Cuccinelli conservatives lament big government while taking federal ‘handouts’ at every turn

The funny thing about Cuccinelli-conservatives is that while they talk about states’ rights and federal government overreach, they are more than willing to take federal ‘handouts’ when they’re available and popular with their respective constituency. And so it is with Cuccinelli and federal funding, or in this case, a national Medicaid fraud settlement that has Virginia on the receiving end of $105 million.

On Wednesday, the Virginia attorney general’s (AG) office once again requested that the Department of the Treasury release Virginia’s portion of the Medicaid fraud settlement WITHOUT the details on how Virginia intends on spending the money. That is, Cuccinelli’s office is playing the conservative macho game: “I’ll take your federal money, but not on your terms!” What a tough guy!

In a written statement released on Wednesday, the Treasury Department said that "procedures need to be followed in order to ensure the proper allocation of funds," and that the guidelines that the department has set are those applied in all asset forfeiture cases. But wouldn’t you know it, the attorney general’s office doesn’t quite see the issue this way.

Also in a letter released Wednesday, John F. Childrey, a deputy Virginia attorney general, let the Treasury Department know that its demand for greater details of how the $105 million will be spent by the AG’s office is inconsistent with its own past practice and guidelines. And my fellow Virginians, it has to be one or the other.

According to Childrey, the Treasury Department allows this form of money to be transferred to law enforcement agencies without prior approval; special authorization is only necessary when the attorney general proposes allocating the money to areas outside of law enforcement.

Amid this new squabble between Cuccinelli’s office and the federal government, let’s not forget the real people who stand to suffer the most as a result: the people of Virginia. If the Treasury Department is arbitrarily redrawing the guidelines for dispersing settlement money, it needs to relent. If the AG’s office is required to submit an outline of how the money will be spent, it must do so. Put a stop to the political games and fighting.  

For Cuccinelli, stop acting like you don’t take ‘government handouts’ because you do more often than not. Here is another case and point.