Add Del. Scott Surovell to the growing list of Virginia legislators – all Democrats, so far – calling on Bob McDonnell to resign. Del. Surovell goes a bit further, strongly implying that if McDonnell won’t resign, then impeachment proceedings (Surovell euphemistically calls them “other measures”) would be in order.
The legislative branch has a sworn independent responsibility to address corruption and malfeasance when we see them independent of criminal investigations. As Senator Chap Petersen said two weeks ago, silence implies acquiescence, and I cannot continue to stand silently. It’s time for Governor Robert McDonnell to resign so the Commonwealth can continue its focus on improving the lives of its citizens, and he can shift his focus to resolving his family’s mounting legal problems.
It’s also time for other members of the legislature to remember their oath to the Virginians they represent and speak up as well. If he has not resigned by the end of this week, then other measures should be on the table.
So now, the question is, how long are Virginia Republicans going to allow this situation to go on? Which prominent Virginia Republican elected official will be the first to say “enough’s enough?” From what I’m hearing, they’re getting increasingly concerned that Bob McDonnell’s large and growing corruption scandal could deep-six the Republican Gov/LG/AG ticket. If that happens, of course, it’s likely that Republicans will lose seats in the House of Delegates as well. Clearly, Camp Cuccinelli would like McDonnell gone, but they haven’t had the cojones to say so directly. However, with a live-streamed debate scheduled for next Saturday, and with questions about the scandals sure to dominate, it’s hard to see how they allow this to go on much longer…
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