Attorney Matt Hardin finally has resolved a 2015 FOIA lawsuit against former Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Denise Lunsford, and later assumed by Lunsford successor, Robert Tracci.
On behalf of citizen, Tyler Pieron, Hardin requested that Lunsford provide copies of billing statements and communications with and/or regarding specific persons—including fugitive, disgraced former Albemarle County Supervisor, Christopher Dumler; the wrongly accused and persecuted, Mark Weiner; and intimate confidante, Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney, Michael Doucette.
Contained within the Lunsford files are several less-than-flattering comments on local personalities, politicians, and animals:
- On Lunsford’s fantasizing over “embarrassing” Delegate Rob Bell: File 7, page 16
- On Lunsford’s disdain for former Clerk of Court Debbie Shipp: File 5, page 49
- On Lunsford’s evaluation of Albemarle’s County Executive Tom Foley’s intelligence: File 6, page 11
- On Lunsford’s deep hatred for deer: File 5, page 33
- On Lunsford’s inviting Chris Dumler over for a drink: File 7, page 77
- On Lunsford’s true opinion of Albemarle’s County Attorney, Larry Davis: File 6, page 11
- On Lunsford’s shocking personal criticism of a local judge: File 6, page 17
- On Lunsford’s disdain for Republicans: File 7, page 16
Many of the items Hardin sought could not be retrieved because of a purported “hard drive crash” at the end of Lunsford’s tenure. However, the documents supplied paint a picture of a raucous and sometimes reckless Commonwealth’s Attorney with a penchant for high drama and risky relationships.
As part of the legal settlement, a $2078.72 bill for Lunsford’s time—presented by her counsel, Thompson McMullan, and payable to Albemarle County—was waived.
Read now, if you dare, the Lunsford Files (click file icon to download):
Files 1 and 2 (combined): All credit card billing statements received by the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, whether received directly from a credit card company or indirectly from an employee of the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office during the period January 2012 through December 2013, inclusive, or covering any expense or billing in that same period, for credit cards issued to, or paid/reimbursed in whole or in part by the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office.
All documents reflecting reimbursements paid to the Albemarle County Commonwealth Attorney for any expenses, which expenses were incurred, or the documents were submitted, between January 2012 until December 2013.
(Lunsford Files 1 and 2 download
)
File 3: All emails or text messages the Commonwealth’s Attorney sent (whether on personal or official email accounts, while conducting the “business of the Commonwealth”), which include BOTH the phrase “press” and either the word “Jim” or the word “Larkin.”
(Lunsford Files 3 download)
File 4: All emails or text messages the Commonwealth’s Attorney sent (whether on personal or official email accounts, while conducting the “business of the Commonwealth”), during the period January 2012 to December 2013 to or received from the attorney representing James Larkin or which refer to the attorney representing James Larkin.
(Lunsford Files 4 download)
File 5: All emails or text messages the Commonwealth’s Attorney sent (whether on personal or official email accounts, while conducting the “business of the Commonwealth”), to or received from Chris Dumler.
(Lunsford Files 5 download)
File 6: All emails, or texts, the Commonwealth’s Attorney sent or received (whether on personal or official email accounts, while conducting the “business of the Commonwealth”), to or from Michael Ducette, which contain the word “Dumler”, or the word “Chris”. [sic] (Spelling should be Doucette)
(Lunsford Files 6 download)
File 7: All emails or text messages sent or received (whether on personal or official email accounts, while conducting the “business of the Commonwealth”) by Denise Lunsford between January 1, 2012 and May 20, 2012, which discuss work-related travel plans.
File 8: All emails, sent or received by Denise Lunsford (whether on personal or official email accounts, while conducting the “business of the Commonwealth”), which include the word “drone.” (No documents available)
File 9: All correspondence, including emails, texts, memoranda, etc., sent to or from Courtney Stewart by anyone in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office.
(Lunsford Files 9 download)
File 10: All emails or text messages the Commonwealth’s Attorney sent or received (whether on personal or official email accounts, while conducting the “business of the Commonwealth”), which reference the Weiner prosecution, particularly, but not limited to, all communications referencing Mark Belew, or which reference Weiner and missing girls.
(Lunsford Files 10 download)
Outstanding job, Rob Schilling! What a disgrace to Albemarle County our former Commonwealth Attorney was; so glad she's GONE!
This all goes to prove once again – how important transparency and accountability is, in all facets of our government.
DL claimed her office was greatly overworked so it’s surprising to see so much of her attention being dedicated to political causes–Some appropriate to her office but also much partisan work with other government employees on government time using government email accounts.
Claims of emails lost due to hard drive crashes is a public insult or a plea to ignorant judges.