I was pleased to see the Cornwell factor addressed on SLANTblog. Vivian Paige commented that she doesn't remember the ads. Neither do I - just the talk.
But where there's smoke, there's more smoke and lots of it. About a month before the election a psychiatrist down in Roanoke, William Gray, had had his medical license revoked because of sexual abuse of his patients, young men. Most of his victims were disadvantaged and mentally ill. The state medical board had concluded that Gray had violated professional standards with patients, and they also determined that he had committed criminal sexual battery and sodomy.
15 years before the incidents in Franklin and Roanoke counties, Gray had been charged with child molestation in California, and agreed to stop practicing medicine there for three years. [1] So he moved to Virginia and assaulted boys here. I can't verify it, but I read one account that he had left the country.
What was Gray's defense? It was Mary Sue Terry's fault. With no supporting material whatsoever, Gray claimed that Mary Sue Terry was working through the state medical board to exact her revenge because in the past he had advised her to break off a relationship with someone who, conveniently, had committed suicide.
Mary Sue Terry had an impressive career as a delegate and Attorney General. Now she was being attacked by a deranged child molester. But. That wasn't the story. Voters were asked if they would vote for a lesbian. It became a story of public office and sexual orientation.
That's what people were talking, or whispering, about in Richmond at the time. And that is why Mary Sue Terry did not become our Governor. I never heard anyone talking about endorsements or ads. Just that story. When George Allen was asked about it, he had no comment.
Back to Cornwell. There seems to be no end to the drama. Northern Virginians may remember these incidents:
In June 1996 [Cornwell's] name came up in the wake of a bizarre real-life drama. A then 41 year old ex-FBI agent Eugene Bennett had repeatedly claimed that his ex-wife was a lesbian and that she had an affair with Patricia Cornwell in 1992 when the now 42 year old Marguerite Bennett worked as an instructor and hostage negotiator at FBI's Quantico facilities. Eugene Bennett did some rather bizarre things ending on June 23, 1996, when he took his wifes minister hostage and planted pipe bombs at the Northern Virginia Community College where Marguerite Bennett worked as a police lieutenant. For this he was found guilty of attempted murder (and several other accounts) by a jury on February 11, 1997, (despite an insanity claim) and recommended for 61 years in prison. On May 15 1997 he was sentenced to 23 years in prison..
Cornwell has since come out, but I am almost certain that she denied the affair publicly at the time and overplayed the victim role. I don't know Patricia - or Patsy as they always said in Richmond - personally.
[1] 9 October 1993, Roanoke Times & World News, Editorial: What Politicians Must Endure.
Paul is a radical when it comes to women's role in society. He and I had a major falling out when I failed to agree that the blame of Tailhook rested with the women victims who he considered to be promiscuous and brought it all on themselves. That was the end of our friendship and I was relegated to the "Jane Fonda" category and left not long afterwards primarily because of all that.
His service is certainly beyond commendable, he is extremely charismatic at first meeting; however, his politics are extreme and his temper was scary to witness.
I really don't feel comfortable sharing but so much of this. It is old workplace experiences or gossip, some of which is hearsay. It was a small organization and most likely other women who worked there at the time are either unwilling or have agreed not to speak up. But several months AFTER I left that job, I was contacted by a consultant retained by the exec board of MSV. The questions and discussion centered on Galanti and his behavior.
I had also found a quote from you on DK in Feb. 2005 about Paul Galanti. I didn't use it.
Want to give me a call tonight? Please?
Shortly after leaving I decided to cash out my retirement. The person doing the accounting encouraged me to roll it over to my new place of employment and wanted to know where I was working. I kept insisting that where I was working was not any of her (their) business, and I wanted to cash it out regardless of the penalty, etc. etc. After phone discussions spanning the course of at least several days, the person doing the accounting said if I wanted the check, I had to meet her in the parking lot of Safeway on Cary Street and she would give it to me. I asked her to send it registered mail, or meet at a more reasonable place than a parking lot. The point was not negotiable, I needed the money, so I met her in the parking lot. I asked her if this was Galanti's idea and she said that she could not answer that question. She was really in an awkward position and quite uncomfortable with the whole thing. And she worshipped "PG."
And. She didn't give me the check until I told her where I was working. Which was nowhere. I wasn't working and I "swore to God" that I wasn't working. And finally I got my check. Which did not bounce by the way.
This experience was absolutely intrusive, infuriating and still makes no sense to me....
I also remember being disappointed that MST just let that stuff slide and didn't strike back. She was so qualified to be governor.
Good to see you!! I also saw you on Waldo.
Someday I will comment on your blog. I was elected to the 5th District Committee on Tuesday night, so I am just getting busier and busier.
Hope you are well......