Virginia Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe’s first cabinet appointment was his deputy campaign manager and a former GreenTech Automotive executive Levar Stoney.
McAuliffe announced Monday that Stoney will be secretary of the commonwealth.
Before joining McAuliffe’s campaign, Stoney served as director of public and government affairs for GreenTech, McAuliffe’s scandal-tainted electric car company, for nearly three years.
GreenTech is currently under multiple federal investigations regarding its improper use of a foreign investor visa program. The company has also failed to meet multiple job promises and production estimates.
The Free Beacon reported in March that Stoney admitted to having a part in covering up mass property destruction committed by Democratic operatives in Wisconsin on Election Day in 2004.
Stoney lied to Milwaukee County interrogators to protect operatives that slashed the tires of 25 Wisconsin Republican Party vans on Election Day. Stoney was a get-out-the-vote organizer for the Democratic National Committee in that election.
Four operatives eventually were charged with criminal damage to property, receiving fines and short jail terms of less than six months in prison.
Stoney held a wide range of political jobs in Virginia before finding McAuliffe: He worked for the Democratic Party of Virginia from 2006 to 2009 and eventually rose to executive director of the group. He then served as political director for Creigh Deeds’ 2009 campaign for Virginia governor.
The secretary of the commonwealth position will be Stoney’s first experience in a government post, or a related field, according to Watchdog.org.
The cabinet-level position pays $155,849 annually and includes duties of "managing extraditions, clemency petitions, service of process, restoration of voting rights, pardons, authenticating foreign adoption documents, certifying notary publics and handling lobbyist registration, disclosures and conflict-of-interest filings."