Comments (2)

By Marc, September 19, 2011 4:37 pm

Left: Eric Olsen (R-Stafford), Right: Urs Kirchhofer

I’m bewildered by how someone who is running to be Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney continues to thumb his nose at the law?

Three weeks ago, I discovered what appeared to be an illegal campaign donation to Eric “Law & Order” Olsen (R-Stafford) from a foreign national – this on the heels of “Law & Order-gate.”

According to sources close to his campaign, he claimed that he did not know that he wasn’t allowed to accept donations from foreign nationals. Are you kidding me!

This isn’t Olsen’s first run for office – after all he ran for the same office in the city of Fredericksburg in 2008 (and lost). I guess if things don’t work out in Stafford, there’s always Spotsylvania County…

The Virginia State Board of Elections has now confirmed that the contribution “was in fact from a foreign national.” They also indicated that they’ve “been told that this contribution has been returned to the donor.”

So will retiring Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Daniel Chichester launch an investigation of his handpicked successor? I’d say the odds aren’t great. If this was anyone else, I have to believe that Olsen and Chichester would be pursing him or her with great vigor.

I won’t be holding my breath.

Thank goodness voters have a choice on November 8th. We need a candidate who is as concerned with following the law as he is in enforcing it. Tim Barbrow (I-Stafford) is just that person.

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By Marc, August 30, 2011 3:40 pm

As many of my regular readers know, the issue that I’m most passionate about, locally, is strengthening our public education system – something the Republican-led Stafford County Board of Supervisors could care less about. Last year I wrote about how education was clearly not a priority for Stafford County Republicans, evident by the fact that they were spending $60 per day on inmates vs. $21 per day ($3 per hour) on each student.

Furthermore, the board also adopted an economic development plan, which made absolutely no mention of our public education system. They simply do not view a high-quality education system as an economic incentive, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

Enter Supervisor Cord Sterling (R-Rock Hill). In an unforgettable moment last year, he stood on the courthouse steps and launched a blistering attack on our school board – calling for them to be fired. Not what I would have done to establish a good working relationship with them.

With Cord’s seat up for re-election this year, voters can finally FIRE HIM!

Stafford Democrats came up empty in recruiting a candidate for this seat, but luckily voters have not. Dr. Dean Fetterolf (I-Rock Hill) believes Stafford is “Better off with Fetterolf” and SO DO I!

Pictured: Dr. Dean Fetterolf (I-Rock Hill)

For the last few years, Dean has chaired the School Board’s Finance and Budget Advisory Committee. There is not a single person more passionate and knowledgeable than Dean on what goes into building and, most importantly, maintaining a top-notch school system. He also understands that a quality school system can be used as a powerful economic incentive for attracting new businesses and families, which has a direct impact on our property values.

He rightfully notes that the amount of funds transferred to schools, as a percentage of total county spending, has fallen more than 16% since 2006. How does this compare to our neighbors? Despite a recession, our neighbors have increased their funding above their existing required local effort by an average of 20%. Stafford has CUT it by 30%. 30%!

Dean has put forth a 21st Century Globally Competitive funding goal plan for Stafford Schools:

• Reduce the 5th highest K-7 student teacher ratio in VA

• Improve Stafford’s 108 out of 132 ranking in per pupil expenditure
• Provide Competitive salaries for teachers and staff
• Help replace the 1000 computers that are 5-7 years old

• Help replace 88 old school buses

• Help fund $11M in future textbook purchases

• Replace Stafford High School

• Provide planning funds for a new CTE Facility
• Remodel or Replace 5 aging Southern Elementary Schools

It’s time to cut the CORD and vote Fetterolf for Rock Hill Supervisor on November 8th!

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By Marc, August 30, 2011 10:12 am

For someone running for Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney, you would think that Eric “Law & Order” Olsen (R-Stafford) would take care to ensure that he, himself, followed the law, right? On the heels of “Law & Order-gate,” it appears that Olsen may have accepted an illegal campaign donation from a foreign national.

Per his most recent campaign finance disclosure report (04/01/2011 – 06/30/2011), one of his top campaign contributors is a business owner from Switzerland named Urs Kirchofer:

It is illegal to accept money from foreign nationals.

I did a quick google search and was able to locate an Urs Kirchhofer (an extra “h” in last name) in Luzern (French: Lucerne), Switzerland. You can check out his xing profile here.

Left: Eric Olsen (R-Stafford), Right: Urs Kirchhofer

All signs seem to confirm that this individual is a non-U.S. citizen and doesn’t have permanent U.S. residency status (posses a “green card”).

Olsen needs to return this money immediately and explain his relationship to this individual!

Better yet, just vote for Timothy Barbrow (I-Stafford) on November 8.

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By Marc, August 25, 2011 9:01 pm

Perhaps the biggest story to come out of Eric “Law & Order” Olsen’s primary victory is the amount of Republicans and Independents that I know, believe it or not I do know a few, who have indicated to me that they would never vote for him in a general election. The only problem WAS that Olsen had no opponent. Well, that was until an Independent candidate, by the name of Tim Barbrow, filed to run in the nick of time.

Per the FLS:

[Olsen] will face Stafford attorney Tim Barbrow in the Nov. 8 general election.

Barbrow filed the necessary paperwork before the deadline, said Greg Riddlemoser, Stafford’s registrar. He said the necessary 125 registered voter signatures still have to be confirmed, and he figures that process will be done by Friday.

From what I can tell, Tim is held in very high regard by the legal community and offers Democrats, Republicans and Independents an excellent alternative to Olsen. I suspect this is going to be a race to watch over the next several months.

In other encouraging news, Sheriff Jett has a challenger too – a credible one to boot.  Chuck Feldbush has filed to run against Jett. Chuck is a long time Stafford County resident and a retired Prince William County police detective.

If I were Chuck I’d start out by asking Jett why he needed to purchase one of the most expensive radio communications systems in the entire nation, when other cheaper, more capable alternatives were never considered. I’m just saying…

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By Marc, August 22, 2011 12:42 pm

Republicans in Stafford County will head to the polls tomorrow to nominate a candidate for Commonwealth’s Attorney. The former chairman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, George Schwartz, recently weighed in on the race and strongly endorsed Eric Olsen.

In an August 18 letter to the editor, in the Free-Lance Star, Schwartz had the following to say:

I am writing to express my support for Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Olsen.

The Aug. 23 Republican primary for commonwealth’s attorney presents all Stafford voters with an opportunity to vote for a man of demonstrated integrity and one who will not bring personal bias to this extremely important criminal justice position.

I urge all voters to move Eric Olsen to the Nov. 8 general election.

I’ve long known Schwartz and the fact that he has endorsed Olsen puts some serious doubts in my mind about Olsen. For those that need a refresher course on Schwartz, please click here.

Being on the receiving end of Schwartz’s poor temperament, me first attitude and his unmistakable yearning for power, I’d have some serious doubts about anyone he chooses for any office.

Unfortunately, Democrats have failed to recruit any candidates for this office in Stafford, so the winner of this race will likely become the next Commonwealth‘s Attorney.

Oy vey!

Comments (1)

By Marc, August 22, 2011 12:32 pm

In case you missed it, on Saturday, the Free-Lance Star covered “Law & Order-gate.” A spokesman for Universal Media Studio said,

We have contacted the campaign and asked them to stop using the logo.

As of this morning, these sorts of campaign signs remain up  – with one prominently displayed in front of the GOP headquarters in south Stafford (click on photo for a larger view):

Apparently, Olsen and Jett have failed to receive the message; and, the GOP is now an accessory to this “Unlawful & Disorderly” behavior.

If Universal Studios were up in arms over the campaign signs, wait until they see Olsen’s campaign mailer:

Since when did the show and the show’s producers endorse Jett and Olsen? It’s clear that Universal hasn’t authorized the usage of the logo. This mailer is something I’d expect from a legal novice, not someone running for Commonwealth Attorney.

I love the line “…Law & Order is Eric Olsen’s record.” It would appear that this couldn’t be furthest from the truth.

Comments (2)

By Marc, August 18, 2011 7:54 pm

On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, there will be a primary election for constitutional office candidates in Stafford County, Virginia.

Despite what the two candidates running for the Republican nomination-incumbent Sheriff Charles E. Jett and Commonwealth’s Attorney Candidate Eric Olsen-would have you believe they apparently aren’t concerned about breaking the law, even though they are the “Law & Order” candidates. Gasp.

Their campaign slogan should read more like “Unlawful & Disorderly”.

Apparently, Jett and Olsen are fine with infringing on a well-known trademark. Anyone ever watch the show “Law & Order?” They have been erecting signs throughout the county with this trademark. The picture below displays one that is posted at the Stafford County Government Center (1300 Courthouse Road, Stafford, VA 22554):

The sign even employs the same typefaces and logo treatments as the original “Law & Order” logo:

Jett and Olsen are clearly infringing on the trademark in that they are giving the impression that the show and the show’s producer are involved or has authorized use, which I’m assuming they haven’t. This is false association and trademark misappropriation.

It seems that Jett and Olsen could use a refresher course on intellectual property law.