Kathy Tran

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Sponsor of 40 Week Abortion Bill Rumored as Replacement for Lt. Gov. Fairfax

State Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), who sponsored legislation repealing restrictions on third trimester abortions, might become the next Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.

The rumors appeared yesterday afternoon, after a second accuser against Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax came forward, claiming the embattled Democratic leader raped her in 2000, while they were both students at Duke University. That revelation triggered Democratic calls for resignation, swiftly followed by plans to introduce articles of impeachment on Monday.

With Fairfax’s political survival seeming unlikely, Democrats have begun floating potential replacements. One name frequently heard in the halls of Richmond and on Twitter is that of Senator Jennifer McClellan, who served eleven years in the House of Delegates before winning election to the Senate in 2017.

Democrats say McClellan could help lead the Democratic Party out of a period of scandal and turmoil, even though she faces controversy of her own for sponsoring SB1451, the Senate version of the late-term abortion legislation which initiated the leadership crisis now enveloping Richmond.

The cycle of political fallout began with public backlash over Delegate Kathy Tran’s (D-Springfield) failed 40 week late term abortion bill, which touched off national controversy over a viral video of her committee testimony, followed by highly criticized remarks on the bill by Governor Northam.

McClellan carried an identical measure in the Senate, which failed on a party line vote weeks before its companion in the House.

The abortion bill proved too extreme for some pro-choice Democrats, including former Governor Terry McAuliffe and US Senator Tim Kaine.

Outraged by the governor’s remarks, one of his classmates from medical school tipped off a reporter about a racist photograph on Northam’s yearbook page, which featured a man in blackface appearing next to another dressed in full Ku Klux Klan robes. Northam briefly admitted to appearing in the photograph, before reversing course and saying it wasn’t him.

Following the revelation, accusations of rape and sexual assault surfaced against Fairfax, prompting his suggestion that fellow Democrats leaked the story to protect Governor Northam or clear a path for Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney to assume the Lt. Governor’s post.

Days later, rumors of a racist photo of Attorney General Mark Herring prompted the second-in-line office holder to issue a statement admitting to wearing blackface in college.

Then, on Friday, a second accuser against Fairfax came forward, leading to waves of calls for resignation followed by plans by Democrats to introduce articles of impeachment on Monday.

If McClellan should secure Northam’s appointment, it would leave the position on Democratic leadership’s support of the bill unchanged.

A majority of Democrats in the General Assembly co-sponsored the legislation, though one, Delegate Dawn Adams (D-Henrico), subsequently expressed regret for signing on to a bill she said she didn’t read.

McClellan spoke about the bill at the press conference in which Northam announced his support, appearing alongside Tran.

“Unfortunately, today, about an hour ago, the Senate version of the Repeal Act died on a party line vote,” said McClellan. “So, we continue to fight, and we will be back next year to make sure that the Repeal Act passes.”

So far, the speculation over McClellan’s potential ascent has proven credible, prompting serious discussion by notable observers of Virginia politics.

“I’m not advocating for anyone but politically, you can argue the choice should be: squeaky clean + woman + person of color,” pondered Sabato, speaking to the optics of the decision facing Governor Ralph Northam, who remains embroiled in controversy over a racist photo on his college yearbook’s page.

“Say, Jennifer McClellan, an #Rva senator?” wondered Jeff Schapiro, a columnist with the Richmond Times-Dispatch who follows the inner workings of the General Assembly.

With the scandal moving quickly, the embattled Fairfax may choose to resign rather than face impeachment on Monday, even though he ruled out resignation in his response to the second accusation.

A potential McClellan appointment would be on an interim basis, with a special election to be called for November.

“That arrangement would likely be short-lived, because the governor has ‘constitutional authority to fill the vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor,’ said A.E. Dick Howard, a law professor at the University of Virginia who led the drafting of Virginia’s current state constitution in the late 1960s and early 1970s,” reported Politico, covering potential succession scenarios.

Even on an interim basis, McClellan serving as an appointed lieutenant governor would give her a substantial boost in securing the Democratic nomination for November.

Regardless of Fairfax’s decision, the turmoil at the capitol shows no signs of abating.

Featured News

Trump Condemns Northam’s Abortion Comments, Promises To Protect The Unborn

In last night’s State of the Union (SOTU) address, President Donald Trump took some time to speak about two instances in the U.S. where state legislatures have considered shocking measures in undo meaningful restrictions on late-term abortions. One example involving terminating the lives of the unborn sent emotionally-charged shockwaves through the Commonwealth of Virginia just last week.

“There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother holding her infant child than the chilling displays our nation saw in recent days,” Trump said in his address to both houses of Congress and the American people. “Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother’s womb moments before birth.”

The bill that passed though the New York state legislature allows women to seek abortions after a fetus is 24 weeks old if the mother’s life or health is threatened by the pregnancy, also making it legal for women to have an abortion at any time if the fetus is non-viable. Moreover, abortion is moved to be regulated under public health law, rather than criminal law, and allows licensed nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and licensed midwives to conduct abortions.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) hailed the passage of the legislation as a “giant step forward.”

Following the development, the spire atop New York’s Freedom Tower, standing 1,776 feet above the ground, was lit bright pink in solidarity with the activists and lawmakers who helped push the monumental change.

Speaking to the horrors the legislation will condone, President Trump stated, “These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world.”

“And then,” the president continued, “we had the case of the governor of Virginia where he stated he would execute a baby after birth.”

The mention comes after Governor Ralph Northam (D) doubled down on his support for Democrats in their effort to pass a sweeping late-term abortion bill. Although the legislation was tabled in the 2019 General Assembly Session, it is a high priority for Virginia Democrats if they take back the majority in the legislature – just nine months away from the November elections.

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.

During her presentation of the bill in a House subcommittee, Delegate Tran said third trimester abortions would face substantially fewer restrictions.

“How late in the third trimester could a physician perform an abortion if he indicated it would impair the mental health of the woman,” subcommittee chairman Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) asked.

“Through the third trimester,” Tran responded. “The third trimester goes all the way up to forty weeks.”

Delegate Tran also clarified that abortion procedures would be allowed up until the end of a woman’s pregnancy.

“I don’t think we have a limit in the bill,” she added.

In response to a question from House Majority Leader Gilbert, Tran also suggested that partial-birth abortions would be subject to the bill’s repeal of existing restrictions on the procedure.

“Where it’s obvious that a woman is about to give birth, that she has physical signs that she is about to give birth, would that still be a point at which she could request an abortion if she was so certified?” Gilbert asked.

“She’s dilating,” he continued. “I’m asking if your bill allows that.”

“My bill would allow that, yes,” Tran affirmed.

Upon further questioning, Delegate Tran explicitly addressed the hypothetical case of aborting a healthy infant, one week before the mother’s due date, on grounds of mental health.

“I certainly could have said a week from her due date and that would have been the same answer, correct?” Gilbert continued.

“That it’s allowed in the bill? Yes,” Tran said.

54 percent – a majority – of Democratic lawmakers sponsored Delegate Tran’s late-term abortion bill, in addition to Governor Northam, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax (D), and Attorney General Mark Herring (D).

Nevertheless, comments surrounding the bill became far more menacing in the days following when the political leader of the Commonwealth alluded to infanticide.

During a morning address on WTOP’s “Ask The Governor” segment, Governor Northam commented on the situation surrounding the response to 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.”

“To defend the dignity of every person,” President Trump charged lawmakers, “I am asking Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother’s womb.”

Virginia Republicans have the full backing of pro-life President Trump in the effort of protecting life in the womb.

Mirroring what Speaker of the House of Delegates Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) said in his rare, emotional speech rebutting the perturbing Democratic bill, promising “to fight for the promise of life, the president added in his SOTU address, “let us reaffirm a fundamental truth — all children — born and unborn— are made in the holy image of God.”

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Tran’s Late Term Abortion Bill Proves too Extreme for Terry McAuliffe, Tim Kaine

Following a week of national outrage, two prominent pro-choice Democrats, former Governor Terry McAuliffe and US Senator Tim Kaine, are distancing themselves from Virginia’s controversial abortion bill submitted by Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Springfield), which drew widespread condemnation after Tran said on tape the bill would allow virtually unrestricted abortion in the third trimester, up until the moment of birth.

In a Sunday morning CNN interview, McAuliffe distanced himself from the legislation, responding “absolutely not” when host Jake Tapper asked the potential presidential candidate if he supported it.

“Where we come from, it’s ‘life of the mother’ in the last trimester,” said McAuliffe.

“I do not support that legislation, nor does Ralph,” he continued, falsely stating that Governor Northam did not support Tran’s “Repeal Act.”

Northam voiced public support for the abortion bill at a January 17th press conference, held with Tran and several pro-abortion groups backing the measure. At the event, Northam received praise from Tarina Keene, executive director of NARL Pro-Choice Virginia, who thanked the governor for making the legislation a priority of his administration.

“As you know, I do support the repeal bill,” said Northam, before later urging Virginians to elect a Democratic majority, to pass the bill next year.

Joining McAuliffe in denouncing Tran’s late term abortion bill was Tim Kaine, one of the two United States Senators representing the Commonwealth.

“I support the existing Virginia law, which has been in place since the mid-’70s, and it puts conditions upon a third-trimester abortion,” said Kaine, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “I support the existing law, not the Tran bill. I don’t think the existing law needs to be changed.”

As Virginia’s governor and later senator, Kaine had a pro-choice voting record.

As governor, McAuliffe was also favorably inclined towards abortion rights, which he noted in his CNN interview. During his 2013 campaign, McAuliffe received $1,689,519 from Planned Parenthood and affiliates, according to campaign finance reports compiled by VPAP.

McAuliffe and Kaine’s distancing reinforce a frequent criticism from Republican leaders, that the public outrage over the bill is genuinely against a measure which voters feel goes too far.

According polling conducted by Gallup from May 1-10, 2018, only 13% of Americans support legislation allowing unrestricted abortion until the moment of birth, as Tran’s bill proposed.

Gallup’s findings mirror results from a January 2019 Marist survey, which found only 15% of adults in support of Tran’s position, allowing virtually unrestricted abortion at any point during a pregnancy.

Already, public reaction to the bill has been swift, drawing condemnation even from many pro-choice voters who, like McAuliffe and Kaine, support legal abortion, but not late term abortion all the way through 40 weeks of pregnancy.

That outrage pushed one of the bill’s 22 Democratic co-sponsors, pro-choice Delegate Dawn Adams (D-Henrico), to withdraw her support.

After the controversy broke, Adams wrote in a letter to constituents that he hadn’t fully read the bill before signing on to it, saying she “did not exercise due diligence,” according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“I made a mistake, and all I know to do is to admit it, tell the truth, and let the chips fall where they may,” read Adams’ letter.

In the Virginia House on Friday, Delegate Rob Bell (R-Albemarle) asked the 20 House Democratic co-sponsors where they stood on the legislation, noting they still have time to withdraw their support, on an issue which could prove important in the upcoming fall elections.

“It is now Friday,” said Bell. “I would encourage all of my friends to take this chance to not let this week end without making it crystal clear where you stand on this law that we now all understand what it says.”

“If you’re a co-patron and wish to get off, you still can. You can walk down the aisle, talk to Mr. Nardo, and he will take you off as a co-patron of the bill.”

As of Sunday morning, Virginia’s legislative information system showed that none of the co-patrons had withdrawn their sponsorship of the bill.

Featured News

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.