Virginia State Senator Reintroduces Ban on Politicians Accepting Funds from Dominion Energy

State Senator Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax City) is trying again to pass a ban on politicians accepting campaign funds from Dominion Energy and other utilities.

Petersen’s SB 804, pre-filed for the 2023 General Assembly session, is similar to 2022 bills sponsored by Petersen, State Senator Richard Stuart (R-King George), and Delegate Lee Ware (R-Powhatan). The Senate Privileges and Elections committee killed the Senate bills in bipartisan votes 11 to four.

Campaign finance reform in Virginia broadly and Dominion’s impact, in particular, are both regularly discussed in the legislature, but changes are slow and politically charged. Although progressive organization Clean Virginia seeks to reduce Dominion’s political power through its own political donations and pledges from Democratic candidates not to accept utility money, some candidates have walked back their pledges. At the same time, other Democrats don’t ally with the group. According to The Virginia Public Access Project, Dominion has contributed $24 million since 2012, including $6.9 million to Democrats, $6.6 million to Republicans, and $10.5 million to “Other.”

Virginia has a reputation for lax campaign finance laws; in 2016, the AP reported on the lack of regulation, citing State Senator Lionel Spruill (D-Chesapeake) as an example of significant spending on luxuries from campaign funds, even while Spruill didn’t list an outside income.

During February 2021 debate on Stuart’s bill, which would have capped utility contributions at $10,000, Spruill told Petersen, “You really, really have a real hard-on dislike for Dominion, because to me, it’s a personal thing with you with Dominion.”

“I have no animosity towards anybody. I will tell you this, though. I have practiced law in this field. No other state in the union has the public utility make donations to state lawmakers. We are unique, so I will simply say that,” Petersen said,

State Senator Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) expressed concern that the ban could decrease transparency since utilities could instead provide donations through dark money groups.

Yes, Every Kid

“If they are intentionally doing that, I think my bill would prohibit that,” Stuart said, although he noted that it could be hard to prove.

In January 2022, Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office reportedly said the governor would sign the 2022 ban on utility contributions, according to WRIC. Even if the governor still supports the legislation, the 2023 bill will first have to pass out of the Privileges and Elections Committee — where Spruill is now the chair.

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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Chap Petersen” by Chap Petersen. Photo “Richard Stuart” by Richard H. Stuart. Photo “Lee Ware” by Lee Ware. Background Photo “Dominion Energy” by Tim Evanson. CC BY-SA 2.0.

 

 

 

 

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