McAuliffe aide offered senator jobs for daughter, himself

October 3, 2014
Mariah Timms
News Writer
Virginia News

The abrupt and controversial resignation of former Virginia Senator Phillip P. Puckett in June occurred amid accusations that Republicans had persuaded him to leave with job offers for himself and his daughter. An ongoing federal investigation has revealed that Governor McAuliffe’s chief of staff, Paul Regan, left a voicemail for Puckett, possibly offering similar enticements. Puckett’s daughter is Martha Puckett Ketron, and has been seeking a District Court judgeship, a position she is currently acting in temporarily. Under the state’s Senate anti-nepotism laws, she could not hold that position while her father was serving in the General Assembly. Reagan mentioned in the voicemail certain agencies that needed heads at the time. The message implied that the Democrats would assist in making this position available to her if Puckett stayed in the Senate to help push through Medicaid expansions. A McAuliffe spokesperson insists that while Reagan acted alone, he only meant to remind the then-senator that he need not leave just for the sake of his daughter. Puckett has maintained all along that consideration for his daughter’s career impacted his decision, but that neither succeeding job was part of a “deal” between him and Republicans to leave the Senate.