Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Attorney-client privileged records are closed for 75 years per Code of Virginia 2.2-2705.1 and 42.1-78. Restricted material has been sealed, but has not been removed from the collection.

Video recordings (DVDs and videotapes) may not be duplicated without written permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation

Records of the Press Office, Governor Timothy M. Kaine, 2004-2010 (bulk 2006-2009), Accession 44739, State Records Collection, Library of Virginia

Acquisition Information

Office of the Governor, Patrick Henry Building, 1111 E. Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219, accession 44739 transferred on 14 January 2010.

Historical Information

The Press Office is a division of the Office of the Governor in the Executive Branch of Virginia state government. During Governor Tim Kaine's administration, the Press Office was responsible for shaping communication strategy, communicating with the public, handling relations with the press, managing the Governor's Web site and providing advice/guidance on agency public communications. The Press Office reviewed all documents with quotes from or references to the Governor, press releases on high profile/controversial agency issues, Governor's talking points, Cabinet talking points on high profile/controversial issues and grant announcements. The Press Office created press releases and made them publicly available, gathered and analyzed newspaper and magazine articles and television coverage pertaining to Governor Kaine and his administration, and maintained a file of photographs taken and collected by the Governor's Photographer that document Governor Kaine's public appearances. The Press Office was also responsible for making the Governor's public schedule, press releases, executive orders, proclamations, and selected speeches available online.

On 11 January 2006, Governor-elect Tim Kaine named Delacey Skinner as Communications Director. The Communication Director (Skinner, January 2006-December 2008 and Lynda Tran (2009-2010) supervised the Press Office. She was assisted in her responsibilities by a Press Secretary (Kevin Hall, January 2006-October 2007 and Gordon Hickey (October 2007-January 2010), additional press staff, a webmaster and photographer. In addition, the Communications Director oversaw the work of the Constituent Services Director whose staff members responded to inquiries of the public received via mail, phone and email.

Scope and Content

The Press Office Records of Governor Timothy M. Kaine are housed in 13 archival boxes. The collection is arranged into three (3) series. Series have been designated for: I. Records of Communication Director; II. Records of the Press Secretary; and III. Multimedia Files. These records include correspondence, memorandums, talking points and photographs, digital files and videos. These records document the press office activities of the Kaine administration (2006-2010).

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Related Material

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-TIM KAINE

A Guide to the Governor Timothy M. Kaine Administration Electronic Files, Email, 2002-2010 (bulk 2006-2009). This collection documents the email of the Kaine Administration (2006-2010). The Communications Office Electronic Files series documents the electronic communication of the Communication Office of the Kaine Administration. This series contains 22064 emails in twelve (12) subseries. Subseries have been designated for A. Lynda Tran Email; B. Jeff Kraus Email; C. Gordon Hickey Email; D. Maurice A. Henderson II Email; E. Jeff Tiller Email; F. Robin Winchell Email; G. Michael Kelly Email; H. Lauren Cunningham Email; I. Doug Scott Email; J. Laura DeLibero Email; K. Amanda Howe Email; and L. Michaele White Email. There are 127 privacy protected and confidential emails in this series that are restricted from public access for 75 years per Code of Virginia 42.1-78, 2.2-3800 and 2.2-3705.1-8. Types of restricted information may include, but are not limited to: clemency records, and records containing personal/personnel information. The PST files for Delacey Skinner, Communications Director from January 2006 to December 2008, and Kevin Hall, Press Secretary from January 2006 to November 2007, were empty. However, email messages sent by Skinner and Hall may be found in the email files of other members of the Kaine Administration (Executive Office, Policy Office, Communications Office, etc.). The Library of Virginia Email Project - Governor Tim Kaine Portal provides access to the Kaine email collection and includes guides to other Kaine administration records.

The Governor Tim Kaine Administration Web Archive Collection, 2006-2010 contains archived versions of websites for the Governor's Office, his initiative sites, and the sites of his cabinet secretaries. Also included are the related sites for the First Lady (Anne Holton), as well as the Lt. Governor (Bill Bolling), and Attorney General (Bob McDonnell and William C. Mims), two statewide officials elected in the same cycle as Governor Kaine. The governor's website contains a complete record of Kaine administration press releases.

The Timothy M. Kaine Administration (2006-2010) Cabinet Weekly Reports Digital Collection contains the weekly reports submitted to the Governor and Chief of Staff by the Governor's Cabinet, including the Secretaries of Administration (Viola Baskerville), Agriculture and Forestry (Robert S. Bloxom), Commerce and Trade (Patrick O. Gottschalk), Commonwealth (Daniel C. LeBlanc, Jan-Mar. 2006 and Katherine K. Hanley (Mar. 2006-2010), Education (Dr. Thomas R. Morris), Finance (Jody Wagner, 2006-2008 and Richard D. Brown, 2008-2010), Health and Human Resources (Marilyn Tavenner), Natural Resources (Preston Bryant), Public Safety (John W. Marshall), Technology (Aneesh Chopra, 2006-2009 and Leonard M. Pomata, 2009-2010), and Transportation (Pierce Homer). Also included are reports by the Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness (Robert Crouch), Office of Constituent Services (Marc Cheatham, 2006-2007 and Amber Amato, 2007-2010), Press Office, Policy Office and Virginia Liaison Office. Reports were submitted each Thursday and placed in a binder for the Governor that he took with him at the end of the day on Friday. A second copy of the report was made for the Chief of Staff. The level of detail varied for each cabinet officer and items of importance were highlighted by staff for the Governor. Each report contains information on legislation, Governor's initiatives/special projects, agency matters/operations, events/agency visits, audits/investigations/compliance, stakeholder issues and pending decisions. Governor Kaine wrote handwritten notes and/or marked-up some reports with post-it notes and requested follow up information from the person submitting the report. Those questions and answers are included in this series. This series provides a weekly account of the issues and policy decisions of the Kaine Administration.

A Guide to the Governor Timothy M. Kaine Administration YouTube Channel Videos, 2008-2010. This collection consists of 63 videos that were originally posted onto YouTube by Governor Tim Kaine's Webmaster between March 2008 and January 2010. Governor Kaine formally announced the creation of the governor's YouTube channel in a 6 May 2008 press release.