Virginia Politics Blog Archive: General Assembly 2010
UPDATED: Powerful former Va. delegate indicted for extortion, bribery
Former Virginia delegate Phillip A. Hamilton (R-Newport News), 58, has been indicted by federal authorities on charges that he sought a job at Old Dominion University in exchange for obtaining state funding for the school. Hamilton has been charged with one count of bribery involving a federal program and one count of extortion. The powerful former member of the House Appropriations Committee served from 1988 until last year. He was defeated for reelection in 2009 by Del. Robin Abbott (D) after news of the federal investigation became public. According to the indictment, Hamilton and ODU officials agreed he would receive a job as director of the ODU Center for Teacher Quality and Educational Leadership if he obtained state funding to launch the center. Three others applied for the job. None were interviewed, according to federal authorities. Hamilton was hired though he never applied for the job. Hamilton was ultimately paid...
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Rosalind S. Helderman and Anita Kumar
| January 5, 2011; 6:07 PM ET |
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General Assembly 2010, House of Delegates
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McDonnell requests monthly calls with legislators
Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) wants to start holding monthly conference calls with state lawmakers in both parties in an effort to build closer ties with the legislature, the governor told Democrats in a call last week. McDonnell spoke to members of the House and Senate caucus Thursday evening, said Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington), who chairs senate's Democratic caucus. She said McDonnell spoke briefly, asking that delegates and senators keep him informed about their top priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Then Eric Finkbeiner, McDonnell's chief policy adviser, came on the line with much the same message. "He was basically saying, 'it was good to work together last year, I hope we're going to work together this year. And my policy staff is available to you," Whipple said....
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Rosalind S. Helderman
| November 16, 2010; 11:28 AM ET |
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General Assembly 2010, House of Delegates, Liquor privatization, Rosalind Helderman, State Senate
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McDonnell calls special legislative elections for Jan. 11
Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) has officially called two special elections for Jan. 11 so voters in two districts can elect replacements for state Sen. Robert Hurt and Del. Morgan Griffith -- both of whom were elected to Congress this month. The state Board of Elections is expected to certify Hurt's and Griffith's wins Nov. 22. Griffith (R-Salem), who defeated Rep. Rick Boucher, and Hurt (R-Pittsylvania), who defeated Rep. Tom Perriello in the 5th district, will resign soon after. Their newly elected replacements will be sworn in immediately. The General Assembly begins its 46-day session Jan. 12. "In order to ensure that the citizens of these districts have full representation in the Virginia General Assembly session that is to convene on January 12, 2011, it is my intention to call for the special elections to be held on Tuesday, January 11, 2011,'' McDonnell said in a statement. As we told you...
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Anita Kumar
| November 15, 2010; 3:53 PM ET |
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2010 Virginia Congressional Races, Anita Kumar, Election 2010, General Assembly 2010, House of Delegates, Robert F. McDonnell, State Senate
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Va. revenue grows over past year, still lags behind forecast
State revenue collections grew in October over the same month a year ago -- but collections for the fiscal year to date are lagging behind budget forecasts. State revenue grew by 3.7 percent in October over a year ago, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) announced Friday, an increase driven largely by an uptick in sales and individual income tax withholding receipts. It's the seventh month out of the last eight that have seen better tax collections this year than last. But the news is not all rosy. After adjusting for an accelerated sales tax program that provided a boost to the state's collections in July, state revenues have grown by 3.6 percent this year. The General Assembly adopted a budget assuming revenues would grow by 4.2 percent this year. The Governor's Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates will review the forecast soon and provide updated figures, which McDonnell will use to recommend...
By
Rosalind S. Helderman
| November 12, 2010; 11:40 AM ET |
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Budget, General Assembly 2010, House of Delegates, Robert F. McDonnell, Rosalind Helderman, State Senate
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McDonnell reached out to legislative auditors on retail-only liquor proposal
Here's yet another sign that Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) is considering scaling back his proposal to privatize the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control system to a plan that would privatize retail liquor sales but leave wholesale distribution under state control: State Sen. Edd Houck (D) says he received a call from a top McDonnell aide a few weeks ago to ask whether a legislative study of the proposal could be expanded to include a section on a retail-only privatization plan. Houck said that, after consultation with Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission Director Glen Tittermary, he told McDonnell policy adviser Eric Finkbeiner that the audit commission had almost completed its work -- which includes an analysis of a plan McDonnell unveiled Sept. 8 to end the state's wholesale and retail distribution of distilled spirits, as well as a revised plan McDonnell put forward Sept. 30. "They really had finished enough already...
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Rosalind S. Helderman
| November 12, 2010; 8:00 AM ET |
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General Assembly 2010, House of Delegates, Liquor privatization, Rosalind Helderman, State Senate
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Four candidates and counting for Hurt's Senate seat
The field of candidates vying to replace state Sen. Robert Hurt (R) has suddenly become crowded. Four Republicans have now announced that they will compete in a firehouse primary for the GOP's nomination for a special election to fill the seat Hurt's election to Congress has created. And we hear a Democrat may also join the field -- despite Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw's comments Monday indicating the state party does not plan to get involved in the race. There's likely to be more to come on that score later in the week. For now, Pittsylvania Republican Committee Chairwoman Brenda Bowman announced Tuesday that she will seek the party's nomination. Bowman, 64, has been an active volunteer for Republican candidates, including Hurt. A retired school bookkeeper, she now works part-time as a legislative aide to Del. Charles D. Poindexter (R-Franklin)....
By
Rosalind S. Helderman
| November 9, 2010; 5:13 PM ET |
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General Assembly 2010, Robert F. McDonnell, Rosalind Helderman, State Senate
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