Wagner on Bolling: he's a "no show" LG (HamptonRoads.com)

Jody Wagner billed her Wednesday afternoon campaign event in Richmond as an opportunity to spell out her plans to aid military veterans if elected lieutenant governor.

And while she spoke about those objectives, Wagner also took time to blast Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling for what she called his failure to attend meetings of state commissions and foundations he is a member of.

“I would call him a no show lieutenant governor,” Wagner, a Democrat from Virginia Beach who previously served as state finance secretary, said about her Republican rival.

Bolling, in turn, has blamed Wagner for flawed financial forecasting during her time with the state that he says has contributed to the current budget woes Virginia faces during the national recession.

A campaign spokesman said Bolling has ably fulfilled his primary lieutenant governor duty to serve as as presiding officer in the state Senate.

Meeting attendance was often delegated to staff members, the spokesman added, before claiming that Wagner also missed state meetings at which she should have been present.

“Jody Wagner is once again resorting to selective, dishonest attacks on Bill Bolling’s record. Bill is proud of his record, and he will put his record up against Ms. Wagner’s any day of the week,” said Bolling spokesman Matt Wells.

The job of lieutenant governor is essentially a part-time position in Virginia that pays a salary of roughly $36,000.

Wagner’s veterans proposal include the creation of new care facilities in Hampton Roads and northern Virginia and additional funding for the Wounded Warrior program that aids soldiers returning from combat with brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder.

It can be seen here, Bolling’s is here.

— Julian Walker

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