The judge at the center of a messy political scuffle will remain on the Virginia Supreme Court for now.
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In June, a federal court concluded for a second time that legislators in 2012 illegally packed black voters into the 3rd District in order to make adjacent districts safer for Republican incumbents. It was her appointment, combined with McAuliffe’s call for the special redistricting session, that seemed to put him at such odds with the assembly’s Republican majority.
Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe said he followed regular protocol when making a recent appointment for the Virginia Supreme Court and Republican opposition is unjust.
“And here’s what you do: let them draw districts, and you have it evenly balanced”.
On Monday, state Sen. Democrats needed the help of moderate GOP state Sen.
Watkins stated he could not stand the partisan battle that has erupted since McAuliffe appointed Roush.
State lawmakers are set to return to the Capitol on Monday for what’s expected to be a contentious fight over congressional redistricting and a Virginia Supreme Court appointment.
“Moving forward and consistent with the Constitution of Virginia, the General Assembly remains in session”, Howell and Norment said in their statement.
Thanks to a defection by retiring Republican Senator John Watkins of Powhatan County, Democrats were able to block the GOP’s preferred candidate.
House and Senate Republican leaders issued a joint statement on the adjournment vote that effectively howled in protest at the move.
But Republicans, who control the legislature and hold an 8-to-3 majority in the congressional delegation, say it won’t be that easy. It immediately pulled the plug on the proceedings. “It’s just a matter of the General Assembly and the Governor to get together to do the work they were elected to do, and that is redraw the lines for the 11 Congressional Districts”. “She’s well-respected, on a bipartisan basis”.
McAuliffe quickly announced he would notify the courts of the breakdown and would renew Roush’s appointment, which otherwise expires next month.
“It is clear, given the Court ruling, that the only means to achieve that goal is to take a comprehensive approach that starts from the beginning and erases the taint of racial and partisan politics that poisons the old unconstitutional map”, McAuliffe said. “But in the scenario where they’re going to end up having to negotiate with Republicans, I’d imagine they would take the 4th”. “And I appreciate that”.
Scott adds, “I think the important thing is to comply with the new interpretation of the Voting Rights Act”.
Over the objections of McAuliffe and Democratic lawmakers, Roush wasn’t invited to interview. Habeeb said he also cautioned Reagan to get Republican leaders on board.
Without a General Assembly vote, Roush’s term would have ended in mid September.
Senate Democratic Chief Richard Saslaw stated this morning that his GOP colleagues do not have the votes they should elect Courtroom of Appeals Decide Rossie Alston to the state Supreme Courtroom.
They have no hope of regaining the House, where Republicans outnumber them by a 2-to-1 margin. Without it, the legislature could have recessed indefinitely, technically staying in session and blocking McAuliffe from any judicial appointments.
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When asked how she would make a fair decision when lawmakers could not also question Roush, Vogel said that was a problem. “The governor received advice from a variety of individuals and certainly appreciates and listens to all of that advice, but he never even made the slightest gesture in that direction”, she said.
