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A daily compilation of newspaper articles about Virginia politics and government.
VPAP Whipple Report - May 24, 2012
Today's Sponsor: Clare Tilton and David Poole
Wishing a Happy Birthday to Andrew Lee Tilton
Compiled by Catherine MacDonald
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
‘KINSHIP CARE’ BILL VETOED BY MCDONNELL
If life is falling apart for Mom or Dad, and Grandma steps up and takes in little Johnny and Jane, she can’t send them to her neighborhood school without a court order. That’s either as it should be or a terrible shame, depending on who’s doing the talking in Richmond, where an issue affecting more than 70,000 Virginia children has not broken neatly along partisan lines.
MCDONNELL CRITICIZED FOR VETO OF VIRGINIA ABUSED-CHILD SCHOOLING BILL
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has found himself on the opposite side of advocacy groups spanning the political spectrum after vetoing a bill that would allow abused or neglected children living with a relative to enroll in the school district where the relative lives. The measure, backed by groups such as the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia Poverty Law Center, and the Family Foundation, passed 76-17 in the Republican-controlled House of Delegates and 38-1 in the evenly split Senate.
CUCCINELLI BACKS WALKER IN WISCONSIN RECALL
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is throwing his weight and political machine into the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall race. Cuccinelli wrote to supporters Wednesday asking them to contribute to Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who's fighting Democratic effort to kick him out of office midway through his first term.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
LAWMAKERS GAVE MILLIONS FROM MORTGAGE SETTLEMENT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Virginia lawmakers in March diverted most of a multimillion-dollar mortgage settlement payment to local governments. Virginia received $66.5 million as part of a national $25 billion settlement with five large banks for foreclosure fraud. Direct payments to states were intended to protect consumers and assist state foreclosure prevention efforts, but in many cases state legislatures funnelled some or all of their payments to other budget needs.
STATE ELECTIONS
TEA PARTY BOOSTS CUCCINELLI'S GUBERNATORIAL BID
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli scored a potentially game-changing victory this month in an already nasty gubernatorial race when Tea Party activists threatened to force the party to hold a convention to elect statewide nominees in 2013. State Republicans held mini conventions during the first half of May to elect chairmen for the 11 congressional districts and name representatives to the Republican State Central Committee before next month's state convention.
FEDERAL ELECTIONS
RADTKE BEGINS AIRING RADIO ADS ACROSS VIRGINIA
U.S. Senate hopeful Jamie Radtke has hit the airwaves. Radtke, who is in an uphill battle for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, has begin airing ads attacking rival George Allen.
MORAN CHALLENGER SHUTTLEWORTH HOPES FOR PRIMARY UPSET
To Navy veteran Bruce Shuttleworth, it’s a mystery why Rep. James P. Moran keeps getting reelected. In his 20 years in Congress, Moran has had a series of ethical controversies, including good terms on a loan from a lender seeking support for legislation pending before Congress.
VIRGINIA CHALLENGERS SAY PARTIES PLAY FAVORITES
Incumbent politicians and establishment candidates will fare well in Virginia's primaries this year, and challengers are clamoring that it's because the state's supposedly neutral Republican and Democratic parties are actually playing favorites. Candidates from both parties complain that unfair tactics by party leaders are hampering their efforts to gain traction with voters. Party officials insist they have no preferences in the primaries.
NEW OBAMA ADS IN VA. FOCUS ON MEDICARE, MILITARY VETERANS
President Barack Obama’s campaign is releasing a pair of new TV ads in Virginia focused on Medicare and military veterans. “Personal” talks up the Obama administration’s efforts to crackdown on health care fraud, and says $4 billion was recovered from health care scams last year. “To you and your loved ones Medicare is personal,” the ad’s narrator says. “And to a president raised by his grandparents, it’s personal, too.”
OBAMA RELEASES TWO NEW TV ADS IN VIRGINIA
Two more political ads are coming to a TV near you. President Obama will begin airing a pair of positive TV ads in swing states, including Virginia, this week. The first ad, “Sacred Trust,” touts Obama’s commitment to helping veterans as he continues his effort to win over military families in a handful of important swing states. And yes, this ad mentions Osama bin Laden.
STATE GOVERNMENT
VIRGINIA ID LAW: STATE TO SPEND $1.4M FOR NEW VOTER CARDS
The state — not localities — will pick up the $1.4 million tab to send new cards to every register voter in the state. Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) ordered new cards sent Friday when he signed a controversial voter identification bill that critics say could disenfranchise the poor, minorities and young people.
FAMILIES BATTLE CLOSURE OF STATE INSTITUTIONS, MONITOR FAIRFAX FUNDING WOES
Among those closely watching this week’s unfolding drama at the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board are families who have loved ones live in the embattled Northern Virginia Training Center, one of five large state institutions for people with severe disabilities. The U.S. Department of Justice has targeted four of the state institutions for closure under the theory that people with disabilities should be integrated as fully into society as possible.
INSPECTIONS FIND RULE VIOLATIONS AT AREA ASSISTED-LIVING FACILITIES
The most recent state inspections of assisted-living facilities in the area showed that several violated training and record-keeping regulations, and at least one Stuarts Draft facility lacked activities and service plans for residents, according to state reports. Violations ranged from incomplete physicals to failing to restock medications when they were running low to not having enough staff who knew how to evacuate the building in an emergency. In one case, they confirmed that a resident was not receiving ordered medication.
STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH OFFICIALS MEET ON PRISONER RECIDIVISM
Each year 12,000 to 13,000 men and women enter Virginia's prisons and a roughly equal number leave to return to their communities. Unfortunately, said Harold Clarke, director of the Virginia Department of Corrections, of those released, about 10,000 re-offend within three years and go back behind the bars and razor wire.
VDOT: NEW TOOLS TO LESSEN BURDEN OF REGIONAL TRAVEL
Just in time for the summer tourist season, motorists have a new quiver of tools to help navigate the omnipresent pitfalls of Hampton Roads travel. The Virginia Department of Transportation rolled out an enhanced information system Wednesday at its Traffic Operations Center in Virginia Beach.