Va. official nixes altered state seal pins

RICHMOND, Va., May 4 (UPI) -- Virginia's attorney general said his staff will cease using lapel pins featuring a state seal with the Roman goddess Virtus' breast covered with armor.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli announced Monday the pins are being retired after controversy surrounding the breastplate, which covered the usually exposed left breast of Virtus, or virtue, on the state seal, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Tuesday.

Brian Gottstein, a spokesman for the official, said that the attorney general chose the image because of its similarity to a historic version of the state seal.

He said the pins were paid for with Cuccinelli's campaign funds, not taxpayer dollars, but they still drew enough controversy from partisans and the media.

"I liked this particular image and thought it would be something unique for my employees," he said. "I cannot believe that joking with my staff about Virtue being a little more 'virtuous' in this antique version has become news."

"I think we all do the citizens a service by getting back to talking about things that are more important to them," he said, "including my office's work last week to get four sexually violent predators committed to mental health treatment, the collection of $225,000 in back debt owed to the commonwealth, and assisting local law enforcement in an investigation that resulted in a drug kingpin being sentenced to life without parole."