Keeping the Tysons Tunnel on His Agenda

By Fairfax Politics
Thursday, December 6, 2007

Gary H. Baise, the Republican candidate for chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors who lost last month to incumbent Gerald E. Connolly (D), is still talking about the Tysons tunnel. But now he's talking as a lawyer, not a politician.

Baise represents TysonsTunnel.org in the suit filed last week against the Federal Transit Administration seeking a renewed look at the proposal to extend Metrorail from Falls Church to Dulles International Airport. Plans call for an elevated track through Tysons Corner, but TysonsTunnel.org claims that officials have not sufficiently considered the tunnel option.

Asked if he was doing the work pro bono, Baise said, "Oh no." But it's not clear how quickly he will be paid, or by whom. Scott Monett, who heads TysonsTunnel.org, said last week that the organization's primary benefactor, WestGroup, stopped providing financial support and that he is trying to raise money to pay for the suit.

-- Amy Gardner

For Herrity, a Familiar Face

Supervisor-elect Pat S. Herrity (R-Springfield), who will assume the seat held by retiring Supervisor Elaine N. McConnell, has hired David Foreman to be his chief of staff. Foreman, currently field director for Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Fairfax), and Herrity attended West Springfield High School together.

But the connections don't end there. Foreman's dad was chief of staff for Herrity's dad, the late John F. "Jack" Herrity, a former County Board chairman. And Foreman's wife works for Supervisor Michael R. Frey (R-Sully), who is likely to be a friendly face on the board for fellow Republican Herrity.

Foreman did not return a phone call for comment, but others close to Davis said Foreman's impending departure is not a signal that Davis has decided against seeking reelection. Herrity said his old high school friend helped him with the campaign all year.

-- Amy Gardner

Frey Cries Foul on Study

The Fairfax supervisor who asked county officials to determine the costs of illegal immigration says their analysis was kept under wraps until after last month's elections.

It was mid-July when Supervisor Michael R. Frey (R-Sully) asked County Executive Anthony H. Griffin for a report on what services the county provided to undocumented immigrants and what the services cost. The study was delivered to Frey Nov. 20 and made public last week.

For what was ostensibly four months of work, it didn't amount to much. Griffin said the only costs that could be quantified were at the county jail, where the sheriff will spend about $4 million this fiscal year to house undocumented prisoners.

But Frey said he's certain Griffin sat on the report, probably at the behest of Board Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (D) because immigration is a volatile issue in an election season.

"There's no question it wasn't going to come out before the election," said Frey, "because of the uncertainty of what it might say."

Connolly was out of the country and unavailable for comment. Asked in an e-mail if he had any comment, Griffin replied: "No."

-- Bill Turque

Cuccinelli Planning Ahead

State Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) still has to survive a recount of his 92-vote victory over Democrat Janet S. Oleszek, but he might already be turning his attention to a new campaign.

At last weekend's Virginia Republican Party Advance in Crystal City, there was plenty of talk that Cuccinelli might run for attorney general in 2009.

"People have raised it with me, but I haven't done anything about it, except telling my wife people have raised it with me," Cuccinelli said. "But there is a certain amount of logic for a conservative from Northern Virginia running."

Cuccinelli added that his first task is the recount this month. "I got to win this race first," he said.

-- Tim Craig

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