A schism between Democrats in Richmond may have sunk their eleventh hour hopes to shore …
Recounts Appear Likely in House of Delegates Elections
Two close House of Delegates races in Hampton Roads may be heading for a recount. …
DPVA Shuns Fairfax From Annual Gala As Scandal-Ridden Democrats Struggle In Election Year
Apart from refusing contributions from Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, neither Governor Ralph Northam, nor Attorney General Mark Herring, both of whom admitted to wearing blackface years ago, have sought to sponsor a table at the fundraising event, showing that scandals still engulf Virginia Democrats.
House Democrats Refuse Bipartisan Hearing For Sexual Assault Survivors In Reconvened Session
During the Virginia General Assembly’s reconvened session on Wednesday, a Republican lawmaker in the House of Delegates made a final push to convince House Democrats to grant the two women accusing Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax (D) of sexual assault and rape a bipartisan legislative hearing. The move came just days after Dr. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Wilson gave heart-wrenching accounts of their incidents with Fairfax in nationally-televised interviews.
Both women have repeatedly requested both sides of the aisle in the statehouse to simply listen to their stories. However, Democrats have blocked every single proposal.
House Republicans have worked since February towards a bipartisan plan of action to give the two accusers an opportunity for a hearing, which would also grant due process to Fairfax. House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) explained that the legislature was set to “establish a bipartisan subcommittee of the House Courts Committee with an equal number of members from both parties.”
Chairman of the House Courts of Justice Committee Rob Bell (R-Albemarle) sent a letter to House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax), which set specific parameters for the bipartisan hearing. In her letter back to Delegate Bell, Delegate Filler-Corn stated the Democratic Party is “concerned that enacting the plan that you [Delegate Bell] have proposed would establish an ill-defined precedent for the future, which could be abused,” deferring to pursue a “third party entity” to conduct the hearing.
In a statement, Speaker Cox said, “There should be no mistake about what has happened here: the alleged victims are seeking a bipartisan hearing; Republicans are seeking a bipartisan hearing; Democrats in the House of Delegates are refusing to allow that to happen.”
When the House met in Richmond on Wednesday, Delegate Bell offered to convene an emergency Courts of Justice Committee meeting to listen to any path forward proposed by Democrats.
“They want a chance to be heard,” Bell said of Tyson and Watson. “If there is anything you would say yes to, then let’s do it,” he added, offering for the committee to meet just minutes after a recess.
“Don’t let this day end. We can make this happen, just say yes,” he pleaded.
Regardless, House Democrats refused.
“This is good news for Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, but a bad day for sexual assault survivors who simply want their chance to be heard,” said Delegate Bell.
Kirk Cox Slams House Democrats Refusing Bipartisan Hearing For Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s Sexual Assault Survivors
“There should be no mistake about what has happened here: the alleged victims are seeking a bipartisan hearing; Republicans are seeking a bipartisan hearing; Democrats in the House of Delegates are refusing to allow that to happen,” charged Speaker of the House of Delegates Kirk Cox.
After Democrats Obstruct, House GOP Announces Fairfax Hearings Will Move Forward
One day after House Democrats shut down investigations into accusations of sexual assault leveled against Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, a top House Republican announced that the GOP will give Fairfax’s accusers the opportunity to testify before the General Assembly, per their request.
Delegate Rob Bell (R-Albemarle), who chairs the Courts of Justice committee which holds jurisdiction, announced on the floor that the GOP would not let Democrats’ refusal to participate prevent the hearings from moving forward.
“We tried to work diligently with our colleagues across the aisle to create a bipartisan way to investigate,” said Delegate Bell. “We proposed a special subcommittee that would have been five-five. Five Republicans, five Democrats, to hear testimony, issue subpoenas, and conduct the investigation. That was declined.”
For the past week, House GOP leaders had tried to obtain the cooperation of Democratic lawmakers, whose interest in pursuing hearings waned after party leadership blocked an effort by Delegate Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) to introduce articles of impeachment against Fairfax. Hope said that would create a process for moving forward.
House Republicans had proposed a special subcommittee of the Courts of Justice Committee, to consist of five Democrats and Five Republicans, charged with hearing testimony, issuing subpoenas, and investigating the charges against Lieutenant Governor Fairfax.
Under House rules, actions by the committee require a majority, meaning that the committee would be unable to act along party lines.
House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), who proposed the concept, said that adherence to bipartisanship was necessary to handle what he called a sensitive matter.
After repeated attempts to work with their Democratic colleagues, Republicans said, Democratic leadership rebuffed all offers, saying they wished for the matter to be handled by out-of-state investigators.
Cox responded that Democrats were offering “excuses” and attempting to “run out the clock” with only days left in the scheduled legislative session. He added that the House had a “duty” to investigate.
That duty was again referenced by Bell in his announcement, in which he cited the rules of the House of Delegates.
“The rules of the House are clear,” Bell added. “Rule 18 says, ‘It shall be the duty of each committee to inquire into the condition and administration of the laws relating to the subjects which it has in its charge, to investigate the conduct, and look to the responsibility of all public officers and agents concerned and to suggest such measures as will correct abuses to protect the public interests and promote the public welfare.'”
So far, House Democrats have resisted all efforts to hold hearings and hear testimony from Fairfax’s accusers.
Yesterday, in a rotunda press conference, House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Springfield) avoided giving direct answers, even as Cox pressed for a “yes or no” response.
Filler-Corn said the General Assembly’s involvement might impede out of state criminal investigations, declining to commit to any hearings or investigation in Virginia when asked by reporters.
“Our concern really is about impeding a criminal investigation,” she said. “That is one of our concerns and we have laid that out and expressed that, communicated to them several times about that.”
The reporter asking the question said she failed to directly answer it.
“But you’re not directly answering this question that we’ve asked, I think, three times now,” said the reporter.
Cox was unequivocal in saying the General Assembly must act.
“I think it’s very essential that we have a formalized process that’s a bipartisan process, by which we really look at what happened, obviously, with Lieutenant Governor Fairfax,” said the speaker. “Give an opportunity to the two women to tell their story.”
Cox also noted that the hearings were requested by both of Fairfax’s accusers.
“The victims are asking for this,” added Cox. They’ve consistently asked for this. I think you’ve seen editorials in newspapers. I saw a letter today from Vanessa Tyson that is basically, and I think properly, calling us to take some action.”
“I think it’s very appropriate to get going on this, and that’s why I’ve been really pushing the Democrats to give me an answer. And they seem to be running out the clock.”
The legislative session is scheduled to conclude tomorrow, on Saturday. Bell said the hearings would occur at a future date, to be determined.
With Bell’s announcement, Fairfax’s accusers will get their public hearing and opportunity to testify, with or without Democrats participating in the process.
Fairfax, a former federal prosecutor, has denied the allegations, asking instead for an FBI investigation. The agency lacks jurisdiction to investigate.
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.
34 Democrats Vote Down Republican-Led Emergency Tax Relief
As Republicans remain unified behind tax relief, Democrats remain committed to emptying the pockets of middle-class Virginians.
Culpeper, Virginia, Reeling From Vandalism In Wake Of Governor’s Abortion Comments
Culpeper, a quiet Central Virginia town of less than 20,000 people, is making headlines today.
Northam Gaslights America as Democrats Pledge To Bring Infanticide Bill Back in 2020
“Misinformation has been circulating on where Virginia Democrats stand on issues related to women’s reproductive health,” said Governor Ralph Northam (D) at a Thursday afternoon press conference. The situation began Tuesday morning after shocking video was released from a House subcommittee meeting detailing a Democratic lawmaker speaking about her late-term abortion bill.
H.B. 2491, introduced by Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Springfield), would repeal restrictions on third trimester abortions, allowing abortion doctors to self-certify the necessity of late-term procedures, eliminate informed consent requirements, repeal abortion clinic health and safety standards, permit late-term abortions to be performed in outpatient clinics, remove ultrasound requirements, and eliminate Virginia’s 24-hour waiting period.
In the days since the development, pro-life advocates from across the country have spoken out against the legislation, including President Donald Trump.
“I’m surprised that he did that, I’ve met him a number of times,” Trump said of the governor. The commander in chief also said that Delegate Tran’s remarks were “terrible,” after having seen the video.
At the press conference this afternoon, beside members of the Virginia Democratic leadership, Governor Northam said that he was there “to set the record straight.”
“There’s a fundamental difference between us and Republicans in what we believe on a woman’s right to choose. We believe legislators, most of whom are men, should not be making decisions about women’s choices for their reproductive health.”
Northam added that the Virginia GOP is trying to “score points any way they can.”
“Virginia Democrats know we are better than that,” he added.
Attorney General Mark Herring (D) spoke next. He started off by saying that “desperation can be ugly. And what we saw yesterday from Republicans was desperate and ugly.” He stated that claims from GOP lawmakers that Governor Northam supports infanticide “would be laughable if it wasn’t such a grotesque idea.”
During a Wednesday morning address on WTOP’s “Ask The Governor” segment, Northam commented on the situation surrounding the response to Delegate Tran’s bill by saying the widespread reaction was “blown out of proportion.”
Explaining it himself, he said the following:
“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”
Conservatives across the Commonwealth and the U.S. quickly condemned Northam’s rhetoric, charging that he “supports infanticide.”
During the press conference, when asked about what he said and if it had been taken out of context, he responded with, “I don’t have any regrets….I regret that those comments have been mischaracterized.”
Regardless, it spurred Republican lawmakers to give emotional speeches on the floor of the House the following day.
Speaker of the House Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) made a rare and powerful speech after he stepped of the dais.
“I will never stop fighting for the promise of life as long as I hold a gavel, as long as I can speak into this microphone, as long as I have the privilege of this floor. I promise to fight for the promise of life,” he said.
Delegate Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg) also gave a personal story.
“Mr. Speaker, I’m not going to let anyone take the life of my son, and I’m not going to vote to allow other people to take the lives of other people’s sons,” he proclaimed.
As Virginians continue to reel from this week’s developments, one comment from House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) rings very true.
“I think what my Democratic colleagues are most concerned about is what this moment actually revealed. It was a moment of unbridled honesty about their agenda, and their legislation, and what it actually does.”
Meanwhile, the RTD’s Graham Moomaw asked Democratic minority leader Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax) whether they had any intentions of bringing the infanticide bill back should they capture the majority in the November 2019 elections:
When asked if Democrats would pursue legislation similar to Tran’s if they take control of the House next year, Filler-Corn said that “there’s a lot of support for this type of legislation.”
Short answer? Yes they will… and if Governor Northam’s comments this afternoon are any indicator as to where Virginia Democrats intend campaign this year, it will be championing — not walking back — from this week’s exposition of how wrapped into the abortion industry the progressive left has become.
