Ken Cuccinelli declines to begin investigation into his own relationship with Star Scientific CEO

In order to allay any concerns that Virginians do/may have about Attorney General (AG) Ken Cuccinelli’s personal relationship with Star Scientific CEO, Jonnie Williams Sr., the AG has chosen to do…nothing.

In this legal conflict of interest, the very individual who has the ethical and legal spotlight being fixed on him (i.e., Ken Cuccinelli) is the same individual who would have to launch the investigation into his own alleged legal wrongdoings (i.e., Virginia’s attorney general). And Cuccinelli hasn’t expressed a great enthusiasm for doing so, which is all the more interesting given his legal crusade against former University of Virginia climate scientist, Michael Mann. It appears that (**gulp**) Ken Cuccinelli is picking and choosing winners! I know, a libertarian/conservative leaning politician who’s a hypocrite, big shocker!

Given the potential of carrying this scandal further into the gubernatorial campaign ‘season’, it’s not surprising that Cuccinelli has chosen not to investigate any possible legal wrongdoings on his part as a result of his close relationship to the legally embattled CEO of Star Scientific, Jonnie Williams Sr., and his $10,000 worth of stock that Virginia’s AG purchased in the company which he then failed to disclose. Oh yeah, and Cuccinelli also ramped up his stock holdings in Star Scientific after the company sued the state of Virginia in 2011. Oops!

Cuccinelli claims he was unaware of the case Star Scientific was bringing against the Commonwealth. But Cuccinelli’s ‘ignorance’ defense is amusing, hypocritical, and totally absurd.

His ignorance defense is amusing because it is used just as readily by the guilty as the innocent in legal proceedings. “Your honor, I swear I didn’t know”! And how often do you think this line of defense wins over a judge?

His defense is hypocritical because as a knight of the libertarian cause, it is personal responsibility and individual choice which define this political philosophy above all other ideas. And by this measure, the measure of orthodoxy to THE fundamental principle of libertarian thought, Cuccinelli’s ignorance defense undercuts the very ideology which he so publicly and ardently beats others with (e.g., Michael Mann, who Cuccinelli alleged to have misused the public’s tax dollars).  

So whether or not Cuccinelli broke Virginia law, he has broken the fundamental dogma of the ideology he has so energetically attempted to wrap into his own personal political brand: individual responsibility. Isn’t it the responsibility of the attorney general to ensure that the company he/she is investing in isn’t in a legal battle with his/her state?!

Big litmus test failure for purity, Cuccinelli. Now we’ll wait and see how long it is before the Tea Partiers devour their former prince if his fall from grace continues.