Social Issues Topped Questions at Town Hall Meeting

Members of Cornerstone Chapel, a young and growing Christian congregation that meets in an industrial building next to Leesburg Executive Airport, didn't shy away Sunday from asking questions about religion and social issues to several candidates seeking elected office.

Pastor Gary Hamrick said he arranged the public event after seven requests from candidates who wanted "face time" with his congregation.

"I feel the church has been too silent for too long on political and social issues," he said.

At the outset, Hamrick warned the nine candidates to expect hard questions. If they didn't come from the public, Hamrick said, he would ask them himself. People asked questions about right to life, gay marriage and the proposed federal health care program known colloquially as "Obama care." Less than 100 people attended the event.

The three candidates for sheriff took most of the scrutiny. Hamrick said integrity is important for those seeking elected office. He asked sheriff's candidate Ron Speakman, an independent, if it is true that he sent a lewd photo to a woman he met in a bar.

"Yes, the story is true," Speakman said. "Yes, I do have the integrity (to serve as sheriff). It [the photo] should not have been sent. I apologize," he said.

Speakman said one of the other sheriff's candidates, Mike Chapman, a Republican, has noted in his campaign materials that he was an assistant attache to Thailand for the Drug Enforcement Administration. But Speakman said he doesn't think Chapman was ever involved in active enforcement with the DEA.

"He spent 16 years in public affairs," for the DEA, Speakman said.

"I did direct enforcement activities in California and Thailand," Chapman responded. 

Another questioner asked incumbent Sheriff Steve Simpson about his involvement in a business that promotes and markets an energy drink, Nine Iron.

"I am an investor" in the business, Simpson said. "It has become controversial because of one partner who we sued to take out of authority. I am planning for the future. That is usually looked on as a good thing. I guess it is because it is an election year that it has become controversial."

Dave Butler, a Democrat who is challenging Randy Minchew, the Republican nominee to represent the new 10th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, balked at a question about whether federal funds could pay for abortions under the proposed national health care system. 

"It's irrelevant what my opinion is," Butler said. "The Supreme Court will eventually decide, and then we will know. I do care about people with pre-existing conditions and those who cannot get health care," he said. "Emergency rooms are the most costly form of health care that we have." 

Minchew said federal funding of abortions is unconstitutional.

"The Commonwealth of Virginia says you have the right to freedom from unwanted federal intrusion," he said, adding that "The Commonwealth will have to spend millions to set up a health care exchange" under the pending national health care act. 

Dick Black, a Republican running for the new 13th District seat in the Virginia Senate, said "I get nervous when a bill goes 2,200 pages and someone says 'pass it and then we'll figure out what's in it.' It's time for the states to begin pushing back against the federal government." He paused for the ensuing applause, then continued that "It's time to stop simply accepting everything the federal government tells us to do." Black is a former state delegate who was upset in the 2005 election by David Poisson.

When one questioner asked state office candidates for a one-word response about whether they support the right to life, Butler refused. "I object to the question," he said. "It will be easy to say 'I am pro-life' and get a big cheer."

"I would love to completely eliminate abortion," Butler said, but the topic is "too complicated for a one-word sound bite" and needs to be solved "from the demand side" because "legal restrictions will not work." 

Minchew had a five-word response: "I am pro-life. Period."

Black was quick to point out that his opponent, Shawn Mitchell, a Democrat, was not present to comment. "I am pro-life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death," he said. "Abortion must end, and that's my position." Black might be best-known for his antics in 2003 when the General Assembly was considering abortion legislation, and he sent state senators a small plastic fetus with a note asking them, "Would you kill this child?"

Questioners did not shy from the topic of religion, and neither did some candidates. Butler identified the name of his Episcopal church and Ken Reid, a candidate for the Loudoun Board of Supervisors' Leesburg District, thanked Hamrick for the menorah placed on a table in front of the stage where the candidates were seated; "I am Jewish," Reid said.

"I am a Christian. I participated as early as I can remember" in faith-based studies, said Speakman; Chapman said "faith in God is essential to moral fiber."

Among those mingling in a reception area after the meeting were Leesburg Mayor Kristen Umstattd; Catoctin District Candidate for the Board of Supervisors Geary Higgins (R); Commonwealth's attorney candidates Jennifer Wexton (D) and Jim Plowman (R), and at-large School Board candidate Tom Reed, who is running for re-election.

According to Hamrick, Democrats Mitchell and incumbent Mark Herring, running for the 33rd Senate District, declined invitations to attend. Herring's opponent, Patricia Phillips (R), did attend, however.