From Today's Winchester Star (This speaks for itself)

Tate is sacrificing his honor and integrity on the altar of politics.

This is the hardest letter I have ever had to write.

I have been a law enforcement officer for 21 years, all of it with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. For four years, I specialized in the investigation of financial crimes, like those contained in the indictments of Mark Tate. I have also been involved in politics, including six years as chairman of the 27th Senatorial District Republican Committee. I have known Mark Tate as a personal friend for about 15 years. I endorsed him in both 2003 and 2007. I have given money to his campaign.

To me, even worse is the offense for which he will not be indicted. I am talking about his behavior since the indictments were handed down, in general, and his treatment of Jill Holtzman Vogel, in particular.

I want to make this next point very clear: Jill Holtzman Vogel had absolutely nothing to do with either the investigation or the indictments. Mark would have you believe that the prosecutor in Loudoun County, who endorsed her, conducted this investigation. He did not. This investigation was done by the professional finance crimes investigators of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. The lead investigator doesn't even live in this state. He has no political motive and absolutely no interest in who represents the 27th district.

When Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Plowman learned that there was reasonable suspicion of a crime, he turned this case over to an outside prosecutor - from outside the 27th district. Investigators with the sheriff's office did a thorough investigation. These cases are time-consuming, with forensic audits of banking records, witness interviews as well as suspect interviews. And you go where the evidence takes you. The evidence in this case was strong. The special prosecutor looked at it, applied the law and took 11 felony counts to the grand jury. It should be noted that these offenses include activities in both the '03 and '07 campaigns.

Mark has based his defense on the non-denial denial. He would love to refute these charges, you see, but his lawyer has advised him not to comment about the case. So, instead of bringing out his facts, he brings out his hatchet. A drowning man always tries to take down those closest to him, so Mark lashes out in a desperate - and despicable - attempt to save his political career. This case is tainted, he tells us. The prosecutor is unethical, doing this just for political purposes. So is the special prosecutor. I guess he thinks the investigators are in on it, too. It was VCAP and - omigod, look there, it's Ed Gillespie! And, of course, behind it all, there is Jill Holtzman Vogel, directing this whole thing from her perch on the grassy knoll.

Rumors are rampant in politics, made worse by the blogs. Mark feeds into this paranoia by telling people that others knew these indictments were coming and even knew when the grand jury was meeting. The fact is many people, including witnesses, knew there was an investigation and were allowed to say so. Mark knew it. And grand juries meet once a month in Loudoun County. The dates are set months in advance and are public knowledge.

One sad footnote is what this does for "the system." It's just one more black eye for politics and makes people think twice about getting involved - if they think about it at all, anymore.

Some will admire the moxie he has shown in fighting the charges. Some might call his conviction that he is innocent "Clintonesque." Instead, I think his conspiracy theories make him seem more like O. J. Simpson.

Part of me still feels sorry for Mark. No one likes to see a friend in such trouble. As a Christian, I want to forgive his trespasses. But my mercy is tempered by his behavior in the last two weeks. I had hoped early on that he would have the good grace to withdraw from this race and apologize to his faithful supporters, many of whom I know. Instead, Mark has chosen to compound his deceptions to the very people to whom he owes so much. He has chosen to smear his opponent with accusations which have absolutely no basis in truth. He has chosen to sully the reputations of many law enforcement professionals with unblemished records.

In short, he has chosen to sacrifice his honor and his integrity on the altar of his political career. And that is why I have chosen to speak out. I've had enough.

Background on Mr. Benedetto:

He is currently an investigator with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office for 21 years. He has lived in Winchester for the last 20 years. He served as Chairman of the Winchester Republican Committee from 1994 to 2001 and as chairman of the 27th Senatorial District Republican Committee for nearly six years until December, 2006.