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Alex Lemieux

Alex Lemieux is a Richmond-based editor with The Republican Standard.

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Republicans In Richmond Tout Leadership And Results Amid Democratic Chaos And Embarrassment

The Virginia House GOP released a video earlier this week touting legislative accomplishments made during this year’s 46-day session on Bank Street in Richmond. Republicans pushed through nearly $1 billion in tax relief, K-12 and college education enhancements, government reforms, and a myriad of other measures amid the racial and sexual scandals blanketing the Commonwealth’s Democrat-led executive branch.

To recap February’s controversies:

Governor Ralph Northam (D) reportedly appeared in a photo in his 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) yearbook either in blackface or in KKK robes. He first confirmed that he was in the photo – not saying which one – then backpedaled the day following at a very odd press conference, which included an attempt to “moonwalk” in front of reporters and his wife, Pam, telling him “inappropriate circumstances.”

A yearbook photo was also released of Northam while he was a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in the early 1980s. Placed underneath his head shot was his nickname, “Coonman,” a racial epithet.

Embarking on his racial “reconciliation tour” last week, the governor gaslighted America again, calling slaves brought to America in the early 1600s “indentured servants” during an interview with CBS‘s Gayle King, chalking up his blackface photos to “white privilege.” Moreover, the first stop on his tour had to be cancelled following widespread student backlash at Virginia Union University (VUU) continuing calls for his immediate resignation.

Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax (D) now faces at least two sexual assault accusations that has Republicans in the House of Delegates proposing an investigation into the matter, and Democrats declining to participate in the bipartisan process.

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 the embattled governor for leaking the allegations and engaging in a “vicious and coordinated smear campaign” to derail his pathway to the governor’s office.

Attorney General Mark Herring (D) also admitted to wearing blackface, trying to look like black rapper Kurtis Blow at a party at the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville in 1980. His admission came just a few days after he called for Northam’s resignation for appearing in racist photos.

Although the calls for Northam to step down from office are far-reaching, many have claimed that officials are backing off of Herring to resign for political reasons.

Nevertheless, amid the national embarrassment, Speaker of the House of Delegates Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) reassured Virginians that although “our diverse Commonwealth has been deeply shaken,” it nevertheless “remains economically vibrant, fiscally sound, safe and secure.”

Finishing off the 2019 legislative session on Sunday morning, Republicans were able to deliver on a key promise to return $976 million from the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) to taxpayers.

Under the plan, the Commonwealth’s standard deduction would be increased by 50 percent – the first such change for individual filers since 1989 – rising from $3,000 to $4,500 for individuals, and from $6,000 to $9,000 for couples, primarily benefiting lower and middle-income taxpayers. The plan also preserves existing state law on the deductibility of state and local taxes (SALT), provides additional tax refunds of $110 for individuals and $220 for couples, and much more.

Overall, 70 percent of rebates will go to taxpayers making $100,000 or less.

Despite providing tax relief, House Republicans were also able to secure a five percent pay raise for teachers, which will be included in the final budget.

Primed to increase security in schools across the Commonwealth and protect students, teachers, and staff from harm during emergencies, the GOP also worked to pass a myriad of legislation that created a multi-year blueprint for improving school safety.

Parts of the legislative package would require school counselors to spend at least 80 percent of their time counseling students, mandates that school officials set forth annual safety training in public elementary and secondary schools, develop a case management tools for school threat assessment teams, and provide approximately $12 million to fund school safety initiatives, including additional money for school resource officers (SROs), infrastructure improvements, and technology upgrades.

Built on the 24-point priority recommendation plan from the Select Committee on School Safety, Speaker of the House Cox called the work “groundbreaking.”

The statehouse also passed legislation to lift the age cap on autism health coverage. Under current Virginia law, insurers must cover treatments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from ages two through 10, which has placed a difficult burden on families as the average age of diagnosis is between six and seven years of age, according to a report from VCU’s Autism Center of Excellence.

Striking away ASD as the only medical condition subject to coverage limitations based on the age of the patient, the GOP-led legislation means that approximately 10,000 Virginians with autism will have expanded access to healthcare, requiring health insurers to cover treatment regardless of the patient’s age.

While the chaos from the Democratic executive branch may have rendered a stain on the “Virginia Way,” Republicans showed that leadership matters, providing good governance for the Commonwealth’s citizens.

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.

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.