Eugene Delgaudio - Investigation Into Fundraising Impropriety

Investigation Into Fundraising Impropriety

in September 2012, The Washington Post reported that a former aide to Delgaudio, Donna Mateer, accused him of instructing her to fundraise for Public Advocate while on company time. When asked about the allegations, Delgaudio said that while it was true that his employees were asked to spend up to 60 percent of their time on fundraising, the fundraising activities were to benefit a local boys' football league. The article also reported that Mateer filed a Human Resources complaint with the county based on what she perceived to be unethical requests from the Supervisor. When asked about the complaint, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York refused to take action on her complaint, stating that the county policy does not apply to part-time aides. The Post also reported that three other former aides of Delgaudio have been questioned by the FBI in relation to Delgaudio's fundraising practices, which the FBI would neither confirm nor deny.

On October 3, 2012, the Board of Supervisors voted to begin an independent investigation of the allegations made against Delgaudio in the Post article. Delgaudio spoke before the board prior to the vote, saying, "The suicide bombers of the political left pull their own rings on their detonation devices as they advance on me, and Sterling, and all honest-to-God conservatives... I stand as a small David against the foul-smelling, decaying corpse of the Washington Post."

On November 8, 2012, at the request of Loudoun Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Plowman, a special prosecutor was appointed by the Loudoun County Circuit Court to investigate Mateer's complaint. As a result of the appointment of the special prosecutor, the Board's investigation into Mateer's charges was suspended. Leesburg Today reported that Mateer had initially given to Scott York a large quantity of supporting documents, but York failed to deliver these documents to Plowman. The documents were not given to Plowman until after the Board had voted to begin their investigation, but it is unknown if these documents prompted Plowman's request for the special prosecutor.