In light of the Governor's release of his letter to Senators Saslaw and McEachin to the public they are releasing their response to the Governor to the public as well. A signed copy of this letter was hand delivered to the Governor's office at 2:45pm this afternoon. The text of the letter follows, and a PDF is attached to this message.
February 15, 2012
VIA HAND DELIVERY
The Honorable Robert F. McDonnell
Patrick Henry Building
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Dear Governor McDonnell,
Thank you for your kind note of yesterday. We are eager to work together, whenever possible, to accomplish the goals of the commonwealth and to ensure Virginians’ needs are met. However, I would like to emphasize that our concerns about the budget are not partisan, but substantive. We are eager to support a budget that offers real transportation solutions, returns money to classrooms and students, and does not harm the safety net.
Immediately after the election, when we could have and should have been coming together, you and the rest of your party engaged in harsh partisan rhetoric. Therefore, I find your concerns about partisanship to be rather ironic. Further, your release of your letter without waiting even twenty-four hours for a response smacks of gamesmanship and not of an effort to resolve our differences. In light of the release of your letter to the press, we are releasing our letter as well.
Friday, February 10th was Kappa Alpha Psi Day at the General Assembly. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. was founded January 5th, 1911 on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. With some 150,000 members throughout the world, the fraternity?s motto is ?Achievement: In Every Field of Human Endeavor?. This was their 4th Annual Virginia Legislative Day and each year they meet with legislators to discuss issues such as public education, economic development, health care, youth program initiatives and civil rights for all citizens.
Richmond—Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) released this statement about Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg)’s refusal to discuss the Voting Rights Act. Senator McEachin said, “I was very disappointed today that, in debate on the Floor of the Senate, Senator Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) refused to discuss the Voting Rights Act. The Senate is supposed to be a deliberative body, and we should be prepared, willing and eager to discuss legal issues and our governing philosophies.
“Moreover, Senator Obenshain is the chair of the Privileges and Elections Committee and a candidate for the Republican nomination for Attorney General. Both these positions require and demand expertise and knowledge of the law. This makes his refusal to even discuss the issue even more egregious.
“Finally, the Voting Rights Act is a significant part of Virginia’s recent history and has numerous impacts on the Commonwealth today. Agree or disagree with the Voting Rights Act, its tenets effect all Virginia citizens and all elected officials should at least be willing to debate it, but especially the chair of the elections committee who wants to be our attorney general.”
Richmond—Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) today issued this statement on the Senate Privileges and Elections committee vote on Congressional redistricting. Senator McEachin said, "Today the Republican Senators voted for a Congressional redistricting plan. This vote, this action, is unconstitutional. The Virginia Constitution, a document we all as legislators swear to uphold, clearly states that redistricting is to be done in years ending with 1 (2011) after the completion of the decennial census. The Republican had that opportunity last year but chose not to come to a resolution. Instead they decided to disregard the Constitution for their own partisan purposes.
"Just as the Senate Republicans chose partisan power and their own self-interest over the interests of Virginians when they chose to ignore the tied election results and seize power, they are now forcing a Congressional district map whose primary attribute is incumbent protection.
"Last year, they had an opportunity to support Senator Locke's (D-Hampton) legislation that would have created districts that are more competitive, more compact and fairer. Her plan would have given Virginians a real opportunity for competitive contested races for Congressional seats. Repeatedly, voters have said this is what they want, but the Republicans, once again, choose to ignore the wishes of Virginia voters. Instead, they have determined they would rather power grab, protect their incumbents and deprive Virginia voters of opportunities to make real choices."
"Once again, the Attorney General governs by fiat and by his opinion rather than by the constitutional process of legislation. This very bill was introduced in the 2010 General Assembly Session, only to be left in committee by members of his own Party, never even to make it to a Floor vote. Republicans in the House of Delegates opposed this legislation and defeated it, but rather than accept the legislative process and therefore, the will of the people, the Attorney General has seen fit, once again, to overrule and ignore the Virginia General Assembly with its duly elected representatives of the people, and simply impose his own will on the Commonwealth.
Richmond—Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) today responded to Governor McDonnell’s remarks this morning on WTOP’s “Ask the Governor” show, where the Governor said he did not know the details of Fred Malek’s, chair of the Governor’s newly appointed commission on governmental reform, $100,000 SEC fine. The governor then further said that these things happen in business, that “people in business 20, 30, 40, 50 years often have regulatory violations,” without ever acknowledging that Mr. Malek and his firm actually paid a quarter of a million dollar fine.
Senator McEachin expressed his very serious concerns with the Governor’s seeming acceptance and indifference to unethical and illegal behavior that resulted in a substantial fine.
For Governor McDonnell to imply that this kind of behavior is acceptable and allowable, even normal, is exactly the very reason that Virginians and Americans are frustrated and fed up with government. This did not happen thirty or forty years ago, but happened in 2004, a few short years ago! To ever tolerate corruption and illegal activity is totally unacceptable. Virginians deserve better. We deserve to know that our governor will seek out the very best, most highly qualified and above ethical reproach individuals to serve in our government. This government belongs to Virginians and we need that the individuals participating in it be ethical and above board. For us to have any confidence in the workings of this commission and this administration, we need to know that the Governor will insist on the highest ethical standards and will not tolerate illegal behavior of any kind.
Richmond—Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) today issued a statement condemning Attorney General Cuccinelli’s harassment of the University of Virginia scientist, Professor Mann.
This is not only ludicrous and frivolous, wasting more taxpayer dollars and trampling on academic freedom, but the Attorney General has deprived Mr. Mann of his constitutional rights. In this country, based on our Constitution, we have an adversarial system of justice that gives defendants certain rights. Those rights include the ability to ask the plaintiff for information, to file motions and, most importantly, to have a frivolous lawsuit quashed. However, because the Attorney General, who has sworn to uphold the Constitution and the Virginia Constitution, as he has frequently reminded us, has chosen to ignore and circumvent that system, Mr. Mann has lost those rights. If Attorney General Cuccinelli had filed this as a lawsuit and then issued subpoenas based on that lawsuit, Mr. Mann would be able to ask the judge to dismiss the lawsuit and, in the small likelihood it was not dismissed as ludicrous, Professor Mann could then file his own motions and request certain information from the Attorney General. If he can go after Professor Mann, then no Virginian is safe from the oppressive reach of the Attorney General’s strong arm and the invasive powers of his office.
There is a certain Standard of Leadership that is to be expected of a Governor. Virginians expect their Governor to conduct his business in the open, not in private meetings with legislators. The people of Virginia elected Governor McDonnell to make the tough decisions needed to manage the state and they deserve to know his priorities as we work to craft the state’s budget. Every Governor has put his mark on the budget, but Governor McDonnell has, thus far, shied away from this challenge. This is a time for leadership.
Richmond—Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) today introduced energy efficiency legislation that would mandate a savings of 12% by Virginia utilities by the year 2022, an action that would produce economic development and create almost 10,000 jobs the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy estimates.
In a press conference, Senator McEachin said, "We are here today to talk about what we can do to create jobs, and economic development, decrease family utility bills and, in the process, reduce pollution and help improve the environment. To accomplish all these goals, I have introduced Energy Efficiency legislation. Increased demand for weatherization products and energy efficient construction and construction materials for homes, commercial buildings and schools would create jobs right here in the Commonwealth and allow green businesses to grow and prosper. The jobs created by these businesses would be well paying, skilled jobs that would engage our workforce and help many Virginians make a better living to support their families.
Sen. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) was pleased to host the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity on their first annual Virginia Legislative Day on February 10th. The brothers were introduced in both chambers and had the opportunity to meet wtih state officials on many issues. The day ended with the brothers attending a Virginia Black Legislative Caucus meeting.
Kappa Alpha Psi is the first black fraternity to have such a day at the Virginia State Capitol.
