Follow Dominion’s money trail

Why are so many of our political representatives in favor of the Virginia City power plant? I took a look at the Virginia Public Access Project’s report of donations made by Dominion Resources and Dominion Political Action Committee and found my answer [See vpap.org].

The Virginia City power plant has received political approval from the beginning. Sen. William Wampler pushed for a 2004 Virginia General Assembly initiative which paved the way for the proposed power plant – small surprise since Wampler has received $12,750 in campaign contributions from Dominion.

Three years later, Gov. Tim Kaine released his Virginia Energy Plan which includes the Virginia City "Hybrid Energy Center." How much money has Kaine’s political campaign received from Dominion? A whopping $188,830.

Delegate Terry Kilgore has been one of Dominion’s most vocal proponents. For a mere $28,250, he is willing to side with Dominion over his own constituency’s health.

The Wise County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for a resolution in favor of the power plant. The supervisors are small fish whose contributions are not recorded on the VPAP Web site, but we do know that several members of the board attended the State Corporation Commission hearing in Richmond and were furnished with a $99 hotel room and catered meal at Dominion’s expense. How much more money has been donated to their campaigns? We can only guess.

In Virginia, political candidates can accept any campaign contributions as long as they disclose their donors. But we, the citizens of Southwest Virginia, have the right – and the obligation – to follow the money trail. Who do you think our political representatives are really representing – the people who elected them or Dominion, who financed their campaigns?

Anna Hess
Dungannon, Va.