State and National Government
A pseudo-holiday celebrating the use of marijuana tomorrow comes after efforts in Richmond fell short of making Virginia the 11th state to at least partially decriminalize the plant. WFIR’s Ian Price has more ahead of 420 tomorrow on April 20th:
Rep. Denver Riggleman
5th District Congressman Denver Riggleman is praising the manner in which Attorney General William Barr managed the release of Special Counsel Mueller’s report. Barr held a news conference this morning before making the report public. Riggleman says many Democrats would have been critical of the way that was handled no matter what Barr did or did not do — and he was critical of much of the national media’s response:
Democratic leaders in Congress say Barr should have released the report to them and to the public before holding today’s news conference.
Riggleman says he hopes Congress might now turn its attention away from all things Trump and more toward legislating:
He says while it will likely remain difficult to pass any major legislation, he is more hopeful that more targeted bills might see action on matters that include addressing opioid addiction and increasing rural broadband access.
MGN
Democratic Senator Mark Warner says Attorney General William Barr “fundamentally mischaracterized” Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s findings when Barr conducted a news conference before the releasing the report. Warner says it is essential that Congress hear directly from Mueller himself. Here is Warner’s full statement:
“We have received the redacted version of the Special Counsel’s report, and I am carefully reviewing its contents and findings. Even a preliminary review of the material makes it clear that the Attorney General fundamentally mischaracterized the Special Counsel’s findings in his pre-emptive press conference this morning. In the days to come, it is essential that Congress hear directly from the Special Counsel regarding his investigation. The Senate Intelligence Committee continues its own investigation, and I expect to receive a full briefing, an unredacted report, and all the materials underlying the Special Counsel’s findings.”
Republican Congressman Morgan Griffith says the Mueller report finds no Trump campaign collusion with Russia — and the president’s frustration with the investigation did not stop it. Griffith says the issue is resolved, and it is time to close this chapter. Here is Griffith’s full statement:
“While I have not had time to read the entire 400-page report, it is clear that the Special Counsel did not find that President Trump or his campaign colluded or cooperated with Russia. That issue is resolved. It is understandable that the President would be frustrated by an investigation into a crime he did not commit. Moreover, his frustration did not stop the Special Counsel from completing his investigation. The investigation is over, and the Attorney General has released its findings to the public. It is time to close this chapter.”
Virginia US Senator Mark Warner has rolled out the first in a series of bills aimed at regulating social media companies that use so-called “dark patterns.” WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
UPDATE: The crowded field of Democratic hopefuls running for President in 2020 will not feature a former Virginia Governor. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has more
Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe announced last night he will not run for President of the United States in 2020 and will instead focus on helping Democrats in the upcoming state and national elections. McAuliffe told Chris Cuomo last night that he ” had been courted by state Democrats and he would be going home to work like a dog to make sure Virginia is blue.” McAuliffe also spoke about the difficulty of breaking into a current field of 20 candidates and how he believes he can make a difference in Virginia.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – A police sergeant who was investigated for ties to white nationalists has lost his job with Virginia Capitol Police.Capitol Police issued a statement Wednesday saying Robert Stamm has been “separated from his employment” with the division, effective immediately.In February, the Antifascists of Seven Hills published links to Stamm’s social media accounts suggesting that he follows the Asatru Folk Assembly. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes it as a hate group blending northern European paganism and ethnocentrism.Capitol Police then placed Stamm on paid administrative leave and said they were investigating whether Stamm had violated division policies.Stamm could not be reached for comment Wednesday. His attorney, Brent Jackson, said Stamm submitted a letter of resignation Tuesday. A police spokesman, however, said Stamm was “separated” from his job.
Governor Northam has slowly made his way back into the public after the yearbook blackface revelations last February. Virginia Tech Professor and WFIR Political Analyst Bob Denton says what is far less certain is to what extent Northam can can effectively help the Democratic party’s General Assembly candidates in November. And he says Northam’s image and effectiveness in representing Virginia to the rest of the country are likely to be permanently damaged. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Photo: Ken Cuccinelli Twitter
UPDATE: A former Reagan White House Staffer says turnover in the pressure cooker that is Washington D.C. is normal. Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli could become a key member of the Trump White House following the dismissal of top officials. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has more:
POSTED 4/10/19 Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli was in downtown Minneapolis earlier this week cheering on the Cavaliers along with other fans. When asked whether he was being considered for a position at the White House, Politico reports that Cuccinelli said: “I’m just cheering on UVA tonight.” Some reports have linked Cuccinelli to either a possible “immigration czar” position while others have listed him as a possible candidate to become the next Secretary of Homeland Security.
Scandals for Virginia’s “Top 3” legislators have brought down some approval ratings for Democrats in a new poll, but experts don’t believe it will make Virginia purple this November. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
From the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University: Disapproval rises of top Democrats Northam, Fairfax and Herring, but Democrats still hold slight edge with Assembly control at stake
Summary of Key Findings
1.In the wake of his “blackface” scandal, Governor Ralph Northam’s popularity among registered voters has plummeted 19 points since December. At 40%, Northam’s approval rating is lower than President Trump’s 44%.
2.Asked if Northam should resign, a slight majority says he should stay in office (52%-42%). In his own party, 29% of Democrats say he should resign.
3.With control of both Virginia Senate and House of Delegates on the line this November, Democrats hold a slight edge on the generic ballot test, 43% to 39%. Both parties will turn to their base, with Democrats still energized over Trump and Republicans fired up over abortion.
4.Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring have all been damaged by scandals, with their disapproval ratings rising. But 23% of voters appear unaware of even the highly publicized Northam scandal, so the “Top Three” scandals’ drag on Democratic candidates may be limited overall.
5.Downstream effects for Democrats may also be limited due to advantages Democrats hold in public perceptions. Asked which party cares about the middle class, the working class, the poor, African Americans, women, men, and children, voters choose Democrats in every category but one. Voters say Republicans care about men. 6.A question designed to carefully measure attitudes on abortion reveals both parties are out of the mainstream in their abortion positions, as a plurality of voters (32%) want neither fewer restrictions nor more restrictions on abortion.