Petersburg is in the spotlight, but will anyone actually try and help the city?
The latest in Virginia politics.
Two women chasing history put the spotlight on one Virginia city with a compelling history of its own - Washington Post
by Greg Schneider
One of the first things Jennifer Carroll Foy wants you to know about her history-chasing run for the Democratic nomination for governor is that she learned to fight for the underdog in her hometown — a tough, poverty-stricken city of struggle and broken homes.
Fellow candidate and state Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan says she, too, learned to stand for social justice where she grew up — a supportive community of families, Black academics and civil rights pioneers who preached equality and achievement.
ICYMI from December: As Petersburg tries to move forward, residents want more accountability
After years of asking for help from state leaders, residents in the City of Petersburg have become frustrated, to say the least.
It surprised no one when state Senator Joe Morrissey (D), who represents Petersburg, was recently in the news for breaking the law by allegedly campaigning inside a polling location. While they say they fully support holding the senator accountable if he did break the law, Petersburg residents have larger concerns for their community than the legality of Morrissey handing out donuts.
This conversation was brought to the forefront of community groups again when Morrissey blamed Virginia’s Attorney General for the case against him. “The timing of these summonses is highly suspicious as they come after Senator Morrissey endorsed Mark Herring’s opponent, Delegate Jay Jones, for Attorney General,” said Morrissey’s staff in an announcement on Friday.
“I’m shocked but not surprised at Attorney General Mark Herring’s behavior,” said Morrissey in the same press release. “What with people dying from COVID-19, losing their jobs, going homeless, and worrying about feeding their children, Attorney General Mark Herring instead makes the decision to allocate the resources of his office to investigate the donut delivery man!”
Herring’s communications director denied the accusations that the Attorney General was involved in the investigation, noting that the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney opened the investigation, Virginia State Police conducted it, and New Kent Commonwealth’s Attorney made the final decision to file charges. Herring’s only involvement was approving the request from the Virginia State Police asking for authorization to move forward with the investigation, according to Herring’s spokesperson.
Meanwhile, Petersburg residents say they feel unheard and overlooked. “We don’t care nearly as much about yet another rule broken by ‘bad boy’ Fighting Joe as we do about getting even a spoonful of attention to the many Petersburg problems that have been referred to the state judicial establishment over the past 5 years,” said Barb Rudolph, a community activist in Petersburg. “Whether it’s Petersburg, Chesterfield, Richmond, or New Kent, Commonwealth’s Attorneys are state-funded, constitutional officers and the conduit to the investigative firepower of the Virginia State Police. No one outside of here seems to really want to turn over all of the slimy rocks in Petersburg.”
They served in Congress as Virginia Republicans. Now they’ve joined a national effort to reform the party. - Washington Post
by Meagan Flynn
Scott Rigell had no hard feelings when he resigned from the Virginia Beach GOP in 2016 after becoming the first Republican member of Congress to endorse Libertarian Gary Johnson over Donald Trump. He said he was still a “proud member” of the Republican Party.
Over the next four years, however, that pride dwindled. And after the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, Rigell became a political independent. He said he couldn’t stomach seeing his former colleagues “hold on to the proven falsehood that the election was stolen.”
In Virginia, Trump’s election lies look like a GOP liability - Associated Press
By WILL WEISSERT and BILL BARROW
Washington Republicans may be rushing to embrace former President Donald Trump’s falsehoods about fraud costing him a second term, but next door in Virginia the GOP candidate in the year’s only major election is doing the opposite.
Former private equity executive and political newcomer Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee for this November’s gubernatorial election, once dodged questions about whether President Joe Biden was fairly elected. But now he acknowledges Biden’s win. He campaigned for days with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a key leader of a congressional effort to overturn the election results. Cruz is unlikely to headline events this fall, an advisor said.
Racial justice protests expose divide between activists in Fredericksburg area - The Free Lance-Star
by Taft Coghill
As Spotsylvania County Sheriff Roger Harris addressed protesters outside his office on April 23, he attempted to give Moe Petway an opportunity to speak.
Petway is the president of the Spotsylvania Branch of the NAACP and has established a working relationship with county law enforcement.
Changes to Virginia’s Medical Marijuana Program Also Coming This Summer - VPM News
When recreational marijuana officially becomes legal in Virginia this summer, people who use marijuana to manage health conditions can expect changes to the medical program as well.
Virginia’s medical marijuana program will be the only way to legally purchase marijuana in the state until retail sales begin in 2024. For existing medical cannabis patients, there will be some significant changes on July 1, the same day recreational marijuana becomes legal.
Warner meets with Indian-American community amid worry of virus’ surge in India - Loudoun Times
With India experiencing a surge of coronavirus cases and deaths, Americans, including residents in Loudoun County, are trying to find ways of assisting family members and friends on the other side of the globe.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) joined more than dozen members of the Indian-American community Friday in Ashburn to discuss the ongoing health crisis in India.
Later today I will be sending out my audio interview with Tom Barbour, a candidate for Richmond City’s commonwealth attorney.