Virgil Goode



Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr., a Republican, has represented the Fifth Congressional District of Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1996. (map) He was defeated by Tom Perriello (D) in the 2008 general election.

Iraq War
Goode voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

During the debate in mid-February 2007 of a nonbinding resolution opposing President Bush's troop "surge" in Iraq, Rep. Goode, who opposed the measure, argued that the U.S. must do everything possible to defeat Muslim extremism, or else it risks having the text on its money change from "In God We Trust" to "In Muhammad We Trust."

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Opposition to Muslim immigrants
On December 7, 2006, Goode sent a letter to a constituent regarding the newly elected Rep. Keith Ellison's (D-Minn.) choice to use a Koran in an unofficial swearing-in ceremony. In the letter, Goode expressed a "fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States":

"The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if Americans don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran... I fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States if we do not adopt the strict immigration policies that I believe are necessary to preserve the values and beliefs traditional to the United States of America... The Ten Commandments and 'In God We Trust' are in the wall in my office. A Muslim student came by the office and asked why I don't have anything on my wall about the Koran. My response was clear, 'As long as I have the honor of representing the citizens of the 5th District of Virginia in the United States of America, The Koran is not going to be on the wall of my office.'"

On December 20, Goode's press secretary said the letter "speaks for itself" and that Goode has no intention of apologizing. 

Cunningham and MZM
In 2005, Goode again faced political controversy when a major corporate campaign donor, defense contractor MZM, Inc., was implicated in a bribery scandal that resulted in the criminal conviction and resignation of California congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham. Although he insisted that his relations with MZM were motivated solely by his interest in bringing high-paying skilled jobs to his district, Goode announced in December that he would donate the $88,000 received in MZM contributions to regional charities.

On June 30, 2006, the manager of MZM was accused of illegally funneling campaign donations to Goode. The manager, Richard Berglund, reportedly violated the Federal Election Campaign Act by "aiding and abetting" a scheme by MZM's owner to donate the funds in the name of others. According to the filing, Berglund and his wife wrote $4,000 in checks to "Representative A" in March 2005 after MZM's owner, Mitchell J. Wade, gave Berglund an equivalent amount of cash. It says that Berglund gave an additional $4,000 he received from Wade to two MZM colleagues, who then donated it to the congressman. 

On July 21, Berglund pled guilty to making illegal donations to the Goode. He now faces up to one year in prison for violating the Federal Election Campaign Act. When asked to comment about Berglund's plea, Goode's press secretary, Linwood Duncan, emphasized that Goode had donated all MZM-related campaign donations to charity. 

On Monday July 31, 2006, MZM, Inc. officially closed. Their closing came after the Pentagon announced that it would not renew their contract and former owner Mitchell Wade stated that he recieved $90,000 in contributions from Goode.

Bio
Born October 17, 1946 in Richmond, Virginia, Goode attended the University of Richmond and the University of Virginia graduating with a degree in Law. He also served in the National Guard from 1969 to 1975. Goode served in the Virginia State Senate from 1973 to 1997 as a Democrat representing much of Southside. He ran for the Senate in 1982 and 1994 and was defeated in the Democratic primary both times.

Congressional career
When Congressman L. F. Payne retired in 1996, Goode won the Democratic nomination. He won election easily, as his state senate district was virtually coextensive with the congressional district. Goode's voting record was very conservative even by Southern Democratic standards. He was a politician in the mold of the old-style, land-owning "Byrd Democrats" who had preceded him.

Goode came under considerable fire in 1998, when he voted for three of the four articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton. The controversy touched off speculation that Goode might defect to the Republican side of the aisle. In January 2000, he declared himself an independent. However, he began caucusing with the Republicans once the Congress reconvened and was rewarded a highly desirable seat on the Appropriations Committee for leaving the Democratic Party. Goode officially became a Republican in April 2002, just in time for the primary, making him the first Republican to represent this district since Reconstruction. He won his first full term as a Republican in November with 64% of the vote. He won reelection just as easily in 2004.

2006 elections
In 2006, Democrats nominated Al Weed to face Goode in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Goode retained his seat.

Money in politics
cid=N00002167&cycle=2006

Committees

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Interior and Environment
 * Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Agriculture Rural Development Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
 * Subcommittee on Science State Justice and Commerce and Related Agencies

More Background Data

 * 2006 Virginia CD 5 Candidate List from VIS

Contact
DC Office: 1520 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-4711 Fax: 202-225-5681 Web Email Website

District Office- Charlottesville: 104 South First Street Charlottesville, VA 22902 Phone: 434-295-6372 Fax: 434-295-6059

District Office- Danville: 437 Main Street Danville, VA 24541 Phone: 434-792-1280 TollFree: 800-535-4008 Fax: 434-797-5942

District Office- Farmville: 515 South Main Street Post Office Box 366 Farmville, VA 23901 Phone: 434-392-8331 Fax: 434-392-6448

District Office- Rocky Mount: 70 East Court Street, Suite 215 Rocky Mount, VA 24151 Phone: 540-484-1254 Fax: 540-484-1459

2008 Campaign Contact Information
Official Goode for Congress campaign website

Goode for Congress 235 South Main Street Rocky Mount, VA 24151

Phone:(540) 483-9030

External resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Richmond Democrat

External articles

 * Coverage of Virgil Goode on the George Loper website 1996-present.
 * Stephen Goode, "Democratic Party politics is all in the family for Virgil Goode - Rep. Virgil Goode - Interview," Insight on the News (FindArticles.com), October 6, 1997.
 * Spencer S. Hsu, Va. GOP Sees Opportunity in Democrats' Rage at Rep. Goode The Washington Post, December 23, 1998.
 * Lisa Provence, "Virgil: Goode ole boy," The Hook, September 5, 2002.
 * laura, "Virgil Goode: Embracing The Hate," Documenting-Democracy.org, July 19, 2004.
 * Waldo Jaquith, "Virgil Goode and MZM: There’s a story here,"  Waldo Jaquith Blog, June 12, 2005.
 * Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Renae Merle, "Lawmaker's links with contractor raise questions. Calif. Republican on defense panel," Washington Post (Boston Globe), June 19, 2005.
 * Waldo Jaquith, "Goode’s contributions certainly look coerced," Waldo Jaquith Blog, June 25, 2005.
 * Peter Hardin, "Goode: 'Fence 'em out!'" Media General News Service (Danville Register Bee (VA)), November 14, 2005.
 * Waldo Jaquith, "Why Virgil Goode switched parties," Waldo Jaquith Blog, November 11, 2005.
 * Goode's Ties with MZM Put Cloud over Martinsville Deal by Laurence Hammack, The Roanoke Times, December 11, 2005.
 * "MZM - Virgil Goode Ethics Debacle: The Cesspool Deepens," Irregular Times, February 25, 2006.
 * Ruth Marcus, "Cunningham's Enablers," Washington Post, February 28, 2006.
 * George Loper, "2006 Virginia Fifth District Congressional Race: Bad news for Virgil Goode?" george.loper.org, March 2006.
 * Laurence Hammack, "Group wants probe of Goode. Common Cause asked a House panel to include Rep. Virgil Goode in an investigation," roanoke.com, May 20, 2006.
 * R. Jeffrey Smith, "MZM Manager Accused Of Violating FEC Rules," Washington Post, July 1, 2006.
 * Pete Yost, "Donor to campaign pleads guilty," Associated Press, (delivered by Chron.com) July 21, 2006.
 * Rob Kaine, "MZM scandal grows as another Goode briber pleads guilty," Raising Kaine Blogspot, July 22, 2006.
 * Justin Rood, "In Scandal's Aftermath, Painful Prices Still Being Paid," TPM Muckraker, July 30, 2006.
 * Mark Brooks, "Al Weed Debates Virgil Goode (R-MZM)," Heartland Of Virginia Blogspot, August 10, 2006.
 * Laurence Hammack, "Martinsville waits for its bill. The city is obligated to pay back state money after the closure of defense contractor MZM, but not the full $500,000 amount," roanoke.com, August 11, 2006.
 * George Loper, "2006 Virginia Fifth District Congressional Race: E-mail Called 'Hate Speech'," george.loper.org, October 2006.
 * Mary Benoit, "Anti-North American Union Resolution Introduced," The New American, October 14, 2006. re North American Union
 * "Goode for Congress," The Cavalier Daily, October 24, 2006.
 * Glenn Greenwald, "Swamped by Muslims," Unclaimed Territory Blogspot, December 19, 2006.
 * Mark Brooks, "Xenophobic Virgil Goode Celebrates Election in a Racist Way," Heartland Of Virginia Blogspot, December 19, 2006.
 * broca, "Virgil Goode&mdash;Fighting the War on America since 1996," Disordered Communication Blogspot, December 19, 2006.
 * Waldo Jaquith, "'Goode makes complete ass of self'," Waldo Jaquith Blog, December 19, 2006.
 * "Congressman Goode’s 'macaca moment'," Sisyphus Blogspot, December 19, 2006.
 * Tom Zeller Jr., "No Koran in Congress, Fewer Muslims to America?" The Lede/New York Times, December 20, 2006.
 * Rob Kaine, "Virgil Goode and the xenophobic Christian Action Network," Raising Kaine Blog, December 20, 2006.
 * Frederic J. Frommer, "GOP lawmaker fears election of Muslims. Letter triggers angry response," Associated Press (Boston Globe), December 21, 2006.
 * Nitya Venkataraman, "Congressman Stands By His Letter," ABC News, December 21, 2006.
 * "Ellison: Lawmaker has 'a lot to learn about Islam'," CNN, December 21, 2006.
 * Joel Havermann, "Lawmaker affirms Muslim remarks. A Virginia congressman defends his call for an immigration crackdown to thwart Koran's use in swearing-in ceremonies," Los Angeles Times, December 22, 2006.
 * Editorial: "A Bigot in Congress. One Muslim congressman is one too many for Virgil Goode," Washington Post, December 22, 2006.
 * Editorial: "An open House for all," Boston Globe, December 22, 2006.
 * Editorial: "Virginia is for . . . haters?" Boston Herald, December 22, 2006.
 * Susan Jones, "Congressman On Guard Against Muslim Majority in Congress," Cybercast News Service, December 22, 2006.
 * Justin Rood, "Who Will Break GOP's Silence on Goode Comments?"; "Update: GOP Still Silent on Goode"; "Update: GOP Silence on Goode Broken -- by Spin"; "GOP Silence Update: Still Up to No Goode"; "GOP Silence Update: in Which the Fruitcake Begins to Slip from My Grasp"; "GOP Silence Update: Not a GOPer Was Stirring, Not Even Presidential Hopefuls"; "GOP Silence Update: 'We Haven't Seen the Letter'"; and "Jewish Group Calls on Goode to 'Rethink' Muslim Comments," TPM Muckraker, December 22, 2006.
 * Susan Estrich, "No Goode: Congressman's Hateful Comments Demand Response," Blue Streak/Fox News, December 24, 2006.
 * Justin Rood, "Update: GOP Senator Breaks Silence over Goode's Anti-Muslim Comments," TPM Muckraker, December 24, 2006.
 * Commentary: "Warning on Muslim gets it all wrong," Chicago Sun-Times, December 26, 2006.
 * Robert J. Elisberg, "When Goode Congressmen Go Bad," The Huffington Post, December 26, 2006.
 * Opinion: "A bigot in Congress," InsideBayArea.com, December 26, 2006.
 * Opinion: "Not Goode enough," Baltimore Sun, December 26, 2006.
 * Robert Spencer, "Is Virgil Goode a Bigot?" Human Events Online, December 27, 2006.
 * Sheila Suess Kennedy, Opinion: "On wrong side of history," IndyStar.com/The Indianapolis Star, December 27, 2006.
 * John-Henry Doucette, Opinion: "Doing good by the book, but which book?" The Virginian-Pilot, December 27, 2006.
 * Judd Legum, "Goode: Ellison’s Election Shows We Are ‘Vulnerable To Infiltration’ By Those Who Want Another 9/11," Think Progress, January 2, 2007.