State and National Government
A controversial Virginia abortion bill may be dead for the year, but the political uproar surrounding it remains very much alive. Democrats say Republicans are trying to play political games, but GOP lawmakers say this is an example of what is to come if Democrats gain General Assembly control in November’s elections. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Virginia’s Senior U.S. Senator says the arrest of Roger Stone is the latest example of why the FBI Russia Investigation should continue. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:A bill to loosen restrictions on late-term abortions in Virginia is erupting into a fierce partisan clash as video of a General Assembly hearing goes viral. The bill would ease some circumstances under which abortions could be performed as late as the onset of labor. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is being accused by prominent Republicans of supporting infanticide because of comments he made about late-term abortions in which the infant is severely deformed or unable to survive after birth. The Democratic governor and pediatric neurologist was defending efforts to loosen abortion restrictions during a radio interview on WTOP-FM Wednesday when described a hypothetical situation where a severely deformed newborn infant could be left to die. Northam said that if a woman were to desire an abortion as she’s going into labor, the baby would be “resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue” between doctors and the mother. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was one of several Republicans to denounce the comments, tweeting that Northam is openly supporting legal infanticide. Northam’s office said Republicans were mischaracterizing his statement for political gain.
Rep. Ben Cline
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to one committee appointment for new 6th District Congressman Ben Cline. WFIR’s Gene Marrano has more:
Click below to hear an extended conversation with Rep. Ben Cline, including his thoughts on the upcoming State of the Union address:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposal to put new limits on campaign contributions is finding little love in the General Assembly.A Senate panel killed a Northam-backed bill Tuesday to limit contributions with the help of Northam’s fellow Democrats.Northam said before the session started that lawmakers should put a $10,000 limit on campaign contributions and bar donations from corporations. The governor said the measures would help promote better government.Republicans chided Northam for not leading by example. The governor is currently accepting large corporate donations for his political action committee. Northam has said the donations have no effect on how he governs.
Photo: Virginia House GOP
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox is backing a plan to have a bipartisan commission appointed by lawmakers and the governor draw new legislative boundaries.The Republican speaker has opposed plans for similar commissions in the past. But he said lengthy federal court challenges to the maps lawmakers drew in 2011 have prompted him to reconsider.A panel of federal judges recently chose a new redistricting map for Virginia’s House of Delegates that could shift some districts toward Democrats and help the party take control in this year’s election.The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of the case some time this year.New maps for the House, state Senate and congressional districts are set to be drawn in 2021.
Our representatives in Washington from both parties are sounding relieved that the partial government shutdown is over — at least until February 15th. But that is where the agreement between President Trump and congressional leaders ends for now, as WFIR’s Evan Jones reports.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth McClanahan has announced her plans to retire later this year.The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that McClanahan notified Chief Justice Donald Lemons that she will retire effective Sept. 1.McClanahan’s departure will give Republicans who control the state legislature the opportunity to choose her successor on the seven-member high court. The justices serve 12-year terms.The newspaper reports that state Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, is urging fellow Republicans who control judicial appointments to install his sister on the high court. Judge Teresa Chafin currently services on the Virginia Court of Appeals.The 59-year-old McClanahan was sworn in on the high court in 2011 as the fourth female justice in the court’s 232-year history. She previously served two terms on the Virginia Court of Appeals.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A proposal to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Virginia is all but dead. A Republican-controlled committee in the House of Delegates voted down the gender-equality measure Friday. Proponents had hoped the measure still had chance of passage after a subcommittee defeated the measure Tuesday. Friday’s vote means the measure has almost no chance of passage this year. ERA proponents had hoped Virginia will become the 38th state to approve the amendment. It would then have met the threshold for ratification in the U.S. Constitution. But even if it’s ratified, court battles would likely ensue over a long-passed 1982 deadline set by Congress.