The Australian-based company that leases the Pocahontas Parkway and is building high-occupancy toll lanes on the Capital Beltway in Northern Virginia disclosed yesterday that it mistakenly made $172,000 in illegal contributions to Virginia politicians.
Transurban USA asked that the money be returned so it can donate the money to a Virginia-based charity, the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program for children.
"Transurban is aware of nothing to suggest that any candidate or committee knew there was anything improper about the donations," Michael Kulper, executive vice president for North America operations, wrote in a letter to recipients.
Kulper began notifying the politicians yesterday of its apparently illegal activity.
Charlie Kelly, director of Moving Virginia Forward, the political committee of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, said the money will be returned. Kaine for Governor received $5,000 and Moving Virginia Forward $4,500.
Other recipients included Dominion Leadership Trust, the leadership PAC of House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, $12,500; the Virginia Republican Senate Leadership Trust, $12,000; and Commonwealth Victory Fund, a Democratic Party of Virginia committee, $10,500.
Individual legislators from both parties received amounts ranging from $250 to $6,000.
All told, Democratic organizations and legislators received $73,000, and Republican legislators and organizations received $97,000 between 2005 and 2008.
J. Scott Leake, a consultant to Senate Republicans, said the contributions appeared to be legal, because they came from Transurban's New York headquarters, not from Australia.
Transurban USA is a U.S. subsidiary of an Australian company.
Kulper said the company recently learned that "our status as a U.S. company did not alone make us eligible to contribute to Virginia campaigns."
"Federal law requires that the money for donations come entirely from U.S. revenues and that no foreign national personnel can be involved in this process," he wrote.
"Our understanding on federal law requires that we ask you to voluntarily return to us the total amount of the contribution," Kulper added.
He said an internal review determined that the contributions were illegal because they came from a foreign national. The contributions were reported to the Federal Election Commission, he added.
In the three years, 85 legislative candidates received contributions. A $1,000 donation went to McDonnell for Attorney General in 2005 (the organization of successful Republican candidate Bob McDonnell), and $500 went to his opponent, Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath.
Transurban has about $500 million invested in Virginia projects, including $191 million for the financially strapped Pocahontas Parkway, a toll road that connects Chippenham Parkway and Interstate 95 in Chesterfield County with eastern Henrico County close to Richmond International Airport. The rest is invested in the Northern Virginia project, Kulper said.
The child-advocacy organization provides trained volunteers to speak for abused and neglected children who are the subjects of juvenile court proceedings.
CASA operates 27 programs in Virginia. It works under the umbrella of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or twhitley@timesdispatch.com.