Ken Cuccinelli

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has won an award from a national conservative group, the Sam Adams Alliance.

Here’s a release from Cuccinelli’s office:

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli received the Public Servant of the Year Award this evening. He was not at the Chicago ceremony, but offered these remarks:

I am grateful to receive the Public Servant of the Year Award from the Sam Adams Alliance. It was an honor to be considered, and it is an even greater honor to be the recipient of an award named for a patriot known for his ability to organize citizens at the local level to work together to achieve the national goal of an independent America built on first principles. I have always held Sam Adams in the highest respect – I consider him Massachusetts’ version of Patrick Henry (I am a Virginia public servant after all…)!

I take my job as a public servant very seriously. And like the Sam Adams Alliance and Samuel Adams himself, I want to see us preserve the America the Founders envisioned: an America based on the principles of limited government, free markets, and individual liberty.

While the founders pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to defend these founding principles, we have often taken them for granted, as we have become complacent that government will take care of our every problem and our every need. For years, we have asked the federal government to do more for us, and all the government asked for in return was a little bit more of our liberty… one little bit at a time.

Today, I am encouraged that citizens and state governments across the country are finally waking up and saying “no more.” We have planted our flag and we are taking a stand. We are seeing federalism reemerge, where people want to return to a federal government of limited, enumerated powers; and where states are serving as a check when the government oversteps its constitutional bounds – just as our Founding Fathers intended. I am proud that Virginia has been a leader in this effort.

Thank you again for this wonderful award. I am only sorry that I cannot be there with you to accept it in person.

The news release from the Sam Adams Alliance follows…

SAM ADAMS ALLIANCE

AG Ken Cuccinelli Wins National Award

Sam Adams Alliance awarded $60,000 to top citizen leaders at April 8 awards show in Chicago

CHICAGO – Tonight, the Sam Adams Alliance (SAM) announced the winners of the 4th annual Sammies awards and among the winners was Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. Nearly 400 guests, including John Stossel, Andrew Breitbart, and Brad Thor, took part in the celebration of ordinary Americans who take extraordinary steps to advance freedom. The winners from across the country were recognized for their engagement as watchdogs, reformers, messengers, and strategists.

“Once again, the Sammies brought together the freedom lovers and freedom fighters who love their country and in their way engage to advance our freedom,” said Yvonne Ralsky, executive director of SAM. “The winners tonight would make Sam Adams proud. They are creative, strategic, impactful, and tenacious.”

Winner of a 2011 Sammies Award:

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

“I am grateful to receive the Public Servant of the Year Award from the Sam Adams Alliance. It was an honor to be considered, and it is an even greater honor to be the recipient of an award named for a patriot known for his ability to organize citizens at the local level to work together to achieve the national goal of an independent America built on first principles,” said Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. “I take my job as a public servant very seriously and I would like to thank the Sam Adams Alliance for this recognition.”

AG Cuccinelli won the Public Servant Award for challenging the constitutionality of the federal health care law. Two days after it was passed, he sued the federal government over the individual mandate, and on December 13, 2010, a federal district court ruled the mandate unconstitutional. AG Cuccinelli is currently seeking to expedite a review of the health care law past appellate courts and onto the Supreme Court.

For a complete list of finalists, please visit www.samadamsalliance.org/programs/sammies/the-finalists.aspx.

Sam Adams Alliance is a non-profit organization based in Chicago, Illinois, that advances freedom in the marketplace of ideas. We provide citizens and organizations that seek to engage in their democracy with fellowship, sustenance, and inspiration for the fight for freedom. For more information, visit www.samadamsalliance.org.