To the editor:

David Englin, Alexandrias Delegate in the 45th District, has struck again. Englin has publicly spoken out against Gov. Bob McDonnells (R) choice of Fred Malek to serve as the chairman of Virginias Government Reform Commission, saying, This is the individual that Richard Nixon had making lists of Jews to purge from government, and its shocking that McDonnell would select him to chair his government reform commission. 

Englin also says Fred Malek has done nothing to disavow anti-Semitism.

Lets break down this accusation.

First, yes, Malek worked for a notorious, paranoid anti-Semite in Richard M. Nixon. Late in 1971, Nixon summoned his White House personnel chief, Malek, to the oval office to discuss a Jewish cabal in the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The cabal, Nixon thought, was purposely releasing economic figures in such a way to make his administration look bad. Malek reported back on the number only after initially denying the request from the president on four separate occasions. Did Malek make a list? Yes.

But Albert Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League, whose mission it is to fight anti-Semitism, has voiced his support for Malek, telling WTOP that one mistake does not make one an anti-Semite.

On the other hand, Democratic Congressman Jim Moran, former mayor of Alexandria and our 8th District representative, has made numerous anti-Semitic remarks about Jews over the years which have been repeatedly denounced by Jewish groups. What is Mr. Englins position on these remarks?

Silence.

You have to ask yourself, if this appointment had been made by former Virginia Governor Tim Kaine or the carpet-bagging former governor Mark Warner, both Democrats, would Englin be as outraged? 

This outrage is coming from an elected individual who himself has wasted taxpayer dollars by launching a website encouraging government-run health care supporters to needlessly attack Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli about the Commonwealth of Virginias lawsuit against government-run health care. Englin thinks its frivolous to defend Virginia law, which is exactly what the attorney general has been sworn to do.

This outrage is coming from an elected official who has tried repeatedly in the General Assembly to raise taxes on the average citizen. In this past session he tried to double the gas tax in Northern Virginia even though Northern Virginia already pays between 50 and 80 cents more for a gallon of gas than the rest of the Commonwealth. 

In this past session, he also tried to restore the death tax. In years past hes sought to triple the taxes on cigarettes. All of these are designed to punish the average citizen.
Why does Alexandria keep electing folks like this? 

Lee Hernly
Alexandria