A lobbying firm representing clients with potential business before the state made a large donation to Democrat Terry McAuliffe’s campaign less than two weeks before holding a fundraiser for his him in May.
The Virginia lobbying firm Eckert Seamans and their clients donated at least $20,000 to McAuliffe’s campaign in a two-week period last month, according to McAuliffe’s most recent campaign finance report, released on Monday night.
Eckert lobbyist May Fox hosted McAuliffe at her Richmond, Va., home on May 28 for a fundraiser.
McAuliffe has positioned himself as a campaign finance reformer, pledging to restrict gifts that the governor’s office can accept and reform the law the office interacts with lobbyists representing clients with business before the state.
State Republicans seized on the apparent disconnect between McAuliffe’s actions and his rhetoric.
"It's another example of McAuliffe saying one thing and doing another," said Virginia Republican Party spokesman Jahan Wilcox in an emailed news release.
Eckert represents multiple organizations whose agendas may be advanced under a McAuliffe governorship, as the Washington Free Beacon reported on Monday.
Fox also lobbies on behalf of the Virginia Assisted Living Association, which reported donating $2,500 to McAuliffe’s campaign on the same day as the Eckert fundraiser.
Beverage and spirit company Diageo North America, another Eckert client, chipped in another $2,500 the week before.
Diageo is one of many liquor companies that could benefit from efforts to privatize Virginia’s state-owned liquor stores. Gov. Bob McDonnell’s effort to do so did not pass out of the legislature.
The McAuliffe campaign, Fox, the Assisted Living Association, and Diageo did not return requests for comment by press time.