "method to this madness"
In the Tom Cruise/Gene Hackman Mafia Law Firm movie, "The Firm", the FBI Agent played by Hollywood Actor, Ed Harris wanted RICO-type "racketeering" convictions.
The attorney played by Tom Cruise had his own agenda to protect himself, his wife and his brother.
Tom Cruise gave the FBI "mail fraud" convictions due to the use of postage stamps to pay for the delivery of billable hours that were intentionally-inflated... 5 years + $250,000 fine for each of the thousands of postage stamps used.
No, it was not the RICO that the FBI wanted
No, "mail fraud" due to "postage stamp misuse" was not "glamorous"
Tom Cruise admitted as much but added the kicker... "No, the criminal conviction is NOT glamorous but it has teeth"... it put all of the crooked attorneys away for life AND MORE IMPORTANTLY it was "easily corroborated"
"corroboration"... "to corroborate"
Tin Idol
6:57 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
The corrupt Memphis Law Firm COULD NOT ADMIT TO THE TRUTH and they had NO GOOD LIE to tell either
Norfolk Southern CANNOT ADMIT THE TRUTH and Norfolk Southern has NO GOOD LIE to tell either.
The FBI failed for YEARS & YEARS with the attempt at gaining RICO-type "racketeering" convictions
The communities like Cameron Station within Alexandria and other communities throughout the 50 US States serviced by Union Pacific, CSX Railway, BNSF Railway & Norfolk Southern have all fought the railroads by "attempting to regulate" their conduct
REGULATION by the communities = RICO "racketeering" by the FBI
In Alexandria's particular failed attempt at REGULATION took a two-prong approach...both of which failed "miserably" and which any competent attorney KNEW would fail miserably ...and which the Alexandria City Council HAD BEEN TOLD would fail miserably but they did it anyway because they had to provide the illusion of "action"
The attack against the Ethanol Transloading Terminal was based on regulating the flow of truck traffic on Alexandria roads/highways that accessed the terminal AND ALSO that RSI Logistics was not covered by the REGULATION of Interstate Commerce granted to the US Congress by the US Constitution.
1) RSI Logistics was an "agent" of Norfolk Southern therefore OF COURSE their presence in terminal operation falls under the aegis of the US Constitution's power granted to Congress
Tin Idol
7:24 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
2) The power to regulate Interstate Commerce would be rendered worthless if communities were able to frustrate such efforts to effectively deny access.
SO BACK TO "LIFE IMITATING ART"
..."REGULATION" was bound to be unsuccessful for all the communities in the 50 US States as well as Alexandria JUST LIKE the Hollywood Actor FBI Agent played by Ed Harris was BOUND TO FAIL by perpetually seeking RICO-type "racketeering" convictions
REGULATION fails = RICO fails
So what then is the Tom Cruise "postage stamp" that caused the impenetrable "walls of Jericho" to come crashing down "immediately" & with such "devastating" effect.
If the railroads or the US Department of Transportation- Federal Railroad Administration first provide the PREDICATE of either "misconduct" or "lack of efficacy" then the communities can launch an attack BASED UPON constitutionally-recognized powers of their own...
...they can act ADMINISTRATIVELY against the rail carriers VIA an action against the US DOT-FRA.
Do you see what occurred here?
It's important that you do indeed "cognitively snap" to what was just pointed out to you.
To defeat the CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION of the REGULATION of Interstate Commerce being granted to the US Congress YOU MUST OPPOSE IT with either a different CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION or in the alternative a CONSTITUTIONALLY-RECOGNIZED POWER.
Tin Idol
7:39 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
The ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION is such a CONSTITUTIONALLY-RECOGNIZED POWER
That right there is Alexandria's Tom Cruise "postage stamp".
So what then DISTINGUISHES an "ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION" from a "REGULATION"?
REGULATIONS are "proactive"... REGULATIONS are "preemptive"...
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS are "predicate based".... ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS are also "exigency based"
A "constitutionally-recognized" power such as an "ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION" by Adam Thiel, the Police Chief, The City Manager or the City Council would FIRST BE TESTED in US District Court.
The US District Court Judge is OBLIGATED TO ASSUME that the local authorities in Alexandria acted properly and to show due deference to the employment of the "administrative action" against Norfolk Southern...
I'll be back after the Louisiana-Monroe/Arkansas State Football game is over
God bless all of the ESPN channels
God bless the Sun Belt Conference for football on Tuesdays and Thursdays