"McAuliffe vetoes bill that would ban donations from companies seeking economic grants" Washpost

"Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) on Friday vetoed a bill passed unanimously by the General Assembly that would have barred him from accepting donations from anyone seeking grants from an economic-development fund he controls.

The multimillion-dollar Governor’s Opportunity Fund provides cash grants and loans to companies that maintain or create jobs in the state. A ban would have blocked contributions or gifts worth more than $50 from applicants, but McAuliffe said more time was needed to avoid compromising applicants’ confidentiality."  Washpost

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The really amusing thing about this is that former governor Bob McDonnell and his wife are now indicted in federal court for accepting gifts from a businessman who seems to have skillfully exploited the wife's emotional frailty when she was faced with the coldly cordial face of Richmond society.  

McAuliffe has come on ill times.  The Republican super majority in the lower house of the General Assembly scorns his efforts to expand Medicaid and waits in evident eager anticipation for some extra-legal attempt on his part to do so.  He has attempted to use the techniques of what Lynn Sweet calls his perpetual traveling  political tailgate party to move the House of Delegates (or at least intimidate it).  Thus far, this has been a total failure.  IMO the pleasure derived in the legislature from screwing McAulliffe far outweighs whatever political threat his electoral efforts might pose.  

Richmond (the capital of Virginia as opposed to the heavily Black city) has always been an odd place.  The inbred gentry of the city are instinctively scornful of outsiders.  This is an old, old story.  Varina Davis, wife of you know who, was described by society ladies, as "that western woman."  That kind of attitude has not changed much in the last 150 years.  It takes a lot of effort on the part of people like Mark Warner to gain acceptance.  McAuliffe is a welcome target of opportunity.

Republican newcomers generally do not do much better.  Out of state Republicans have made attempts recently to "take over" the state GOP.  Their efforts have been uniformly unsuccessful.  Ed Gillespie is running for the senate here?  My. My.  pl 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/mcauliffe-vetoes-bill-that-would-ban-donations-from-companies-seeking-economic-grants/2014/05/23/b4aaa3ac-e292-11e3-8dcc-d6b7fede081a_story.html

Comments

[Hank Foresman]

As my Great Aunt Julia (a Lexingtonian) use to say, McAuliffe is not only common but quite ordinary. He will not be invited to join the Commonwealth Club or the Country Club of Virginia, he will not be welcomed in the drawing rooms of Monument Avenue and the West End. He will be tolerated for the four years he occupies the office, he will leave no legacy, and he should really consider his veto, as my guess is people are watching and he too could end up standing before the bar of Justice.
Governor McAuliffe should be careful, as the House of Delegates will have no hesitation, given their radical conservatism (what passes for a conservative today amongst the majority of legislators the Byrd organization a Burkean conservative organization would have seen as unfit to govern) to impeach the Governor and possibly the Attorney General, conviction is less certain given the even divide and maturity of the Senate. Below is the section from the Virginia Constitution 1971 dealing with impeachment."

"Section 17. Impeachment.

The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, judges, members of the State Corporation Commission, and all officers appointed by the Governor or elected by the General Assembly, offending against the Commonwealth by malfeasance in office, corruption, neglect of duty, or other high crime or misdemeanor may be impeached by the House of Delegates and prosecuted before the Senate, which shall have the sole power to try impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, the senators shall be on oath or affirmation, and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the senators present. Judgment in case of impeachment shall not extend further than removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the Commonwealth; but the person convicted shall nevertheless be subject to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law. The Senate may sit during the recess of the General Assembly for the trial of impeachments."

The next three and half years should be be good political theater but will do nothing to reinforce the view that Virginia is a well governed state.

[turcopolier]

Hank Foresman

I had some small connection with the Winchester family who ran Byrd's flagship newspaper and I would concur that many of those who sit in the House of Delegates today would have been scorned by the Byrd Machine. pl

[Alba Etie]

Col Lang
Would a Jim Webb / Mark Warner be a good third party presidential ticket ?
I wonder would a third party have a chance ..

[Stephanie]

The Richmond ladies gave Mrs. Davis a very hard time. She was much happier in Washington, where it was easier for outspoken "western" women like herself to find like company. (She was very close friends with Mary Chesnut, but Mrs. C was from South Carolina.)

[Fred]

Col.,

I had breakfast in Strasburg yesterday. I can't imagine anyone in the restaurant would have been too impressed, or intimidated, by McAuliffe by one of his "perpetual traveling political tailgate party". Though I have a feeling they would have put quite a dent in is liquor stock. Sadly these are just the people he claims to want to help. Seems like career politicians now feel a multi-million dollar media campaign is all that is needed, rather than actually meeting the voters.

[turcopolier]

Fred

Where did you eat, the "Hi Neighbor" on Main Street? The food is cheap, abundant and authentically Virginia. My old place was three or four miles south of town on the North fork of the Shenandoah. I had 700 feet of river frontage. This was a great Bass spot. People in Shenandoah County are very Conservative in all ways appropriate to Virginia country folk. They are either real farmers of beef cattle or they work, perhaps part time in light industry. Examples would be slick paper high end magazine printing, food preparation for restaurants (the locals wouldn't eat the stuff New York restaurants have them make), quality kitchen cabinet manufacture, etc. Unemployment is low and the political atmosphere favors business and high employment. Shenandoah County is prosperous and they despise Mcaullife. pl

[Fred]

Col., yes, that was the place. The food was very good. I stopped by Crabil's too. Sadly have to cut short my vacation to meet friends in Philadelphia.

[Fred]

I took a drive to Posey Hollow. That's a beautiful stretch of river.