After Henrico and Chesterfield counties released their overtime pay figures via an FOIA request, the City of Richmond refused to do so, even after one DPU employee was paid for almost 1,900 hours of overtime in 2017.
Study Shows Over 60 Percent Of Richmond Roads In ‘Poor’ Condition
However bad you thought the roads in Richmond, Virginia, were, you were probably right.
VA Dems Executive Calls African-American Conservatives ‘Embarrassment To America’
“Dinesh D’Souza and the rest of that group are an embarrassment to America. We can’t wait for them to exit our Commonwealth,” said a Virginia Democratic Party spokesman as “Blexit” came to Richmond over the weekend.
Bill Permitting Electric Scooters Zips Out Of General Assembly
After an unorthodox start to their presence in Virginia, the General Assembly establishes rules governing motorized scooters and skateboards.
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.
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.
Republican Derails Democrat’s Raucous Racism Rant Over Sanctuary Cities Bill
A bill banning sanctuary cities in Virginia caused fireworks on the floor of the House of Delegates today after a Democratic lawmaker charged the GOP-led bill’s directives as “dog whistle politics.” The contention led to a top Republican legislator unequivocally charging the Democratic Caucus to “clean up their own house first” if they “want to talk about racism.”
The situation comes as both Governor Ralph Northam (D) and Attorney General Mark Herring (D) are battling against calls for their resignation after appearing in “blackface” decades ago.
The legislation taken up during Tuesday’s session involved S.B. 1156, patroned by State Senator Dick Black (R-Loudoun), which would prohibit any locality from adopting any ordinance, procedure, or policy that restricts the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The measure, which would outlaw the establishment of sanctuary cities in the Commonwealth, is identical to last year’s H.B. 1257, which failed to become law.
Black’s bill passed the House with a 51-47 vote, but its fate remains uncertain after Governor Northam vetoed the similar measure after the end of the 2018 General Assembly session.
Though, the legislation is not the highlight of this story.
Delegate Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington) rose to make a point about the bill banning sanctuary cities.
“Let’s be clear. Let’s be very clear,” he said shakily. “This bill is really about dog whistle politics, created to stoke fear of ‘the other.'”
Delegate Lopez said the Republican legislation would “send the worst kind of message about Virginia.”
Responding to the seemingly-uncalled-for remarks, House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) spoke to the implication that he said “many of us have grown tired of.”
“Just because we favor something as simple and clear as the rule of law – that we are racist – that was just what was uttered on this floor with the term ‘dog whistle politics,'” he said.
“For the last week,” Gilbert continued, “we have heard, by implication, suggestions that [Republicans] are racist, in some respect or another, and I am tired of it.”
Pointing to the left-leaning side of the aisle, the majority leader charged, “If our friends in the Democratic Caucus want to talk about racism, they need to clean up their own house first…and we’re waiting for you to do that.”
General Assembly May Look To Shed Light On Subcommittee Hearings
Following the viral video of Delegate Kathy Tran explaining her late-term abortion bill, the fight has been renewed for the General Assembly to record and archive all subcommittee hearings.
Democrats Pressured To Donate Northam Political Funds To National Slavery Museum
“It is incredibly hypocritical to call for Governor Northam’s resignation while at the same time spend all of his donations,” said RPV Chairman Jack Wilson.
Gaslighting Governor Northam Blames ‘White Privilege’ For Racist Photos
As embattled Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) attempts to rehabilitate his image in the week and a half since his extraordinary racial controversy began, he continues to show the Commonwealth and the nation at-large that he can no longer effectively govern. During an interview with Gayle King on “CBS This Morning” that aired Monday, not only did Northam call African slaves brought to colonial Virginia “indentured servants,” but now chalks up his racist photos to “white privilege.”
The fallout comes after a photo was released depicting Northam dressed either in blackface or in a Ku Klux Klan robe and hood in his 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook. Shortly after the photo went viral, Northam confirmed that it was him depicted in the photo, but would not say which one he was dressed as – a man in blackface, or a man wearing KKK robes.
That night, he published a video statement explaining his remorse.
“I am deeply sorry. I cannot change the decisions I made, nor can I undo the harm my behavior caused then and today. But, I accept responsibility for my past actions, and I am ready to do the hard work of regaining your trust,” he said.
However, at a very odd press conference the following day, he walked back his admission, claiming that he was not in the photo, but then told a tale of when he did appear in blackface at a 1984 dance contest in San Antonio, Texas, dressed as Michael Jackson. Northam said he had “shoe polish” on his “cheeks” as a part of the costume.
“I have always liked Michael Jackson,” he said, noting that he did win the contest. He added that he “learned to do the moonwalk.”
The governor, after being asked by a reporter if he could still moonwalk, then grinned and looked to his right and left to find room to attempt to show off his dance. His wife, Pam, then said to him “inappropriate circumstances” as he was surrounded by a crowd of stunned reporters.
Dodging widespread calls for his resignation, protests in front of the Executive Mansion in Richmond, and even disappearing from the public eye for a few days, he then began his “I’m sorry” tour to explain his actions and announce that he will take on the responsibility of racial reconciliator for the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2022.
During the interview, King asked Northam, “what have you learned that you didn’t know before.”
“Well, several things, starting with I was born in white privilege and that has implications to it and it is much different the way a white person such as myself is treated in this country,” he said.
“Did you not know that you were born into white privilege?” King asked, interrupting the governor.
“I knew I was, Ms. King, but I didn’t realize, really, the powerful implications of that,” Northam explained. “And again, talking to a lot of friends, that has come crystally clear to me this week. I’ve also learned why the use of blackface is so offensive. And yes, I knew it in the past, but reality has really set in.”
When asked whether or not he knew appearing in blackface was offensive in the past, Northam said that he believes “we’re all on a learning curve.”
“Certainly, Ms. King, I am not the same person now at age 59 that I was back in my early 20s,” he added. “This is a week that has been very eye-opening to me.”
Therefore, Governor Northam did not know it was offensive to don blackface. Not only did he not know it was offensive in 1984, but he apparently did not know it is still offensive in 2019.
It is quite tough to actually analyze the entire situation that has embroiled Virginia’s governor. When it comes to “crisis communications 101,” Northam has written the complete annotated anthology of what not to say and what not to do.
To recap: he admitted to appearing in a racist photo, did not say if he was either dressed as a cartoonish blackface character or in the uniform of a white supremacy group, he then recanted saying that was not him in the photo, he changed his story, he told reporters he won a dance contest dressed in blackface as Michael Jackson, he almost moonwalked in front of national reporters, his wife told him not to moonwalk, he showed off his historical ineptness, and then chalked this all up to white privilege.
Questioning Virginians’ sanity for his own mistakes? If gaslighting needed a clear definition – here it is.
Furthermore, the question that has still yet to be fully answered is why Northam admitted to being the photo in the first place. In another part of the interview, he said he did it out of “shock” when seeing the photo, but that answer leaves a lot to be desired.
As well, his nickname while a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in the early 1980s was “Coonman,” a racial epithet. Why would he be called that unless it had a meaning?
Why wasn’t he asked about that in the CBS interview?
What is truly unbelievable, rather, what is truly fiction-turned-fact, is that literally every person in his own party is calling for him to resign, which is actually quite a conservative statement. There is most likely not one current elected Democratic office holder who has said he should stay in office.
To give a bit of perspective on that, let’s be honest here.
One can find a Democrat to support anything: Venezuela’s Maduro, Syria’s Assad, boycotting In-N-Out Burger, taxing cow farts, infanticide, blaming plastic straws for climate change, removing troops from Guam because the island will “tip over,” anything. But, there is not one Democrat supporting him on this.
Every day governor Northam remains in office is another day the Commonwealth of Virginia continues to be a punchline for skits on “Saturday Night Live,” a comedic comparison to the political process, and an erosion of the “Virginia Way.”
He needs to leave, immediately.