GOP slams Kaine on proposed transfer of killer

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Republicans are questioning anew Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine's judgment, saying his last-minute push as governor to return a convicted killer to Germany is a "critical issue" for voters to consider.

On a conference call with reporters Thursday, state GOP lawmakers slammed Kaine's treatment of Jens Soering, a German diplomat's son who is serving two life sentences for the killing of his ex-girlfriend's parents.

Hours before his Republican successor took over in January 2010, Kaine secretly asked federal officials to transfer Soering to Germany under a deal that would have made him eligible for release in two years.

"We think it's important to show whether he'd be a good vice president and one step away from the White House," said state Del. Rob Bell, who is running for state attorney general.

But while Kaine's decision caused an uproar when first made public and was reversed quickly by his successor, it has not proven to be a huge liability on the campaign trail.

Republicans tried with limited effect to use the Soering issue to paint Kaine as soft on crime during the 2012 Senate race, which Kaine won.

Kaine has defended his decision as a financial one, saying while Soering is "not a sympathetic character," the man's home country should have to pay to keep him behind bars.