Stevens Miller Got Served...By a Fellow Loudoun Supervisor

The Washington Post, during a recent Loudoun County Board of Supervisors meeting, there was a contentious vote in deciding whether or not a lobbyist would be appointed to a third term in the Loudoun Health Council. This lobbyist worked against autism legislation outside her capacity on the Loudoun Health Council (rather, she was working on behalf of a professional client, Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, who knew this legislation would hurt small businesses, as they do not have the funds to help pay for what was covered in this bill), while the bill was being debated in Richmond (note: Richmond, not Loudoun County). Mindy Williams works for a professional lobbying firm in Fairfax, and she was not required to disclose her work with other clients.

Guess who decided to speak up to flaunt his race for Delegate and call for the ouster of this member of the Loudoun Health Council? Stevens Miller. Miller actually did more than call for the ouster, rather he tried to block her appointment.

"Parent after parent of autistic children have come to me, asking for us and the Chamber to some gesture of compassion and send someone else to Richmond," Miller said Tuesday before the vote. "In my view, this person had a conflict of interest...It's an egregious insult and, if this person is confirmed, I will seek to have this seat removed from the Health Council."

Miller said he met with Williams as a supervisor last year to discuss autism legislation without her telling him she was a paid lobbyist against the bills.

"Had I known that, I would have chosen my words very differently," he said.

Miller has also used autism legislation as a chief component of his campaign for House delegate.

Supervisor Kelly Burk (D-Leesburg) said Williams's re-appointment to the volunteer position was "being used to raise an issue that's not there." She bluntly said Miller was using the debate as a political tool.

"This item uses the autistic community in a cruel and selfish manner," she said.

So...Miller was using this as a political tool. At least, Supervisor Burk had the guts to call him out on playing politics, rather than leading. In fact, I am curious if Miller will use this tactic, if elected as a Delegate in Richmond.