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Rothfeld accepts plea deal

Stafford political consultant agrees to pay civil fine for violating state's campaign finance law.

By CHELYEN DAVIS

Date published: 6/23/2004

By CHELYEN DAVIS

STAFFORD--Criminal charges against former state Senate candidate Mike Rothfeld were dropped yesterday in Stafford Circuit Court.

In exchange, Rothfeld pleaded guilty to a civil charge and will pay a $900 fine.

The Stafford resident said that while he agreed that he had technically violated the state law, it was not willful.

"We were clearly wrong, and on the advice of counsel, I agreed to [the plea]," he said in an interview after the court heard his case.

Rothfeld had been charged with three campaign violations because several mailers sent by his campaign in spring 2003 did not include the required disclaimer that they were paid for by Rothfeld's campaign.

However, the mailers in question did include a disclaimer saying they were authorized by Rothfeld's campaign. Also, some were on Rothfeld's letterhead and contained his signature.

His attorney, Gary C. Byler, said that proves there was no intent to mislead the public.

Rothfeld, who unsuccessfully challenged Senate President Pro Tempore John Chichester, R-Stafford, in last year's primary, had been charged with the criminal violations in April.

The charges were brought in Stafford County, where Chichester's brother is the commonwealth's attorney. Dan Chichester withdrew from the case, and a judge appointed King George Commonwealth's Attorney Matt Britton as a special prosecutor.

Rothfeld and his supporters say it's unusual to bring criminal charges against a candidate for a relatively minor violation. That, coupled with the family ties between the Chichesters, leads them to believe he is a victim of political intimidation.

After entering his plea yesterday, Rothfeld said he agreed to it "despite what I think are the troublesome political aspects of prosecution of candidates who challenge powerful incumbents."

Rothfeld noted that the charges against him were leaked to the press--a reporter from the Richmond Times Dispatch called him while the state troopers serving him were still at his house.

If information was leaked, Britton said it did not come from him.

"I have absolutely no idea whether any information was leaked, and if so, who did it," he said. "And it has no bearing on whether this man violated the law repeatedly."

Last year, Rothfeld was one of three conservative Republicans challenging more moderate senators. In one of the other races, Sen. Russ Potts of Winchester was challenged by Mark Tate.

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Date published: 6/23/2004