Posted on 08/14/2015 3:46:46 PM PDT by cotton1706
The GOP’s plan to replace the Virginia Supreme Court justice that Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) put on the bench could be undone by a moderate Republican state senator, who hinted Friday that he might not agree to install someone else.
Republicans need all 21 of their senators or a Democratic defector to pull off a scheme that would be unprecedented in modern times: unseating a sitting state Supreme Court justice by electing someone else to the slot.
Sen. John C. Watkins (R-Powhatan), who has said he is retiring in January partly out of frustration over increasing partisanship in Richmond, hinted that he might not go along with the plan to replace Justice Jane Marum Roush when the legislature convenes Monday for a special session on redistricting.
“It is very frustrating to me that we would potentially expend the appointment of an excellent Supreme Court justice for what seems to be political reasons,” Watkins said in an interview with The Washington Post. “It’s all about politics and this redistricting thing. Both sides have made some mistakes, and it brought us to this point. I personally think it’s time for both sides to back off and start talking to each other and not past each other.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Because moderate republicans ARE democrats! And always have been!!
And the "increasing partisanship" has been caused by REAL republicans getting elected, who are actually battling the democrats...instead of going along with them.
From the article:
Watkins declined to say how he plans to vote. Another departing moderate Republican, Sen. Walter A. Stosch (Henrico), said he was undecided. The refusal of one or both of them to go along with the plan would, absent any Democratic defections, stop the GOP from delivering what appeared to be an imminent and embarrassing blow to the governor.
Resistance from Watkins and Stosch would not necessarily keep Roush on the bench. Unless the General Assembly elects her, Roush’s term expires 30 days after lawmakers convene, even if they don’t choose someone else to replace her.
What? He's retiring? He should run for Congress since he has all the qualifications necessary to become Speaker of the House.
STOP this “moderate” shit - they are liberals, not moderates. Be honest about who they are and things will make more sense.
Sounds like a RINO that lacks the guts to fight based on principle. Let's just hold hands with socialists, cave into their defintion of bi-partisanship and be happy.
If these people were Democrats, they would vote party-line all the time. And the Dems would win. This way, they win too. Nice for them.
Amen, liberal (country club) Republicans are every bit as liberal/socialist as their democrat counterparts, they are just a bit more elitist.
Sounds like they have there own Jeffords.
Powhatan should be a conservative district, I doubt the fellow does it even if he’s leaving. Stosch though might. Henrico ain’t what it used to be.
Does seem most ‘politic’ to just let the appointment expire though.
****ing bastard.
I am sorry to say that Watkins is my state senator. He got rich by running a new highway through his farm property which then became prime for development. He’s been a RINO for many years and we are very happy to see him leave. In summation the guy is an A$$hole!
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