Trouble in River City (Updated) (Updated Again) 0
There’s trouble in River City and it starts with “B” and sounds like bank which is a shot in pool.
Wednesday’s events occurred days after a Pilot investigation showed that Sessoms voted dozens of times on issues directly benefiting customers of TowneBank, where he serves as a president. Sessoms has not spoken publicly. The bank and local law enforcement announced their decisions before noon.
A special proscutor is needed because the Stolle family, which includes the Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Sheriff, are associated through various relatives with Towne Bank.
I have mixed feelings about this. As tempting as it is to delight in the troubles of any Republican, Mayor Sessoms is not Richard Daley and Virginia Beach has no Tammany Hall. Other than a unfortunate tendency to fall for tall tales spun by developers,* Sessoms is a fairly decent fellow who has served the city–er–adequately.
AFAIC, at worst, he’s a Babbitt with a blind spot.
Addendum, Later That Day:
Heh.
A press release today said the decision was made to avoid a perception of a conflict of interest.
Fraim was a member of TowneBank’s board of directors and also served as chairman of the bank’s Norfolk board. Johnson was on the bank’s Suffolk board.
Addendum-Dee-Dum-Dum, the Next Day:
Mayor Sessoms has resigned his positions on three Towne Bank boards of directors.
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