Linked to Indicted Lobbyist

While they count and recount the votes in the Virginia Attorney General race, there are some emerging details about Republican Bob McDonnell -- the leader at this writing by a scant 345 votes -- that may be making Team Elephant uncomfortable. Below is a Post story that offers some background.

The Washington Post reports:

"Two key campaign consultants for Virginia attorney general candidate Robert F. McDonnell established a nonprofit group five years ago that its director now says was used almost exclusively to secretly fund political efforts -- including one organized by indicted Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. McDonnell, a lawyer and state delegate from Virginia Beach, provided legal advice and his law firm did work for the nonprofit group, according to its former executive director, Robin Vanderwall. Vanderwall said he does not know whether McDonnell knew of the group's activities but said everything he did was at the direction of McDonnell's current political strategists.

"Vanderwall also has ties to McDonnell: He ran the Republican's 1999 campaign for the General Assembly. Vanderwall is now serving a seven-year prison term after he was convicted of soliciting sex from a minor on the Internet..."

There's more. Click on the link above.