Cox and Carrico stand up for police, McClellan proposes a plan to rebuild the economy, and more from Virginia politics
Cox and Carrico stand up for police, McClellan proposes a plan to rebuild the economy, and more from Virginia politics
The latest in Virginia politics.
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Kirk Cox and Bill Carrico Release Video on Their Partnership for a Safe Virginia
Former Virginia House of Delegates Speaker, retired teacher, and candidate for Governor Kirk Cox and former Senator and Sheriff Bill Carrico released a new video today highlighting their Partnership for a Safe Virginia.
"I know Kirk's record on [creating] a safe Virginia and I'm glad to partner with you, Kirk, because you understand the domestic violence, the human trafficking, the sex trafficking that takes place in Virginia, and the problems we have," said Bill. "This partnership we're entering into is a great partnership for making Virginia more secure and safe for families, for students, and for all those that live and work here in Virginia."
"This 'Defund the Police' movement has really been demoralizing for them, so I think our partnership is gonna be a number one priority," said Kirk.
‘You have choice’: As primary season arrives, waiting your turn has gone out of fashion for Va. Democrats - Virginia Mercury
by Graham Moomaw
Two-thirds of the Democratic ticket from 2013, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Attorney General Mark Herring, are running for the same jobs they won seven years ago. Part of their challenge will be convincing Democratic voters that experienced, familiar leaders should prevail in a year when several women and candidates of color are arguing it’s well past time for their experiences and outlooks to be represented at the top levels of power.
McAuliffe launched his comeback in December as the presumptive frontrunner and has shown big advantages in early polls, fundraising and endorsements. The first two candidates to announce last year were Carroll Foy, who resigned from the House to focus on her campaign, and Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, both of whom would be the first Black woman elected governor of any state.
Jennifer McClellan Proposes Economic Rebuilding Plan to Invest in Workers, Small Businesses, Address Inequity
Gubernatorial candidate, state Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), announced an Economic Recovery Plan Sunday at C’est Le Vin﹘a small, Black woman-owned business in Richmond.
“Today, I am proposing a new plan to build back our economy equitably, putting workers and small businesses at the forefront so communities across the Commonwealth can revitalize and thrive,” McClellan said. “As we recover from the pandemic, we cannot retreat to the economy of the past that left workers and small businesses behind. As Governor, I will work with the Biden-Harris Administration to implement the “Build Back Better” agenda and make long-term progress in Virginia and directly address the unique challenges and inequities exposed by the COVID-19 crisis with investments in impacted communities and small, women, and minority-owned businesses.
“My administration will build upon the work I’ve done in the legislature to establish a paid family and medical leave program statewide, paid sick days, extending and modernizing unemployment insurance, expanding worker rights, including collective bargaining, and expediting the transition to $15 minimum wage. We must root out inequities in workplaces, industries, and communities across the Commonwealth so that every Virginian has a fair opportunity to succeed in a post-COVID economy and that will be my top priority as governor”
Congressman Bob Good Endorses Pete Snyder for Governor
"Pete is the trusted, proven conservative that is going to lead us to victory in November and ignite our party and our country’s much needed comeback," said Congressman Good. “His conservative principles, small business leadership, and commitment to opening our schools is why myself, and conservatives all across Virginia support Pete. He has the grit and backbone needed to get our Commonwealth back on track and leading the nation again in a positive way."
Commentary: The Richmond Tenants Union opposes the Richmond 300 plan - Virginia Scope
(This is guest commentary from the Richmond Tenants Union, a “citywide network of organizations of renters and neighbors that assemble to discuss issues in their buildings or neighborhoods, and organize to collectively improve living conditions.”)
The Richmond 300 plan, the course charted for our city for the next
20 years, is yet another in a long line of urban redevelopment schemes
which privilege the profits of property owners, business interests,
those not struggling to pay bills, and white people at the expense of
those consistently left behind. As we’ve seen recently with the Navy
Hill proposal and numerous other instances in the history of the city,
this is nothing new. While pointing out many issues within the city of
Richmond, the 300 plan hollowly invokes words like “equity” with no
proposed solutions to address the causes of the problems. Issues of
poverty and the housing crisis are of the utmost importance to the most
vulnerable populations in the city, but this plan does not address these
issues in any meaningful way. Instead, the plan both refuses to name
these problems and would perpetuate, if not exacerbate, the same race-
and class-based issues.
Panel calls for ‘paradigm shift’ in Virginia school-to-prison pipeline
By Christina Amano Dolan
Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. — Schools have become places of trauma for students of color and help reinforce centuries of systemic racism by driving students into the criminal justice system, according to speakers at a recent University of Richmond symposium.
The UR School of Law hosted a six-hour event via Zoom with four presentations, nine panelists and over 200 attendees. The event featured UR law students, educators, social justice advocates and activists.
Suspension and expulsion are used disproportionately against Black students, other students of color and those with disabilities, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Those punishments, along with arrests at school, often lead to students having a criminal record, according to the NAACP. The trend is known as the school-to-prison pipeline.
Julie McConnell, a UR law professor, said the origins of the school-to-prison pipeline is decades old. McConnell is the director of the university’s Children’s Defense Clinic, a program where law students represent indigent children in court.
The school-to-prison pipeline has been an issue for many years, but it began to take hold during the “superpredator era” in the 1990s, following incidents such as the Columbine High School shooting, McConnell said. The superpredator theory centered around fear there was going to be a wave of violent kids threatening communities and schools. The theory popularized strict zero tolerance policies in schools.
“We would automatically suspend and expel kids who got in trouble in school for very minor offenses in many cases,” McConnell said.
Terry McAuliffe Hosted Virtual Conversation on Combating the Rise of Anti-AAPI Hate
Terry McAuliffe hosted a virtual conversation today with Virginia Asian-American leaders on combating the rise of anti-AAPI hate. In the conversation, Terry was joined by former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Esther Lee, AAPI business and community leader Rumy Mohta, and AAPI student leader Nicholas “Nick” Gu.
Another 38 special: inside the intense battle for a reliably red Virginia senate seat - Virginia Mercury
by Mason Adams
What was expected to be a pretty predictable special election in Southwest Virginia has turned into a surprisingly intense fight in its closing days.
Voters in Virginia’s 38th Senate District will elect a new state senator through 2023 on Tuesday. Incumbent Ben Chafin died on Jan. 1 from complications related to COVID-19.
VIDEO: Herring leads three AGs in conversation on rise of anti-Asian hate and violence
Virginia’s Attorney General Mark R. Herring led a virtual discussion with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and Washington, DC Attorney General Karl Racine on the rise in anti-Asian hate, violence, and abuse.