If both houses of Congress initially approve the measure, it is unlikely they will be able to garner the two-thirds majorities in each chamber to override President Trump’s inevitable first-ever veto.
Democrats Shut Down Bipartisan Investigation of Fairfax Accusations, Silence Victims of Sexual Assault
Days before the legislature adjourns, Democrats rejected calls for a bipartisan panel to investigate two claims of sexual assault against Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax. The eleventh-hour move would run out the clock, depriving the General Assembly of an avenue to investigate the claims.
‘March On The Mansion’ Calls For An ‘End To Racism And Infanticide’ And Governor Northam’s Resignation
Hundreds of people have indicated they may protest at the Capitol Building in Richmond this Saturday after weeks filled with controversy from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s support for the “infanticide bill” and racist photos.
Limited No-Excuse Early Voting Approved By General Assembly, To Be Enacted In 2020
With absentee voting beginning 45 days before an election, new bipartisan, bicameral legislation would create a seven-day window for in-person, no-excuse absentee voting.
Hopewell Delegate Riley Ingram Gives A Colorful, Folksy Farewell Address After 26 Years In Richmond
From dancing at the “Holiday Inn on Franklin Street” to “having a toddy on the floor,” Delegate Riley Ingram’s retirement speech is one for the books.
Virginia General Assembly Passes Measure To Study And Help Reduce Maternal Mortality Rates
A maternal mortality review team within the Virginia Department of Health will be created to study the causes behind pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths in the Commonwealth.
Northam Cancels First Stop On ‘Reconciliation Tour’ After VUU Backlash
With students voicing their disgust with Governor Ralph Northam, the first stop on his “reconciliation tour” at Virginia Union University has been cancelled.
Justice For Tommie: Virginia GA Passes Bill Imposing Felonies On Animal Abusers
Working to send a message to would-be animal abusers, the Virginia General Assembly is set to institute a new law that would make abusing a family pet a felony, regardless of whether the animal lives or dies, and implement stricter punishments for animal abuse. The news comes just days after a young pit bull named Tommie was tortured and gruesomely killed in the state capital of Richmond.
Currently, the only way to charge someone with a felony for abusing a dog or cat in the Commonwealth is if the animal in question dies from its injuries.
S.B. 1604, patroned by State Senator Bill DeSteph (R-Virginia Beach), dictates that someone could be charged with a Class 6 felony – up from a Class 1 misdemeanor – for “cruelly and unnecessarily beating, maiming, mutilating, or killing a dog or cat.”
The bill passed through the House of Delegates during the Wednesday session with a 99-0 vote after sailing through the State Senate with a 40-0 vote in early February.
If enacted, when one abuses a cat or dog they could be charged and receive up to five years in prison. Also in the bill, crimes that would be punishable as Class 1 misdemeanors include “depriving any animal of necessary food, drink, shelter, or emergency veterinary treatment, willfully inflicting inhumane injury to any animal, and soring an equine for any purpose,” the impact statement shows.
On his Facebook page, Senator DeSteph said, “We are thankful for the overwhelming support for SB 1604, my Animal Cruelty bill seeking felony charges against those who maliciously wound an animal.”
“We have heard from folks all over the Commonwealth who share our belief that anyone who intentionally tortures a dog or cat is a threat to public safety, and should be dealt with severely,” he added. “We were so saddened by the stories of Tommie, the pit bull who recently died after being set on fire, and Sugar, who was viciously attacked with a machete, but are grateful that their stories helped propel this important legislation forward.”
The bill, which awaits the governor’s signature, passed just as Richmond mourns the death of Tommie, a dog that gripped animal lovers across the nation after it was tied to a pole at Abner Clay Park, doused in accelerant, and set on fire on February 10.
Tommie suffered severe burns over 40 percent of his body, and just days after Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) began nursing him back to health, he passed away.
“He had just finished having his bandages changed and stopped breathing; his body simply gave out,” RACC said in a report from WTVR. “Tommie was pain free and surrounded by people that loved him when he passed. Needless to say, we are all devastated and angry and sad and terribly disappointed.”
A $25,000 reward is now being offered for information leading to an arrest of the person or persons that committed the heinous crime.
Initially, RACC planned to hold a public funeral for Tommie, but the response was so massive, a five-day memorial service has been commissioned that ends February 23 at the RACC building located at 1600 Chamberlayne Avenue in Richmond. According to the Facebook event page, over 6,000 people have indicated their interest in attending.
More Studies Instituted To Research How To Pay For I-81 Corridor Improvements
After backlash from tolling proposals, the newly-formed Interstate 81 Committee will study what drivers will tolerate when it comes to paying for roadway improvements.
Former Gov. McAuliffe Quiets Calls For Resignations In Virginia’s Executive Branch
As all three political leaders of Virginia’s Democrat-led executive branch have dealt with racial and sexual scandals over the past two weeks, it seems that not only Attorney General Mark Herring (D), but also Governor Ralph Northam (D) may get off scot-free for appearing in racist photos. After a week of rapprochement of protests in front of the Executive Mansion in downtown Richmond and universal calls from his own party for his resignation, former Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) is also backing down his charge for Northam to leave office.
McAuliffe, a presumed 2020 Democratic presidential contender, appeared on CBS‘s “Face the Nation” to speak about the controversies in the Commonwealth, meanwhile peddling his new book “Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism,” which is about how “Virginia and the country continue to deal with racism.”
While hitting off the segment with his new book, McAuliffe did not say a word about resignations, seemingly accepting Northam’s extraordinarily vague plan to redeem his image and his governorship with a “focus on race and equity.”
“I think he’s made a decision he’s going to stay in,” McAuliffe said of Northam, who was his own lieutenant governor while he was in charge of the Commonwealth until January 2018. McAuliffe added, “but the way that Ralph survives and brings Virginia back together, he’s got to lean in on these very important issues.”
Nevertheless, as Northam launches his “listening tour” throughout the Commonwealth to learn more about “race, history, and white privilege,” and other obvious things he apparently never knew, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax (D) is also dealing with a deepening sexual assault scandal that has his staffers jumping ship and his part-time law firm employer suspending him.
Currently, Fairfax is battling back against two accusers, one who said he sexually assaulted her in 2004, and one who said he raped her while in college in 2000.
Dr. Vanessa Tyson, a Scripps College professor, has alleged that Fairfax sexually assaulted her at the 2004 Boston Democratic National Convention. In her statement published by the New York Times, Dr. Tyson said she came forward after the news of Fairfax’s likely elevation to the top political position in Virginia as the governor is embroiled in racial controversy, because it “flooded” her with “painful memories, bringing back feelings of grief, shame, and anger that stemmed from an incident with Mr. Fairfax.”
Meredith Wilson, a student at Duke University in 2000, while Fairfax also attended the North Carolina college, came forth days later with allegations that she was raped by Fairfax in a “premeditated and aggressive” fashion.
Fairfax has called the accusations “false and unsubstantiated,” a “totally fabricated story,” and “demonstrably false.” The lieutenant governor has also accused staffers of embattled Governor Northam for leaking the sexual assault allegations and engaging in a “vicious and coordinated smear campaign” to derail his pathway to the governor’s office.
When news of the second sexual assault allegation broke, McAuliffe wasted no time in calling for Fairfax’s “immediate” resignation on Twitter.
“The allegations against Justin Fairfax are serious and credible. It is clear to me that he can no longer effectively serve the people of Virginia as Lieutenant Governor. I call for his immediate resignation,” he said.
However, McAuliffe is now quieting his own requests and demanding an investigation into the allegations.
Commenting on the situation, McAuliffe said, “Very serious allegations have been made. They need to be investigated…So we will go through that process.”
Showing a willingness to investigate the alleged crimes, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) has said any inquiry must be bipartisan and “very deliberate.” However, House Democrats have blocked any probe by the General Assembly from moving forward, scuttling last week’s impeachment push by Delegate Patrick Hope (D-Arlington).
Regardless, McAuliffe’s remarks on Sunday suggest that Democratic leaders are coming around to accepting the scandalous status quo in Richmond. It could be that the party faithful have realized that a Republican would be in line for the governorship if all three in the executive branch resigned, or that, considering they came out and denounced Northam, Fairfax, and Herring, they feel they can remain in a position of moral high ground on issues of race, gender, and social justice.
Despite the situation looking more and more like a political double standard, Virginia’s top-three elected Democrats may end up holding on to their positions for the time being. Whether any of the three can go on to win higher offices still remains to be seen.
The other lurking question facing Virginia Democrats is whether the tainted triumvirate hurts the party as it looks to take control of both houses of the General Assembly in November’s elections, following its 15-seat gain in the House of Delegates in 2017. With a one-member majority in both the House and Senate, the longer the scandals roll on, the more dissatisfied the Democratic base could become, losing excitement at the ballot box.