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By Marc, May 4, 2010 7:56 pm

The Democratic Party of Virginia released the following earlier today.

Governor McDonnell: Drilling at any cost

Meets with oil execs while Obama administration takes prudent steps to prevent future tragedies.

The Democratic Party of Virginia is calling on Governor McDonnell to support President Obama’s call to delay any new offshore drilling projects until a full understanding of the causes of this most recent disaster can be determined.  Both of Virginia’s United States Senators,  Jim Webb and Mark Warner, have made it clear that they support the President’s decision, and expect any lessons learned from the Gulf tragedy to be incorporated into federal regulations that would govern offshore energy production off Virginia’s coast. Yet Governor McDonnell continues to declare unrealistic goals for when drilling should begin and he appears to ignore the safety and environmental considerations that the recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has brought to light.

“Some Virginia leaders are reconsidering their support for drilling off the state’s coast after a fatal well accident in the Gulf of Mexico, even as Gov. Robert F. McDonnell continues to lobby aggressively to drill for oil and natural gas without delay,” the Washington Post reported today. “McDonnell (R), who has made drilling off Virginia’s coast one of his administration’s top priorities, flew to Houston on Monday to tout the benefits of offshore drilling at an industry-sponsored conference.” [Va. officials reconsider support for drilling after gulf oil accident, Washington Post, Tuesday, May 4, 2010; A10]

And in an interview on WTOP Radio on April 27, Governor McDonnell stated, “”This is certainly a setback, but I certainly continue to be dedicated to making us first to drill, 2012 at the latest, and over the next couple years these safety and environmental issues will be addressed.”

“Governor McDonnell’s misplaced priorities have struck again – and this time it’s our environment that is at risk,” said David Mills, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Virginia.  “When responsible leaders learn of relevant new information, they adapt their positions.  Senator Webb and Senator Warner have agreed that the President’s call for a delay on new projects is the responsible course of action until the cause of the tragedy in the Gulf is determined — yet Governor McDonnell continues to push for unrealistic timetables.”

Mills further stated, “Just last night, Governor McDonnell was in Texas rubbing elbows with oil industry executives as they discussed the profits to be had from offshore drilling. A spill of this magnitude off Virginia’s coast would devastate our coastal economy and endanger the effectiveness of the world’s largest navy base at Norfolk. A responsible leader with the right priorities for Virginia would join Senators Webb and Warner in their commonsense approach. “

Very well said by the DPVA!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Priorities Bob, Priorities. The responsible thing to do is take a step back and pause. Throughout this debate, we’ve been repeatedly told how safe offshore drilling was and how any fear was unfounded. Clearly this is a huge issue now and the safety of such rigs must be looked at more carefully.

McDonnell is more concerned in assisting the oil industry fat cats than Virginia businesses and workers who rely on a strong coastal economy. Imagine what kind of hit a spill like this would be to Virginia’s tourism industry that relies so heavily on state beaches ($19.2 billion industry, 210,620 jobs) or its fishing industry ($1.23 billion in output sales, $717.4 million in value-added income and 13,015 jobs). This doesn’t even take into consideration the negative environmental impact to our wetlands, wildlife and aquatic life or water quality. Oh yeah, the U.S. Navy is also deeply opposed to drilling.

Could you imagine the impact that a spill would have on our economy?! I cannot even begin to imagine.

Given the immense risk of drilling, one has to wonder is it worth it? The Virginia Conservation Network’s data clearly suggests no.

The Atlantic OCS has significantly less recoverable oil and gas reserves than any other OCS region, with an estimated 3.82 billion barrels of oil and 36.99 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. At current rates of consumption, the entire Atlantic OCS would supply the U.S. with only 6 months worth of oil and 18 months worth of natural gas; Virginia’s offshore supply of oil and gas would last less than 7 and 18 days, respectively.

Meanwhile, four times more gas and oil is available in areas already open to drilling than in waters protected by the moratorium, and the industry is using only a fraction (18-20%) of what it already has access to. These unused areas could produce an additional 4.8 million barrels of oil and 44.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas each day, nearly double current domestic oil production.

Weighing the effect such a spill would have on our economy against any potential benefit, I would have to say that drilling doesn’t seem worth it to me. Regardless, the only course of action right now should be to pause and reassess. This decision is far too important to be made rashly and the consequences too great. McDonnell should follow the lead of Senators Warner and Webb and put commonsense above ideology.

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By Marc, April 29, 2010 9:22 pm

Another week, another controversy has erupted for Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA). As the Washington Post reported yesterday, McDonnell made the decision to “quietly” reverse “a policy banning Virginia State Police troopers from referring to Jesus Christ in public prayers.”

For those of us in the Fredericksburg-region, you may recall the 2005 controversy surrounding City Councilman Hashmel Turner’s. In addition to being on the Council, he is also an ordained minister and part-time pastor at a local church. He filed suit in 2005, after the City Council implemented a policy requiring that all legislative prayers be nondenominational. He insisted that this violated his First Amendment rights and that he must close his prayers in the “name of Jesus Christ.”

The United States Fourth Circuit of Appeals eventually ruled that since the “prayers at issue here are government speech, we hold that Fredericksburg’s prayer policy does not violate Turner’s Free Speech and Free Exercise rights.” This ultimately resulted in police chaplains being instructed, in 2008, to offer only nondenominational prayers at any department-sanctioned public event. This had been the standing policy, until McDonnell “quietly” reversed this decision recently.

Virginia Legislators have stood behind this policy, since 2008, and defeated several bills over the years to legislatively change this policy.

The Jewish Community Federation of Richmond has responded to this controversy by sending a letter to McDonnell, blasting the prayer policy change.

It leads us toward unnecessary religious clashes, demeans our Commonwealth’s Jeffersonian principles, and creates an unwelcoming environment for the Commonwealth’s Jewish citizens and other religious minorities. A final concern is the likelihood that revisiting this guidance would ultimately lead to litigation costly to our Commonwealth.

In the letter, Fredericksburg Rabbi Devorah Lynn sums things up best when commenting on this issue, “When you are asked to speak in public for a group of people with different religious practices you need to think not of who you are praying to but who you are praying for.”

McDonnell once again proves that he is more interested on pushing his radical social agenda than on focusing on critical issues facing the Commonwealth. This has become a disturbing pattern with him.  He continues to move Virginia backwards, essentially slamming the door shut on creating a more welcoming environment for all in favor of pushing a divisive social agenda. He seems more interested in spending time in the courtroom than the boardroom. Priorities Bob, Priorities.

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By Chris, April 14, 2010 12:11 am

Southern California native George Allen finally made it to the big screen in the 2003 film 'Gods and Generals'

“Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition.”
– Vice President of the Confederacy, Alexander Hamilton Stephens

Stephens was considered a “moderate” among secessionists and was known for his generosity and intellect. His “Cornerstone Speech” was delivered in 1861 soon after he was elected Vice-President of the Confederate States of America and co-authored the government’s constitution.

Thanks Stephen C.!

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By Marc, April 9, 2010 5:19 pm

It’s about time that Jon Stewart weighed in on Bob McDonnell’s “Confederacy History Month” proclamation. He pokes fun at McDonnell’s omission of a certain little fact that actually led to the war; highlights the new pantsless griffin mascot at William & Mary (he actually graduated from W&M); and explains the north’s “Union Victory Appreciation Month.”

On the subject of “Union Victory Appreciation Month” Stewart explains that “it would be hypocritical of me to complain about Virginia’s confederate holiday when our part of the country, the north, is marking Union Victory or United States Victory Appreciation Month celebrating our rich heritage of kicking the Confederacies ass.”

Enjoy!

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By Marc, April 8, 2010 8:31 pm

As I’ve previously written, RNC Chairman Michael Steele is embroiled in a heavy wave of criticism, from fellow Republicans, over his profligate spending of party funds. This includes an expenditure for a well-publicized trip to a lesbian bondage-themed strip club.

What’s Steele’s excuse for all of this criticism? The race card. Yes, the same race card he has repeatedly “accused Democrats of using.” You have to love hypocrites!

Quick, when race is involved who’s the first person that you would seek an opinion from? Naturally, George Allen.

So what does George Allen (R-VA) think about all of this?

WARREN: “He [Steele] says he gets extra scrutiny because of the color of his skin, that there is less room for error because he’s black. Do you buy that?”

ALLEN: “I don’t care what his skin pigmentation is. Understand that I grew up in football families. You don’t care about someone’s race or religion or ethnicity. You care about can they do the job. I think Michael, I like Michael. When I was chair of the Senate Campaign, I’d have Michael speak because I think he’s a good, enthusiastic leader regardless of his race.”

So, Allen learned how to be colorblind by playing football. Allen recently explained, “In sports, what you have is a level playing field…you don’t care about race, all you care about is who can help you win.”

So what Allen is trying to say is that he learned to overlook a person’s color for the sake of winning. If only Macawitz would have followed this winning game plan in 2006, he may have still been Senator. I know, scary thought.

What’s worse is that several of his former college football teammates painted a different picture of him back in 2006. These former teammates say that he “repeatedly used an inflammatory racial epithet and demonstrated racist attitudes toward blacks.”

Allen’s race problems have been well documented.

Here’s some advice: if you want to learn how to be tolerant, don’t ask or follow George Allen. If only someone would have told Bob McDonnell that, before deciding to follow Allen’s lead in omitting any mention of slavery when recognizing Confederate History Month.

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By Marc, April 7, 2010 10:14 pm

Gov. McDonnell has just issued a statement of apology.

The proclamation issued by this Office designating April as Confederate History Month contained a major omission. The failure to include any reference to slavery was a mistake, and for that I apologize to any fellow Virginian who has been offended or disappointed. The abomination of slavery divided our nation, deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights, and led to the Civil War. Slavery was an evil, vicious and inhumane practice which degraded human beings to property, and it has left a stain on the soul of this state and nation. In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly approved a formal statement of “profound regret” for the Commonwealth’s history of slavery, which was the right thing to do.

When I signed the Proclamation designating February as Black History Month, and as I look out my window at the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial, I am reminded that, even 150 years later, Virginia’s past is inextricably part of our present. The Confederate History Month proclamation issued was solely intended to promote the study of our history, encourage tourism in our state in advance of the 150th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, and recognize Virginia’s unique role in the story of America. The Virginia General Assembly unanimously approved the establishment of a Sesquicentennial American Civil War Commission to prepare for and commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the War, in order to promote history and create recognition programs and activities.

As Virginians we carry with us both the burdens and the blessings of our history. Virginia history undeniably includes the fact that we were the Capitol of the Confederacy, the site of more battlefields than any other state, and the home of the signing of the peace agreement at Appomattox. Our history is perhaps best encapsulated in a fact I noted in my Inaugural Address in January: The state that served as the Capitol of the Confederacy was also the first in the nation to elect an African-American governor, my friend, L. Douglas Wilder. America’s history has been written in Virginia. We cannot avoid our past; instead we must demand that it be discussed with civility and responsibility. During the commemoration of the Civil War over the next four years, I intend to lead an effort to promote greater understanding and harmony in our state among our citizens.”

In addition the Governor announced that the following language will be added to the Proclamation:

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to understand that the institution of slavery led to this war and was an evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and all Virginians are thankful for its permanent eradication from our borders, and the study of this time period should reflect upon and learn from this painful part of our history…

It’s about time! While I applaud him for finally doing the right thing, it should not have taken him so long. Shame on him.

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By Marc, April 7, 2010 10:06 pm

I wish Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) would tell us why he decided to omit slavery from his recent proclamation, which declared April 2010 Confederate History Month. We are in luck, from today’s Washington Post:

McDonnell said Tuesday that the move was designed to promote tourism in the state, which next year will mark the 150th anniversary of the start of the war. McDonnell said he did not include a reference to slavery because “there were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states. Obviously, it involved slavery. It involved other issues. But I focused on the ones I thought were most significant for Virginia.”

Bob, tell us what you really think! How he can claim that slavery was not one the “most significant” issues of that time period for Virginia shows a total lack of historical understanding – or worse, a blatant attempt to rewrite history.

The reality is that slavery was very much at the heart of Virginia’s secession from the Union. Civil War Historian Will Thomas further explains this time period:

Historian and leading scholar of the Civil War, James McPherson answers that secession was a “counter-revolution” not a “revolution.” White southerners, he argues, saw the Lincoln administration and the Republican Party as the revolutionaries. The move to secede was a counter-revolution, a conservative effort designed to protect what they had and stem the tide of change sweeping across the nation. All of their resistance, he argues, was aimed at maintaining slavery and their position in society. To McPherson the answer is straightforward–they saw a greater risk in the Union and perceived themselves as the inheritors of the true republican virtues of the Revolution. Their new republic was, therefore, modeled on the “union as it was” before the slavery issue threatened their principles and prosperity. McPherson indicates that the South was in a way seeking to turn back the clock or at least stop time. Their vision was not progressive but regressive.

When you read the four volumes of The Proceedings of the Virginia State Convention of 1861, or an updated history of what the southern delegates said to the Virginia convention (Charles Dew, Apostles of Disunion), however, a number of further considerations become equally important. Virginia, of course, included West Virginia at the time and so delegates came from the far western, mountainous counties too where slavery was less prominent. The convention met for weeks in Richmond and those favoring immediate secession maneuvered to keep the convention in session, hoping for a dramatic event that might tip the votes their way. Eventually, the got their wish, as President Abraham Lincoln called for troops from Virginia and the other states after the firing on Fort Sumter. Lincoln clearly intended to suppress secession in the South and Virginia’s delegates voted the next day 88-55 to secede with the South and join the Confederacy.

Let’s reconsider, though, what these delegates said.

First, not a single Virginia delegate criticized slavery. Indeed, many of the western delegates were slaveholders and those that did not spoke in support of the institution. No delegate wanted to be branded an abolitionist. Delegates outdid one another to voice their commitment to slavery. Slavery and its protection was clearly in the forefront of their motivations.

Second, slavery was not just an abstract or political issue, but one that for these white men was centered on “property.” When Thomas Branch of Petersburg offered his constituents’ views in the form of a resolution to the Convention, it was to affirm that “negro slaves are property.” Somehow, these white Southerners thought, the North had lost sense of slavery as a form of property and needed to be reminded of the bare, essential nature of the rights the South was going to defend. Branch for his part only needed to state that he would represent the will of his constituents and that meant immediate secession.

The simple point, Bob, is that slavery played a “significant” role in Virginia’s secession and furthermore was a central issue to the Confederacy.

Heck, Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens argued in his Cornerstone Speech that slavery was the chief cause of secession.

If you look at the The Declaration of Causes of Seceding States, you will clearly see that slavery was at the forefront of secession. Take Mississippi, for example, who explained that their reasons in seceding were “thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery– the greatest material interest of the world.”

So you ask, who started the practice of recognizing Confederate History Month? Well, it was former Republican Gov. George Allen. This is the same George Allen who throughout his public life has repeatedly made racially insensitive comments and whose actions have further reinforced this perception (see here and here). He too chose to omit any mention of slavery. You can read the full proclamation here.

Then there was former Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore who issued a 1999 proclamation, which, at least, acknowledged the role of slavery in the Civil War.

WHEREAS, Virginia has long recognized her Confederate history, the officers and enlisted men of the Army and Navy and those at home who made sacrifices on behalf of their families, homes, communities, Virginia and country; and that it is just and right to do so and [...]

WHEREAS, our recognition of Confederate history also recognizes that slavery was one of the causes of the war; and

WHEREAS, slavery was a practice that deprived African-Americans of their God-given inalienable rights, which degraded the human spirit, is abhorred and condemned by Virginians, and was ended by this war…

Former Democratic Governors Kaine and Warner both chose to abandon these sorts of proclamations. Warner was the first to break with this practice, calling such proclamations a “’lightning rod’ that does not help bridge divisions between whites and blacks in Virginia.” It sounds to me that Warner would have been a better role model for McDonnell than Allen.

Since this proclamation has come to light, McDonnell has been roundly criticized for omitting any mention of slavery.

Delegate Kenneth Cooper Alexander (D-Norfolk), chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, issued a statement saying, “Governor McDonnell’s proclamation was offensive and offered a disturbing revision of the Civil War and the brutal era that followed. Virginia has worked hard to move beyond the very things for which Governor McDonnell seems nostalgic.”

The Democratic Party of Virginia also issued the following press release:

Va. Dems Statement on Confederate History Month Declaration

DPVA Exec. Dir.: ‘The McDonnell Administration’s intolerant policies and pronouncements threaten to cost Virginia jobs.’

RICHMOND – Democratic Party of Virginia Executive Director David Mills released the following statement Wednesday in response to Gov. Bob McDonnell’s failure to acknowledge the significance of slavery in issuing a statement declaring April as Confederate History Month. Mills said:

“Virginia is stronger because of our diversity. Our policies of tolerance and diversity have fostered a strong business environment and made Virginia a great place to raise a family or operate a business.

“Unfortunately, the McDonnell Administration is consistently sending a message to the rest of the nation that Virginia is not a place of opportunity for all. From his refusal to issue an executive order protecting all Virginians from discrimination to his failure to even acknowledge our painful history of slavery, Governor McDonnell has failed to make good on his inaugural promise of ‘A Commonwealth of Opportunity.’

“Instead, Governor McDonnell appears determined to take Virginia backwards. The McDonnell Administration’s intolerant policies and pronouncements threaten to cost Virginia jobs, as businesses, tourists and families choose to invest and spend their money somewhere else. Over the past eight years, pro-business policies of inclusion and tolerance helped Virginia become the nation’s best state to do business and the best state to raise a child. Governor McDonnell’s recent actions imperil that progress.

“As Governor of all Virginians, Governor McDonnell needs to acknowledge and protect the legacies and histories of all of the diverse communities that make up our Commonwealth. He can start immediately by amending his recent statement to acknowledge Virginia’s complex history and address the role that slavery played in the Civil War.

“By embracing pro-business policies of diversity and tolerance, we can truly build a Commonwealth of Opportunity, rather than taking Virginia backward.”

There are some excellent points in this press release. McDonnell’s radical political agenda is having a detrimental impact on our reputation and standing within the business community.

Even BET billionaire Sheila Johnson, a “[d]emocrat” who endorsed McDonnell, has had enough.

I must condemn Governor McDonnell’s Proclamation honoring ‘Confederate History Month,’ and its insensitive disregard of Virginia’s complicated and painful history, the remnants of which many Virginians still wrestle with today. The complete omission of slavery from an official government document, which purports to be a call for Virginians to ‘understand’ and ‘study’ their history, is both academically flawed and personally offensive. If Virginians are to celebrate their ‘shared history,’ as this proclamation suggests, then the whole truth of this history must be recognized and not evaded.

McDonnell owes all Virginians an apology!

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By Marc, April 6, 2010 5:23 pm

The Washington Post reported today that Gov. McDonnell (R-VA) has “quietly” issued a proclamation declaring April 2010 as Confederate History Month. This comes on the heels of the 149^th anniversary of Virginia’s succession from the union on April 17, 1861. Here’s part of the proclamation:

WHEREAS, April is the month in which the people of Virginia joined the Confederate States of America in a four year war between the states for independence that concluded at Appomattox Courthouse; and

WHEREAS, Virginia has long recognized her Confederate history, the numerous civil war battlefields that mark every region of the state, the leaders and individuals in the Army, Navy and at home who fought for their homes and communities and Commonwealth in a time very different than ours today; and

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to reflect upon our Commonwealth’s shared history, to understand the sacrifices of the Confederate leaders, soldiers and citizens during the period of the Civil War, and to recognize how our history has led to our present…

The Post notes that former Republican governors George Allen and Jim Gilmore made similar designations, while former Democratic governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine refused to do so. They also noted that in 2002, “Warner broke with…[his Republican predecessors actions], calling such proclamations a ‘lightning rod’ that does not help bridge divisions between whites and blacks in Virginia.”

I think Sen. McEachin (D-Richmond) said what most Virginias were thinking in that he was “stunned” by McDonnell’s decision to issue such a proclamation. The Post goes on to say that he was “even more stunned that the proclamation did not include any reference to slavery,” calling it “offensive.”

Frankly, I’m not surprised at all. From day one, since he was sworn in as Governor, he has sought to move Virginia backwards. After all, he originally supported Cuccinelli’s efforts to allow public universities to discriminate against gay students (eventually reversing his stance, sort of). I guess if McDonnell had it his way, he would move Virginia back to the 1860s.

In the end, the only thing that Virginians should “recognize” is how out of touch McDonnell is with the priorities of everyday Virginians!

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By Marc, April 5, 2010 6:22 pm

In a press release from the Prince William County Democratic Committee today, Chair Pete Frisbie blasted the Republican controlled Prince William County Board of Supervisors for voting to send a thank you note to Cuccinelli (R-VA) for his lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new federal health care reform law.

As I previously wrote, this lawsuit has little (actually, ZERO) chance of being successful on constitutional grounds and would come at a very steep cost to taxpayers. Instead of filing frivolous lawsuits, Cuccinelli and Gov. McDonnell (R-VA) should focus on using our currently scarce dollars to fully fund education and fix our transportation problems.

All I can say is wow. I thought the current Stafford County Board of Supervisors were nuts. This takes the cake! Here’s the press release from Pete:

The Republican controlled Prince William County Board of Supervisors have passed a motion along a party line vote to send a letter to Virginia’s Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to thank him for protecting their rights as a result of the law suit against the federal government on the health care reform law on the behalf of all of the residents of Prince William County. This is yet another frivolous lawsuit filed against the Federal Government by Virginia’s right wing ideologue Attorney General.

Click here (Go to the 5:00 mark) to watch the debate and the vote amongst our supervisors for yourself

There was no citizen input on this directive from the Board of Supervisors. The Board has no jurisdiction over the federal health care legislation yet they are spending your taxpayer money on letters when our school system just cut $50 million from their budget.

Board Chairman Corey Stewart has even said that he will bring forth a proposal to the Board of Supervisors to ensure that Prince William County will refuse to implement the health care law that was signed by President Obama.

These actions have become typical of the Republicans on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. Please tell Supervisors Corey Stewart (R-At Large), John Stirrup (R-Gainesville, Mike May (R-Occoquan), Marty Nohe (R-Coles), Maureen Caddigan (R-Dumfries), and Wally Covington (R-Brentsville) to stop wasting our tax dollars on their personal political agendas.

We urge them to focus on the issues that face Prince William County every day — such as home foreclosures, rising utility costs, cuts to our school system and predatory loans — rather than writing letters, resolutions or proposals that support frivolous lawsuits against the federal government.

Help us remind our Supervisors of the priorities that matter to Prince William County residents like you and me and lay the groundwork to take back the Board of Supervisors.

Contact these Republicans Supervisors here…

Thanks so much for everything you are doing to stand with Prince William’s families and support the values we share.

Sincerely,

Pete Frisbie

Chair, Prince William County Democratic Committee

The Cooch has apparently met his match in crazy in Prince William County Chairman-At-Large Corey Stewart (R-Prince William). As Pete notes above, Stewart actually

proposed to refuse to implement what he regards as a costly, unconstitutional Federal mandate. He intends to submit a proposal for consideration by the Board of County Supervisors[, which will refuse to implement the new federal health care reform law in Prince William County].

He made these comments at a recent Prince William County Republican Convention held to select party leadership. He also praised the Tea Party movement and drew comparisons between this movement and the movement that drafted the Declaration of Independence. What a complete nut!

Here’s the resolution that passed, courtesy of the Prince William County Democratic Committee:

MOTION: STIRRUP March 23, 2010 Regular Meeting SECOND: COVINGTON Res. No. 10-243 RE: LETTER THANKING THE VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE EFFORTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA TO CHALLENGE THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE FEDERAL PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ACTION: APPROVED WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress passed on March 21, 2010, and the President of the United States signed into law on March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA); and

WHEREAS, on March 23, 2010 the Commonwealth of Virginia filed suit against Kathleen Sebelius in her official capacity as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for the United States seeking to declare the PPACA unconstitutional (Commonwealth v. Kathleen Sebelius); and

WHEREAS, many other States and private organizations are also seeking to challenge the constitutionality of the PPACA through the federal courts;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Prince William Board of County Supervisors wishes to thank the Virginia Attorney General for his efforts, for protecting the rights of Prince William County residents, and to wish him good luck on his efforts.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Prince William County Attorney’s Office is instructed to look into whether or not the Prince William Board of County Supervisors could file an amicus curiae brief in support of the Commonwealth’s position in Commonwealth v. Kathleen Sebelius.

Votes: Ayes: Caddigan, Covington, May, Nohe, Stewart, Stirrup Nays: Jenkins, Principi Absent from Vote: None Absent from Meeting: None

And here’s the subsequent letter from Stewart, also courtesy of the Prince William Democratic Committee:

Board Letter Thanking Cuccinelli

The Honorable Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II

900 East Main Street

Sixth Floor

Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Attorney General Cuccinelli:

Attached please find a copy of a Resolution of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. On behalf of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, I am writing to thank you for your efforts regarding your recent law suit Commonwealth v. Kathleen Sebelius.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), which was signed by the President of the United States on March 23, 2010 creates a template for federal action that will affect all levels of government and all citizens for years to come. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors would like to thank you for protecting our residents’ rights by filing this action.

Thank you for your leadership on this very important issue. We wish you good luck on your efforts.

Sincerely,

Corey A. Stewart

Chairman

Attachment

Cc: Board of County Supervisors

County Attorney

County Executive

Virginia Congressional Delegation

Cucinelli’s going to need more then luck to win an unwinnable case. I applaud Pete for standing up to the Republican fringe, which is becoming all too common place throughout the Commonwealth, and being the voice of sensibility and fiscal responsibility on behalf of all Prince William residents.

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By Marc, March 31, 2010 8:54 pm

In case you somehow missed it, Virginia Attorney General (AG) Ken Cuccinelli (R-VA) recently filed a lawsuit (Virginia v. Sebelius) that challenges the legality of the health care reform legislation signed into law by President Obama last week.

Cuccinelli is certainly no stranger to controversy. From the moment he assumed office in January, he has made a point of using the Attorney General’s office to push his right-wing social agenda. This includes arguing in a letter to the state’s public colleges and universities that “sexual orientation” could not and should not be included in any anti-discrimination policies.

So his latest push to mount a legal challenge to the recently passed health care reform legislation should come as no surprise? This is simply another attempt to use the AGs office to further his political agenda – and that of Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA).

As Virginia is facing a severe budget crisis that will affect so many folks throughout the state, Cuccinelli and McDonnell file a frivolous lawsuit that is politically motivated.  Not to mention that this lawsuit comes at a cost to taxpayers, right? You’re darn right!

As Blue Virginia reported on Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Virginia formally filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) formally requesting records of:

hours spent by Cuccinelli and Office of the Attorney General staff preparing Commonwealth of Virginia v. Sebelius; cost to taxpayers of staff work on the suit; a list of conference calls or written correspondence that the Office of the Attorney General had with other states’ attorneys general or national conservative groups in planning the lawsuit; any outside firms contracted to assist on the lawsuit; and, the Attorney General’s full schedule since taking office, including any scheduled television interviews in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

David Mills, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Virginia summed up things best when he said that

the Attorney General is acting like taxpayer funds are just a piggy bank for his personal political agenda. More than 10,000 Virginians [(in a petition launched by the DPVA)] have demanded that Ken Cuccinelli come clean about his use of taxpayer-funded state resources. This week, we’ll find out if Ken Cuccinelli still believes he’s accountable to the taxpayers of Virginia. We’re looking forward to his response.

Drum roll please. In response to the FOIA request, Stephen R. McCullough, senior appellate counsel for AG Ken Cuccinelli has responded by saying that “No such record exists” listing any attorney’s, both inside or outside the AGs office, that worked on producing the legal filing and any hours that they may have billed to the state to prepare it.

McCullough did acknowledge that existence of “correspondence between Cuccinelli’s office and the offices of 13 other state attorneys general who have also filed suit against the federal government, as well as Cuccinelli’s schedule since his took office Jan. 16.”

There were a total of 40 records related to correspondence between the Virginia AGs office and the offices of 13 other state attorneys general; and 170 pages that would provide insight into Cucinelli’s schedule, since he took office in January. McCullough said that the AGs office would not be releasing them, since the office considered them “working papers of the attorney general that are entitled to remain confidential.”

In a release yesterday, Cucinelli actually made the claim that all work “was being done in-house and said costs would be minimal beyond the $350 fee to file the suit in U.S. District Court.”

Color me skeptical, so much for government transparency. Taxpayers deserve to know the cost that is being accrued to fund Cucinelli’s personal political agenda, especially when the health care lawsuit has zero chance of being won. That’s right, ZERO!

Nevada’s Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto provided a good analysis in a letter to Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons on why joining Cuccinelli’s health care lawsuit was essentially pointless and “would not come without a cost.” When looking at Supreme Court precedence, AG Masto writes:

One theory to consider is that Congress lacks authority under the Constitution’s Commerce and Spending Clauses. However, the authority give to Congress is extensive and appears strong enough to support the Act. Health care costs affect our nation’s economy, and the Act is Congress’ answer to alleviating those costs. The United States Supreme Court long ago determined that insurance is commerce and is therefore subject to federal regulation. United States v. South-Eastern Underwriters Ass’n, 322 U.S. 533 (1944). Since the 1930s and the “long-rejected Louchner-era precedents,” MeadWestvaco Corp. ex rel. Mead Corp. v. Illinois Dept. of Revenue, 553 U.S. 16, 128 S.Ct. 1948, 1510 (2008) (Thomas, J. concuring), Congress’ broad authority has been acknowledge to, among other things, uphold mandatory contributions to the Social Security Act system, Helvering v. Davis, 301 U.S. 619 (1937), and legislate many other federal programs.

So while Cuccinelli and McDonnell defund our public education system (and make several other extreme cuts) they have no problems wasting taxpayer dollars to further their radical political agendas. Hey while national Republicans plan to “sweep problems under the rug,” Virginia Republicans have become masters at creating problems.  Where’s the TEA Party when you need them!