Jeannemarie Devolites Davis

Jeannemarie Aragona Devolites Davis (born February 28, 1956) is an American politician. She served in the Virginia House of Delegates 1998–2004 and the Senate of Virginia 2004–2008.[1] She was a candidate for the 2013 Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia,[2] but was eliminated in the first round of voting at the 2013 Republican convention in Richmond, Virginia. Her husband, Tom Davis, was a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Jeannemarie Devolites Davis
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 34th district
In office
January 14, 2004 – January 9, 2008
Preceded byLeslie Byrne
Succeeded byChap Petersen
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 35th district
In office
January 14, 1998 – January 3, 2004
Preceded byGeorge E. Lovelace
Succeeded bySteve Shannon
Personal details
Born
Jeannemarie Aragona

(1956-02-28) February 28, 1956
Swindon, England
NationalityAmerican
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Tom Davis
ChildrenNichole, Ashley, Cassandra, Alexandra
Alma materUniversity of Virginia
OccupationConsultant

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell appointed Davis director of the Virginia Liaison Office in Washington, D.C. in January 2010.[3] She resigned in September 2012 to pursue an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor.[2]

Personal

Davis was born on a United States Air Force base in Swindon, England, where her father was a civilian employee.[4] The family eventually settled in Arlington, Virginia, where she graduated from Yorktown High School in 1974.[5] In 1978, she received a B.A. degree in mathematics from the University of Virginia.[6]

Davis has married twice. She had four children with her first husband, John Devolites. She married Tom Davis in 2004; it was his second marriage, also.[7]

Donors

A large percentage of her financial support is contributed from her husband, Tom Davis, and the Republican organizations he directs. Before Virginia's 2007 election cycle, his PACS had donated more than $172,000 to her campaign. In addition, she has received contributions from National Republican organizations directed by Mr. Davis including "$300,000 to the Fairfax and Prince William's counties Republican Party committees". Archived from the original on February 7, 2003. Retrieved August 17, 2013.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), who in turn donated money and office space to Mrs. Davis; $55,616 from the National Republican Congressional Committee when her husband was Chair, $5,000 from the Republican Main Street Partnership, and $5,000 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC.

According to the Washington Post:

"In the past five years, technology and telecommunications companies have been the largest contributors to Davis's and his wife's separate campaigns and political action committees. Those companies and their employees have donated more than $1.1 million of the $6.4 million given to the couple's campaigns, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Virginia Public Access Project."[8]

Affiliations

Former Senator Davis works as a technology consultant for ICG government,[9] a position that has raised potential conflicts of interest, described in more detail below. Previously, she worked as a statistical consultant to the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.[10]

She participates in the following organizations: [11] She is on the Board of Directors of Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts, Homeaid, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA); Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Virginia International University; Member and Past President, Tysons Corner Rotary. She is a member of Tysons Vienna Regional Chamber of Commerce, Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, Oakton Women's Club, New Providence Republican Women's Club, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and National Conference of State Legislatures, Board member of Lattice Incorporated.

State House of Delegates

After losing two races for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to Gerry Connolly, Devolites ran for the Virginia House of Delegates. In 1997, with Tom Davis as her mentor and chief donor she won her race for member of the House of Delegates. She was elected to become the House Majority Whip, the first woman to serve in this position, before being elected to the State Senate.

State Senate

She served one term in the State Senate, losing her run for reelection in 2007. Her district was the most Democratic district held by a Republican in Virginia. Her Democratic successor is Democrat and former Delegate Chap Petersen, whose previous House district is enclaved in the 37th Senatorial District. Her top donor continues to be her husband's Political Action Committee (PAC), the Federal Victory Fund, donating almost $25,000. Tom Davis's other PAC, the Va Victory Fund, had also donated over $92,000 in her House races. Mrs. Davis also received another $55,616 from the National Republican Congressional Committee when her husband was the Committee Chair. This RNCC donation is the most donated to any VA candidate not running statewide.

Voting record

On evaluations from Project Vote Smart, on a scale of 100 from 2004 to 2006, examples of the latest rankings for Davis include scores of 67-100 percent from the Virginia Education Association, 50-71 percent from the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, and 78-84 percent from the Chamber of Commerce. She has scores of near zero from the Virginia National Organization for Women and all reporting abortion rights groups, 80% from the Chamber of Commerce, and a 94% from the conservative Family Foundation of Virginia.

Endorsements

In her 2007 election campaign, she listed the following endorsements: [10]

  • Washington Post
  • Fairfax Education Association
  • Virginia Education Association
  • Fairfax Local Firefighters
  • Virginia Professional Firefighters
  • Virginia chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association
  • Northern Virginia Technology Council
  • Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce
  • National Federation of Independent Business
  • Virginia Association of Realtors
  • Virginia Troopers Alliance

Electoral history
DateElectionCandidatePartyVotes%
Virginia House of Delegates, 35th district
Nov 4, 1997[12] General Jeannemarie A. Devolites Republican 11,233 51.30
George E. Lovelace Democratic 10,202 46.59
Marta S. Howard 457 2.09
Write Ins 6 0.03
Incumbent lost; seat switched from Democratic to Republican
Nov 2, 1999[13] General J A Devolites Republican 9,928 60.01
G E Lovelace Democratic 6,599 39.89
Write Ins 17 0.10
Aug 21, 2001[14] Republican Primary J A Devolites 2,064 82.83
A G Purves 428 17.17
Nov 6, 2001[15] General J A Devolites Republican 13,906 59.03
S A Bleicher Democratic 9,630 40,88
Write Ins 20 0.08
Senate of Virginia, 34th district
Jun 10, 2003[16] Republican Primary J A Devolites 5,240 74.89
L J Zone Jr 1,757 25.11
Nov 4, 2003[17] General J A Devolites Republican 22,690 52.75
R F Christian Democratic 20,267 47.12
Write Ins 58 0.13
Leslie Byrne was redistricted out; seat switched from Democratic to Republican
Nov 6, 2007[18] General J. C. "Chap" Petersen Democratic 25,513 55.33
Jeannemarie Devolites Davis Republican 20,490 44.44
Write Ins 102 0.22

Campaign finance references

VPAP:donors to Jeanemarie Devolities Davis

VPAP:VA Donors to Tom Davis Virginia Victory Fund

VPAP:Tom Davis Leadership Committees

Controversies

ICG Government

She was one of the first hires (as a part-time consultant) for ICG, a firm that assists businesses in obtaining and defending performance under government contracts. At the time of her hire, Congressman Davis was her mentor and campaign manager. ICG Founder and President Don Upson is a longtime friend of Davis. After Devolites was hired by ICG, Davis, then divorced, married Devolites.

The financial benefits between Rep. Davis and his wife, from the ICG job as well as other campaign donations to Mrs. Davis, were highlighted in a June 2007 ethics report "Family Affair" by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The report identified ethical questions on financial ties that benefit family members of 64 of the 435 voting members of Congress.

As of 12/24/2008, Davis continues to work for ICG. She reported to the Washington Post that she was paid $78,000 in 2005 for working "10 to 20 hours a week," primarily at home on her cellphone, she said. She made $18,000 a year as a Virginia legislator. Her ICG bio, which continues to describe her as a "Current Virginia State Senator for largest IT district", bio, also is the only one on the ICG website to name a spouse.

Disclosures

During the week of October 22, 2007, the Davis campaign sent out 60,000 campaign flyers accusing Petersen of not disclosing that his former law firm was working on issues that Petersen voted on while in the House of Delegates.[19] The flyer did not mention that Petersen had not been involved in the legal issues for the client. The flyer included a copy of a section of Petersen's Statement of Economic Interest, which he filed while serving in the House. It includes Petersen's home address, telephone number, and the names of his wife and four children. This information was not redacted by the Davis campaign.

Petersen held a press conference on October 26 in front of Davis' headquarters in Fairfax. He said that "words cannot describe the anger I feel" about the flyer, and called it "shocking" that Davis would use his personal information in such a manner. Petersen said that advertising his personal information was not in and of itself a problem, but using his personal phone number and children's identification was not appropriate or safe in an attack ad. Such tactics, Petersen said, endangered his family. Mrs. Petersen complained of receiving two telephone calls related to the attack ad, and police presence appeared at the home, before the family vacated the house. In response, Davis said in her own press conference that because the information was public and included to supporters, it was appropriate for an attack ad. [19] [20] [21][22][23]

Because of the controversy, the Virginia Coalition of Police and Deputy Sheriffs withdrew its initial endorsement of Davis.[21]

Devolites Davis also claimed that Petersen's campaign uploaded a video to YouTube which brought up her daughter's armed robbery conviction of several years ago. However, according to Washington CBS affiliate WUSA, there is no evidence anyone from the Petersen camp uploaded the video.[23]

Notes
  1. Kite, Sarah E. (2004-02-22). "Jeannemarie Devolites: from Scout leader to senator". Capital News Service. Archived from the original (MS-Word) on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2007-01-21.
  2. Haines, Errin (2012-09-24). "Jeannemarie Devolites Davis running for lieutenant governor". Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  3. "McDonnell announces appointments, says he'll reopen rest stops". Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  4. "Jeannemarie Davis for Lt. Governor". Archived from the original on 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  5. "Winter 2001". The Yorktown Alumnus. Alumni & Friends of Yorktown High School, Inc. Winter 2001. p. 10. Archived from the original (MS-Word) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-01-22.
  6. "Virginia House of Delegates; Session 2003; Devolites, Jeannemarie A." Virginia House of Delegates. Archived from the original on 2013-04-21. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  7. Rein, Lisa (2006-03-12). "A War of Words, and Politics: Bill Fuels Friction for 2 Feuding N.Va. Lawmakers". Washington Post. pp. C05. Retrieved 2007-01-22. married Devolites Davis in 2004
  8. O'Harrow, Robert, Jr.; Higham, Scott (2006-07-28). "Wife, Friend Tie Congressman to Consulting Firm". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2013-08-09.
  9. "ICG Government; About ICG". Retrieved 2007-01-21. .
  10. "Jeannemarie Devolites, State Senate, District 34". Vienna Oakton Connection. Connection Newspapers. 2003-10-17. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-01-22.
  11. "Jeannemarie Devolites Davis" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-01-21.
  12. "1997 Election Results - HOD". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2013-07-24. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  13. "Election Results - House of Delegates - Nov 1999 Gen Election". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  14. "Primary Election- August 21, 2001". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  15. "General Election- November 6, 2001". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  16. "Election:Primaries - June 10, 2003". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  17. "General Election- November 4, 2003". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 7, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  18. "November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  19. "Va. State Senate Race Turns Tense". NBC4.COM. 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  20. Cohan, Stacey (2007-10-26). "Accusations of Dirty Tactics in VA Senate Race". MyFox Washington DC. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  21. Gardner, Amy (2007-10-27). "Candidate Cries Foul Over Mailing". Washington Post. p. B05. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  22. "Virginia State Senate Race Heats Up". ABC 7 News. 2007-10-26. Archived from the original on 2007-12-01. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  23. Reals, Gary (2007-10-26). "Personal Accusations Fly In Contentious Va. Senate Race". WUSA. Archived from the original on 2007-11-09. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
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