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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.
Northam Cancels Appearance At Marsden Fundraiser After Protests
Over two months after Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) came out with his wholehearted support of a highly controversial late-term abortion bill, his subsequent “infanticide” comments on the matter, and was hit with the release of racist photos from his past, the national media has packed up and left Richmond, but Virginians across the Commonwealth have not forgotten.
In the latest fallout from his scandals, Northam’s appearance at a fundraiser in Northern Virginia for a Democratic state senator ahead of the 2019 elections was cancelled after dozens of protesters showed up.
Last week, it was announced that Northam would be attending a campaign kickoff event for State Senator Dave Marsden (D-Burke) in the legislator’s home district.
Even though Marsden backed widespread calls for the governor to step down from office beginning February 1 in order to allow Virginians heal from the emergence of the shocking, racist photos, he completely flipped on his position to place a stark condemnation on Northam.
Just days after the announcement of the event, the Fairfax County NAACP and the Virginia GOP started to organize a protest as photos reportedly showing the governor appearing in blackface or dressed in KKK robes remain unexplained.
Although the two groups are on different sides of the political aisle, they have found one thing they can agree on: their dislike for Governor Northam.
Less an one hour before Northam was scheduled to appear at the fundraiser, his presence was cancelled due to “safety concerns.”
In a short interview in defense of the embattled governor, NBC 4 reports that Marsden, after having the headliner of his reelection fundraiser drop out because of protesters, still does not see Northam as a liability.
“He’s been an effective leader, and we want to work with him,” Marsden said.
When asked about his blatant flip flop on his call for Northam to resign, Marsden added, “Politics is a tough business…We made a recommendation to the governor that he might step aside…he chose to stay and do what the people elected him to do.”
What Marsden actually means is that in an election year, lawmakers have principles, but if they are not conducive to getting reelected, they can be changed.
Virginia GOP, Fairfax NAACP To Protest Northam At Dave Marsden Fundraiser
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Amid Racial Scandal, Northam To Cast Shadow Over Dave Marsden Fundraiser
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Virginia’s Democrat-Led Executive Branch Suffers Hit In Approval Ratings After Scandals
Two months after the beginning of his racial scandal, Governor Ralph Northam has an approval rating of just 40 percent.
At Least 6,500 Marched On State Capitol Against Democrat’s Late-Term Abortion Bill
As legislators convened in Richmond for the General Assembly’s one-day session to consider the governor’s vetos on Wednesday, thousands marched on the Capitol against the failed Democrat-led legislation that would have repealed any meaningful restrictions on late-term abortions. Capitol Police estimated that 6,500 were in attendance to protest the bill carried by Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Fairfax) and Governor Ralph Northam’s (D) subsequent “infanticide” comments.
The “Virginia March for Life,” the largest pro-life demonstration at the statehouse in recent memory, was organized by a partnership between The Family Foundation, Virginia Catholic Conference, the Virginia Society for Human Life, and the national March for Life.
As thousands stood outside the statehouse, a few dozen members of the House and Senate Republican caucuses made an appearance on the steps of the Capitol, with some giving a few, short remarks that were met with loud, complimentary roars from the crowd.
“There’s not a more important issue that I’ve deal with in my career in the legislature than life,” said House Speaker Kirk Cox, (R-Colonial Heights), who was welcomed with chants of “Thank you!”
Earlier in the day, Democrats held their own pro-abortion rally which featured Catholics for Choice, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, women who have proudly had abortions, and other abortion advocates. The meeting dubbed “Speak Out for Abortion Access” had just an estimated 60 people in attendance, showing a stark contrast compared to the thousands who came out to reject doing away with all protections for the unborn, even situations wherein an child born after a failed abortion attempt could face death.
“We believe that all people should have the ability to make our own personal reproductive health care decisions,” said Senate Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax), according to a report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “I promise you that I will stand up and fight every day as a proud pro-choice state senator…and I will not stop until all of your voices are heard and all of us have reproductive freedom.”
The nationwide backlash started after the “Repeal Act,” introduced as H.B. 2491 by Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Springfield), was set to repeal restrictions on third trimester abortions, allow 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 abortions would be carried out “through the third trimester.” She added that “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 (R-Shenandoah), the subcommittee’s chairman, Delegate 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.
Comments surrounding the bill became far more menacing in the days following when Governor Northam, during an address on WTOP’s “Ask The Governor” segment, said the response to Tran’s bill was “blown out of proportion.”
Explaining a potential situation the bill would influence, 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.”
In the two months since the bill was presented, pro-life advocates across the nation have become outraged, and multiple marches and rallies have set their sights on Virginia. In his “State of the Union” address, President Donald Trump even slammed Northam’s comments, reiterating that he would work to ensure protections for the unborn.
“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.”
Although the “infanticide bill” was not expected to pass during this year’s session, it represents a progressive policy vision embraced by the leaders of Virginia’s Democratic Party, including Governor Northam, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax (D), and Attorney General Mark Herring (D). Democrats have also reiterated that the aforementioned bill would become a priority if they regain majority in the General Assembly – just over seven months away from the 2019 statewide elections.
McAuliffe Says He Now Supports Virginia’s Controversial Late-Term Abortion Bill
Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) has now flip-flopped his position on a highly controversial late-term abortion bill that was sponsored by a majority of Democrats during this year’s General Assembly session. McAuliffe called the legislation a “common sense bill” after distancing himself from it just one month ago.
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).
Just days after the bill garnered nationwide attention, McAuliffe appeared on CNN stating that he would “absolutely not” support it when asked by host Jake Tapper.
“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 [Northam],” he continued, falsely stating that Governor Northam did not support Tran’s “Repeal Act.”
However, the former governor backtracked on his views during a Monday interview on the “John Fredericks Show.”
McAuliffe explained that the bill was not completely focused on expanding abortion access throughout an entire pregnancy, but rather that it sought to change the Virginia requirement stating that women must get the approval of three doctors before pursuing a late-term abortion.
“This is very important. This is when stuff gets caught up in the political grinder,” McAuliffe said in reference to the outrage that ensued after Delegate Tran presented the bill and Governor Northam supported it the following day, also alluding to the support of infanticide.
During a morning address on WTOP’s “Ask The Governor” after the controversial bill was presented, Northam commented on the situation by saying the widespread reaction to the bill was “blown out of proportion.”
“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen,” the governor responded when asked about the legislation. Upon further questioning, he described a potential scenario if the bill were to be passed by the state legislature.
“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,” Northam added, implying that the physician and mother would discuss whether the newly-born child should either live or die.
In his interview on the “John Fredericks Show,” McAuliffe doubled down in his support for the abortion bill, explaining that disputing bills like Delegate Tran’s will hurt the Commonwealth’s attractiveness to women in positions of power.
“Any time you get in these discussions, it’s not helpful,” he said, adding that “this was a common-sense bill.”