Virginia congressman James Moran’s son quits campaign

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The son of 11-term Rep. James Moran Jr. resigned from his father’s campaign yesterday hours after an undercover video showed him discussing possible voter fraud with an activist posing as a campaign worker.

In the video, dated Oct. 8 and posted by conservative activist James O’Keefe, Patrick Moran does not explicitly advocate or condone the worker’s suggestion to cast ballots on behalf of 100 voters he says are unlikely to show up Nov. 6.

Moran, who appears not to know that he is being recorded, attempts to discourage the worker from carrying out the scheme, saying he should instead join get-out-the-vote efforts. But Moran, a campaign field director, also offers guidance on how to possibly skirt Virginia’s new voter identification laws. He also doesn’t tell the worker not to proceed with his plan.

Neither James Moran, a Democrat from northern Virginia, nor his son returned repeated messages seeking comment. Moran’s campaign issued a statement, calling it “an error in judgment.”

“Patrick is well liked and was a well-respected member of the campaign team,” Moran’s the statement says. “The campaign has accepted Patrick’s resignation, effective immediately.”

James Moran was first elected to the House in 1990.

State Democratic Party Chairman Brian Moran, his brother, called the incident “a mistake.”

“Patrick Moran is my nephew and a good kid,” Brian Moran said. “He has taken responsibility and has stepped down from the Moran campaign. The Democratic Party of Virginia is an organization that stands for free and open participation in our elections and we oppose even the appearance of any effort to undermine those values.”