Shuttleworth Withdraws Lawsuit Over Ballot Snafu

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by ARLnow.com April 27, 2012 at 11:00 am 4,025 64 Comments

Arlington resident Bruce Shuttleworth, who is challenging incumbent Rep. Jim Moran for the Eighth District Democratic congressional nomination, has withdrawn a lawsuit he filed after initially being told he did not qualify for the ballot.

Shuttleworth was eventually allowed on the June 12 primary ballot, but only after he filed the lawsuit. That led him to accuse local Democratic officials of “corruption.” (A charge the state Democratic party vehemently disputed.)

In withdrawing the lawsuit, Shuttleworth says he still “intends to hold the party fully accountable for its practices regarding ballot access.”

The campaign issued the following statement last night.

Democratic Congressional Candidate, Bruce Shuttleworth today has voluntarily dismissed his lawsuit against Brian Moran and several Democratic operatives after being certified for the Virginia District 8 Democratic primary ballot.

Bruce Shuttleworth stated, “the convenient turnaround when faced with a Federal lawsuit does not provide answers to how petitions in a Congressional race in America can simply go missing. We were forced to file suit when the Virginia Democratic Party proved unresponsive, at great personal expense. It is disappointing that I was required to invest so much time and money to fight for our inalienable right for an honest democratic process.”

Candidate Shuttleworth has reached out repeatedly to the party and to Jim Moran to attempt to remove the pall over the party’s ballot access process without the need for court review, but was rebuffed. In the interest of ceasing further deployment of resources, which the VA Democratic Party has not yet offered to repay, the case is being voluntarily dismissed. Notwithstanding today’s dismissal, Bruce Shuttleworth intends to hold the party fully accountable for its practices regarding ballot access. His dismissal of this case does not prejudice him from bringing further claims related to the irregularities of the party’s signature review process.

Bruce Shuttleworth is focused on providing ethical and practical solutions for the people of Virginia’s 8th Congressional District. Candidate Shuttleworth understands the power of free markets but is committed to people first and understands the real needs of his community. Lip service and fake compassion while cosying up to big business is not his style. Bruce Shuttleworth believes public service is his duty, not a career option.

This year there is an alternative to Jim Moran, a 22 year incumbent. This year a challenger has squeezed through to the ballot. This year, the people of VA-8 can choose a real progressive by voting for Bruce Shuttleworth on June 12th, not an opportunist who is a Blue Dog one day (DLC–Democratic Leadership Council) and a progressive the next. Bruce Shuttleworth has served his country with passion and integrity. While he is the underdog against the Moran machine, Bruce believes in the power of the grassroots movement.

Mike

Haha, I love that you guys are still using that creepy still frame from his video.
- OldTimer
  
  Thought the same thing. Really skeeves me out. My dog even barks at this photo!
  - awh hells bells
    
    Seriously. He won’t win on his mug alone.
    - sunflower
      
      how ’bout our FL “govnor gollum”?
      - Rand Dome
        
        The only places where a shaved head looks appropriate are prison and the military. Except for Rick Harrison, because he’s a fat little giggly dude.
      - drax
        
        Or…
        
        http://www.governorskeletor.com/
      - sunflower
        
        thanks for the link-I think–how’d I ever miss that one. …..and don’t get me started about how he feels about teachers and education
  - JMB
    
    And the eyes seem to follow me no matter where I sit at my desk.
    - nom de guerre
      
      You might wan’t to consider consulting with a professional.
- Stroker Ace
  
  Maybe he’s trying to see a Magic Eye that’s right behind the photographer. When’s it his turn to see the damned sail boat?
- DW
  
  That is one intense looking picture.
arl resident

yes, a “real progressive” who last week was pleading for votes from Republicans in Falls Church, http://bluevirginia.us/diary/6518/video-bruce-shuttleworth-urges-republicans-to-cross-over-and-vote-in-democratic-primary
- Rob Geeeee
  
  That’s how politics work, rube.
  - arl resident
    
    Name calling, that’s clever. If only I was as sophisticated as you.
    
    I never questioned his right to seek out Republican votes or the political wisdom in it. Just don’t expect actual progressive voters are stupid enough to think someone who doesn’t mind having Republicans alter the outcome of a Democratic primary is a “real progressive.”
    - FC resident
      
      Obama successfully courted quite a few Republican voters in ’08…I didn’t hear much outcry from the progressives then.
      
      As a conservative Falls Church resident, I know full well that a Republican isn’t going to win VA-8 anytime soon. But I’d much rather have Shuttleworth in office than Jim Moran (not necessarily because Shuttleworth is more conservative, but Jim Moran is anti-Semitic and an admitted anti-capitalist).
      - drax
        
        Um, when did Moran say he was anti-capitalist?
Arlington voter

The 8th District Committee owes voters an explanation about what happened with the Shuttleworth ballots and how these missing ballots were found right after the lawsuit. The committee should be about electing Democrats and encouraging Democrats to run, not about protecting Moran’s seat.
- novasteve
  
  I wonder if Moran were to lose, who he would blame it on?
  - Rob Geeeee
    
    Passage of the Violence Against Women Act. He won’t be able to “send his wife to the moon” anymore to vent his frustration…
- John Fontain
  
  Look to receive that answer at the same time Melissa Bondi explains her lien for unpaid taxes.
  - Arlington voter
    
    +1
- drax
  
  I don’t believe that this was intentional, simply because it’s too dumb. Nobody would believe they could get away with such an obvious ploy. Incompetent, perhaps, but not corrupt.
  - Arlington voter
    
    I think its unlikely its corrupt too. But, with such an appearance of a conflict of interest, I think there needs to be an explanation and procedures going forward to prevent a recurrence.
    - drax
      
      Agreed. The real scandal was exposing how the ballots are handled even when they don’t screw it up.
  - Elmer
    
    Corrupt is voting yourself a pay raise, particularly when its your first meeting and then raising taxes to pay for it.
    Incompetent are the voters who support that.
    - drax
      
      “Corrupt is voting yourself a pay raise”
      
      Really? They should never ever get a pay raise? They should be paid $400 a year or whatever they got in 1920?
    - Josh S
      
      Er, no, that’s not corruption – for many reasons, including what drax said. But also because she didn’t do it unilaterally. And how does moving from $45K to $46K, or whatever, qualify as corrupt?
      - Elmer
        
        So show me where I said they should “never get a pay raise” or “be paid $400 a year or whatever they got in 1920?”
        Citation please?
        And its OK since if she did’nt do it unilaterally?
        Better view the video of the April 21 meeting. The newly installed “fresh voice” on the board must have had laryngitis that day.
      - arl resident
        
        well, you never said they shouldn’t get a pay raise. but you did say “corrupt is voting yourself a pay raise.” And if the only way for them to get a pay raise is to vote for it, then you’ve set up a situation where they either never get a pay raise or they are corrupt for doing so. So the only way they could be paid more than “they got in 1920” is to be corrupt. I think that was drax’s point.
      - Elmer
        
        Drax and Arl Resident, I’ve heard of taking sentences out of context but not taking portions of sentences out of context.
        I’ll highlight what you’re missing in my comment:
        “Corrupt is voting yourself a pay raise, particularly when its your first meeting AND then raising taxes to pay for it.”
        Its the combination of raising your own pay and then raising taxes to pay for it.
        Get it?
        That is not the situation that you posit in claiming I said they “…either never get a pay raise or they would be corrupt in doing so.”
      - drax
        
        Thank you for getting my point and explaining it without my exasperation, since I thought it was pretty obvious.
      - drax
        
        No, that’s not corrupt either. You should look up the definition of corrupt.
      - drax
        
        Dude, please. Get the point. It’s not about how much they made in 1920, it’s the fact that it has gone up, and should go up, due to inflation and increased responsibility of the job.
        
        Do you think they should get pay raises, ever, or not? If you don’t, you are irrational. If you do, time to stop whining about it.
      - Elmer
        
        How obtuse. I never mentioned 1920. You brought up 1920. Its about raising taxes on us AND giving yourself a pay raise simultaneously. That means at the same time-at the same meeting-performing the same action-no matter year or century it is.
      - Elmer
        
        Final try: Lets start with the undisputed fact that the county board raised our taxes (the tax rate) their April 21st meeting. Also, at that same meeting, they raised their own pay. Agreed?
        You apparently have no problem with that, right?
        I do because the board’s action is requiring their constituents (the taxpayers) to pay an increase in tax, a portion of which will be used to give themselves (the board members) a pay raise. In my humble opinion, it is not proper to vote an extra burden of tax on your constituents AND vote to give yourself a pay raise. Whatever happened to the call for “shared sacrifice”? Where is the sharing when the board gives itself a pay raise AND gives us the sacrifice by raising our taxes?
      - drax
        
        Ah, finally you come out with a coherent point, Elmer.
        
        The board’s raise amounts to a few thousand dollars. It’s chump change in the total budget. It’s symbolic only.
  - Rob Geeeee
    
    Oh right…one minute almost 800 signatures go missing and within ONE hour of a lawsuit being filed, TA DA! Found ’em.
    - drax
      
      Sometimes things are too good to be true.
Swag

Why’s there a picture of the guy looking at me like I owe him something?
- Rand Dome
  
  I wonder if he owns skull-and-crossebones suspenders.
ArlngtonWay

Where’s Annie and Sandy?
KalashniKEV

Why is he even competing for the nomination of a corrupt party?
- drax
  
  Ask Mitt.
  - Rob Geeeee
    
    LOL?
    - drax
      
      Nah.
drax

Mr. Bigglesworth is happy.
Garden City

The intensity of his gaze is burning holes in my monitor.
- sunflower
  
  bruce doesn’t do “serious” very well
Ted

He has my vote. Corrupt Democratic Regime? You bet.
- sunflower
  
  you betcha?
BlueLoom

I don’t love the guy, but I’ll vote for him. Twenty-two years is too long for someone to serve in Congress. You become beholden to too many sleazy organizations. Time to reset the clock in VA-8, even if Shuttleworth isn’t the perfect candidate.
- sunflower
  
  I repeat: an old Irish proverb, the devil you know is better than one you don’t know
  - John Fontain
    
    What a self-defeatist attitude to have.
    - arl resident
      
      maybe, but also an attitude that’s kept people from making really stupid, uninformed decisions
- drax
  
  How does serving a long time cause you to be beholden?
  - dk
    
    I agree. I think the opposite is just as likely to be true–short-timers are quite likely to feel that they owe much to the folks who got them there (financially as opposed to at the ballot box). Especially in the House where they start thinking about the next campaign the minute they get into office.
    
    I truly don’t understand the thinking that term limits in congress will benefit the general public.
    - Elmer
      
      So we need more career politicians?
      Just asking.
      - drax
        
        Sometimes career politicians are really really good at what they do.
        
        Sometimes they suck.
        
        The voters get to decide, every two years, whether someone is working out or not.
    - arl resident
      
      exactly, and when they know they are going to be out in 6 or 8 years (or whatever limit you put on them) and looking for a job, that will make them even more likely to favor the interests of their possible future employers/clients. term limits will only create more members beholden to moneyed interests, not less.
Norm

Hey, nice mug shot. Where’s your Robert Cummings photo of Jim Moran? Oh, Arl Now is saving that for the Fall campaign.
KalashniKEV

I like that he’s a Veteran and that he’s willing to call out these local Democrat politicians on their corruption, but once you get past the election fraud suit, you’ll find that this guy is in favor of Nationalized medicine, social leveling and the redistribution of wealth, and thinks big, intrusive government is your friend.

If I have to have a Democrat congressperson, I’d rather have an incompetent one like Moran.
drax

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OSbH7zkbWts/T1nsN4yhhBI/AAAAAAAAA_c/eJJVnpSARg4/s1600/exposestraw.jpg
Dennis

Same old Arl Now, support all incumbents, trash their challengers.
- drax
  
  You must be new to ArlNow. A healthy portion of commenters consistently bash many incumbents regularly.

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