Politics & Government

UPDATE: LeMunyon Repays $50K Loan from Middle Resolution

Clingan claims payment is in response to a speech he made linking LeMunyon to the tea party.

UPDATE (1 p.m. Thursday): Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-67th District) sent a check to repay his loan from Middle Resolution PAC three days before his opponent's speech at a candidates night hosted by the Arab Americans of Fairfax County.

LeMunyon has provided Patch with a photo of the check given to Middle Resolution PAC to repay the $50,000 loaned to his campaign in early August. The check is dated Sept. 22.

Eric Clingan (D) said his Sept. 25 speech sparked LeMunyon to give the $50,000 back to the PAC because of pressure from prominent Republicans in attendance, a claim LeMunyon refuted.

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Clingan did not take back his claim and is pushing to see evidence of the 45-day loan agreement between Middle Resolution and LeMunyon.

"There are plenty of people in the 67th district who are hurting and could use a loan of $50,000 at .04%/monthly," Clingan said. "I call on Jim LeMunyon to "

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Original (Sept. 28)

Del. Jim LeMunyon paid back a on Sept. 26.

LeMunyon (R-67th District) said the loan came with an agreement to pay it back within 45 days, and repaying the $50,020  — the loan plus interest — is him honoring that agreement.

But his opponent, Eric Clingan, claims the return of the money is in response to Clingan's speech at a candidates night hosted by the Arab Americans of Fairfax County on Sept. 25. In the speech, Clingan talked about LeMunyon's support for the and his ties to the Middle Resolution PAC.

"In the audience when I made that speech was a number of Republicans, very prominent Republicans. There is no doubt in my mind they made a contact with Delegate LeMunyon shortly after that speech and I don't think that it's a coincidence that the very next day he turns back $50,000 to the Middle Resolution PAC," Clingan said. "In essence, Delegate LeMunyon has caved and he has effectively admitted that this money is tea party money."

LeMunyon dismissed Clingan's claim. He said he secured the loan in early August as a buffer for his campaign against a new candidate to the political arena.

"We didn't know if he could write himself a million-dollar check or what. We knew nothing about him when he entered the race," LeMunyon said. "So we said we'd take the loan just in case we needed it. We'd spend it if we needed it. If we don't, we won't."

LeMunyon never used the money, which Clingan said is evidence LeMunyon is trying to distance himself from the group. Clingan also called upon LeMunyon to provide evidence of the 45-day agreement.

A call to Middle Resolution PAC was not immediately returned.

Last month, Clingan claimed the loan from Middle Resolution PAC , which he said do not coincide with the 67th District's interests.


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