PRESS RELEASE – Coalition to Protect Prince William County
Press Conference: 6:30PM, Tuesday, June 28
Location: One County Complex, Woodbridge, VA 22192
Executive director says: “Candland is worse than compromised – he’s complicit. It’s over. He must go.”
Haymarket, Virginia (June 28, 2022) – Gainesville district citizens have launched an effort to recall Supervisor Pete Candland for his neglect of duty and misuse of office while personally enriching himself with the passage of the PW Digital Gateway Data Center Application. Citizens and recall leaders will hold a press conference today at 6:30PM at the One County Complex in Woodbridge immediately prior to the Board of Supervisors Meeting.
“Pete Candland must resign – today – or be recalled,” Coalition executive director Elena Schlossberg said. “The citizens of his district are here to make that happen. Candland’s corrupt behavior and misuse of his office makes him unfit for public service at any level.”
Schlossberg noted, “Candland compromised himself last fall when he included his personal residence in the Comprehensive Plan changes supporting data centers in the Rural Crescent and disqualified himself from discussing the related amendment. A serious, ethical person would have realized an elected official who cannot discuss his constituents’ most important issue would have the decency to resign.”
“Candland didn’t do the right thing,” Schlossberg continued. “And forget basic decency … Candland went from compromised to outright complicit, participating in both open and closed meetings directly related to a matter which could make him millions of dollars. Far from removing himself from discussion, Candland continues to push the interests of a small group of landowners looking to pockets tens of millions in return for injecting industrial development into the Rural Crescent. He has misused his office, and neglected his duty. It’s over. He must go.”
“Where’s the evidence?,” Schlossberg asked. “Most is a matter of public record. After executing his disclosure and disqualification on November 2, 2021, Candland participated in both closed and open meetings of the Board of County Supervisors with business touching on his interest in the PW Digital Gateway, starting in December of 2021, including voting on related rezonings, special use permits, tax assessments, and meeting postponements.”
Schlossberg added, “Candland’s continued participation in business advancing his personal interests came after both County and Commonwealth attorneys recommended he recuse himself from specific matters, notably at the January 18 and May 24 Supervisors meetings … the latter of which came only four days after Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth opinion that Candland should neither discuss or vote on anything related to the PW Digital Gateway or the Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District.”
“Meanwhile,” Schlossberg concluded, “Candland has been advising nearby property owners on how to pursue their own rezoning. Candland’s problem isn’t that he’s unable to talk about his constituents’ interests. Candland is worse than compromised. He’s complicit in enriching himself while working against his constituents’ interests. The citizens of this county – and this district – have fought and won against richer men. Today is the beginning of the end for Candland.”