Associated Press finds four year high in food and drink costs at Virginia’s Executive Mansion

Another “ethical lapse” may be looming over Virginia’s embattled governor, Bob McDonnell, after a recent Associated Press analysis of grocery costs at Virginia’s Executive Mansion revealed the highest costs in four years between late 2011 and early 2012. How’s that for a supposedly fiscally responsible elected representative?!

The Associated Press concluded that Gov. Bob McDonnell and his family cost the taxpayers of Virginia $102,000 for FY2012 (the 12 months that ended June 30) on food and drink. Of the $102,000, half was spent between December 2011 and March 2012. That is, within a four month span, Virginia’s governor and his family consumed $61,000 worth of food and drink. Correct me if I’m wrong but $61,000 seems a bit excessive over the course of a year, let alone a four month period of time.

On top of this additional piece of evidence that Bob McDonnell is a hypocrite and a liar is the lingering story/case of McDonnell’s former Executive Mansion chef, Todd Schneider. Schneider was fired in March 2012 “as Virginia State Police opened an investigation that continues into kitchen operations at the mansion.”

The polite political rhetoric and be-careful-not-to-step-on-anyone’s-toes speak, in the case of McDonnell, needs to end. It has become increasingly clear, without much shadow of a doubt, that McDonnell and the ‘First Family’ have acted, on a number of different occasions, outside of the best interests of the people of Virginia.

In the example of the Associated Press food and drink price tag analysis, there simply is no other explanation other than the governor and his family took gross advantage of the privileges afforded to a sitting Virginia governor. It seems like McDonnell considers his post as governor a throw-away stepping stone to a greater political paradise in the U.S. Senate or even the White House!

No wonder McDonnell wanted to overturn the one-term limit for governors of Virginia. How else will McDonnell and family afford to throw lavish parties with all-you-can-eat food and drink?