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The Worst 40 Virginia Politicos Since 2005

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Who are the worst – most damaging, corrupt(ing), extreme, bigoted, etc. – Virginia politicos (defined as an elected official, candidate, political operative or “player”) since I started “Raising Kaine” in 2005? Here’s a list – in roughly descending order of badness/most damage – of the 40 worst since then, along with a brief explanation for why each one made the list.

  1. Former AG Ken Cuccinelli: Where does one even start with “the Cooch?” How about his war on UVA climate scientist Michael Mann? His claims that our country is “being invaded” by immigrants? His relentless assault on women’s reproductive health and freedom? His praise for racist nutjob Congressman Steve King? Leading his “extreme team” ticket to a statewide loss in 2013? We could go on all day, but in short, Cuccinelli was a horrendously bad Attorney General who embarrassed Virginia every day he held public office – and did a great deal of damage during his four-year reign of terror. Thank goodness he’s gone, although don’t put it past him to run for something else someday…
  2. Prince William County Board Chair Corey Stewart: Not even sure I really have to explain this one, after his disgraceful, self-described “vicious” 2017 campaign for U.S. Senate. The nickname “neo-Confederate Corey” kind of says it all about this guy. Plus, add in his war against undocumented immigrants in Prince William County, and that’s why this guy’s near the top of the “worst” list.
  3. Tom Farrell: The chairman, president and CEO of Dominion Energy probably does as more damage to Virginia as anyone else on this list. Whether we’re talking about the corruption of our political system or the spewing of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, Tom Farrell’s your guy. For a lot more on Farrrell, and on the slimy “Virginia Way” in general, check out Jeff Thomas’ Virginia Politics & Government in a New Century: The Price of Power.
  4. Former Gov. and Sen. George Allen: The entire “macaca” incident alone would have put him high on this list, but don’t forget, after that story broke, a TON more information about Allen’s racist comments and other deplorable behavior came to light. Fortunately, we defeated him in 2006 (when, believe it or not, he was actually gearing up to run for President!), then again in 2012…
  5. State Sen. Dick Black: There’s so much to say about this nutjob (who just announced his retirement), where does even start? How about Dick Black on Spousal Rape, “Nighties,” etc? How about Dick Black Rails Against Gays in the Military? Or Sen. Dick Black (R-Homophobia): Polygamy “just more natural” than homosexuality? And then there’s VA Sen. Dick Black (R) Praises “Extraordinary Gallantry” of Syrian Armed Forces and…we could go on all day. Thank goodness he’s retiring, although honestly I would have rather seen his career ended with a huge defeat this coming November.
  6. Bob Marshall: I nicknamed him “Sideshow Bob” for a reason – because like the Simpsons character, Marshall was a joke, but also malicious and malignant. I mean, who could forget the anti-same-sex-marriage “Marshall-Newman amendment?” Or Bob Marshall Reiterates Claim That Disabled Children Represent God’s ‘Vengeance’ For Abortion or his bizarre discourse on women’s supposed “cradling arms” vs. men’s supposed “throwing arms,” or his delusional tirades about the Equal Rights Amendment, or… I mean, “Sideshow Bob” was a great poster boy for the Virginia GOP, so in that respect I kinda miss the guy, but other than that, good riddance!
  7. E.W. Jackson: Speaking of bigoted freaks, how about the 2013 Virginia GOP’s nominee for Lt. Governor? Where to even start with this guy? How about Audio: Trump-Worshiping EW Jackson Says Use of Gender-Neutral Pronouns Indicates “demon possession by multiple demons”? Or maybe Audio: EW Jackson on “Gaypril,” “Furries,” “Pet Play,” “Sin,” etc.? Possible 2018 U.S. Senate Candidate E.W. Jackson (R-VA) on “Moonlight,” Witches and “Pure Evil” Planned Parenthood? E.W. Jackson: Electing Muslims to Congress Is ‘Just Beyond the Pale’? There are literally hundreds of examples, but that’s a decent sampling to give you the flavor. And again, remember that this guy was the LG nominee of the Virginia GOP in 2013, on a ticket with also-extreme Ken Cuccinelli (see above) and Mark Obenshain (see below).
  8. Bob McDonnell: I first came across Bob McDonnell back when Jim Spencer of the Daily Press nicknamed him “Taliban Bob” for claiming that “Newport News Circuit Judge Verbena Askew may not be fit for reappointment to the bench if she ever violated the state’s crimes-against-nature law.” Despite his Pat Robertson-style, theocratic beliefs, McDonnell was somehow elected Virginia AG in 2005 and governor (!) in 2009. And what a governor he was – indicted and convicted on federal corruption charges after he received “more than $135,000 in gifts, including a Rolex watch, loans, trips and other items from Jonnie Williams Sr., former CEO of Star Scientific, a company developing a compound called anatabine as a dietary supplement and as a drug.” In the end, McDonnell avoided prison time thanks to the Supreme Court, and McDonnell ended up at – of course! – his pal Pat Robertson’s Regent “University,” but there’s no doubt that McDonnell richly deserves to make our list as one of the top-50 worst Virginia politicos since 2005.
  9. Dave Brat: He became famous by somehow defeating Eric Cantor on June 10, 2014. At the time, I was thinking Brat couldn’t possibly be worse than Cantor, but somehow he was! Just a few of my favorite Brat stories include: Leaked Audio: Dave Brat Admits That He, Paul Ryan, and the Republicans “Lie All the Time”; Video: Panicked Dave Brat Almost Knocks People Over Running Away From College Student Asking Him About His History of Plagiarism, The Five Weirdest Things Dave “I’m an Economist!” Brat Said on “Moral Capitalism” Last Week, etc, etc. Not surprisingly, after his defeat by Democrat Abigail Spanberger this past November, the self-proclaimed great “economist” was snatched up by…yep, Jerry Falwell’s “Liberty” “University.” As Ken Cuccinelli likes to say, you cant’ make this stuff up.
  10. Eric Cantor: Speaking of Cantor, he was also atrocious, a true “profile in cowardice and craven irresponsibility” who came very close to almost single-handedly destroying the United States’ credit rating and also playing a big role in what ended up as damaging, idiotic “sequestration.” For those things alone, Cantor definitely deserves to make this list. But wait, there’s more! On the issues, Cantor was far right, opposing public funding for embryonic stem cell research, earning a big fat ZERO rating on women’s right to control their own bodies, of course earning an “A” rating from the NRA, voting “against prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation.” So yeah, good that this guy’s out of Congress – hopefully forever – as is his successor, Dave Brat.
  11. Bob Goodlatte: I call him BADlatte because as a member of Congress, he was really, really bad. For more on this guy, check out “The Place Bills Go to Die” (“Bob Goodlatte’s slow-moving stewardship of the House Judiciary Committee  has infuriated Republicans and left Dreamers hanging”). From that article, this quote is priceless: “‘This guy just refuses to move legislation,’ said a senior Republican lawmaker. ‘I can’t think of a single thing he’s actually accomplished’.” Also see The Goodlatte Bill Is a Laundry List of Enforcement Provisions that Stephen Miller Puts Under His Pillow Each Night. On and on it goes, ending with BADlatte..yep, blocking another important piece of legislation, in this case Savanna’s Act to protect Native American women from an epidemic of domestic violence. Was Bob Goodlatte the worst member of Congress from Virginia ever? I’m not sure, but it’s hard to think of a worse one. Bye bye!
  12. Jerry Falwell, Jr.: The president of “Liberty University” and far-right political player is beyond appalling in so, so many ways. For a few examples of why I say that, see How Jerry Falwell Jr. found his MAGA religion, Jerry Falwell Jr. can’t imagine Trump ‘doing anything that’s not good for the country’, and of course his Wikipedia entry, which noted Falwell’s comparison of Trump to Winston Churchill and his comment that he’d “always thought that, if more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in and killed them.” So yeah, this guy just hired Dave Brat for his “university.” Hmmm.
  13. Pat Robertson: Where to even start with this guy – Bob McDonnell’s mentor, has given $760k to Virginia Republicans over the years, is about as right-wing extremist and loony-tunes as they get. For a list of Robertson’s “controversies and criticisms,” click here – “He has cautioned believers that some Protestant denominations may harbor the spirit of the Antichrist; prayed to deflect hurricanes denounced Hinduism as ‘demonic’ and Islam as ‘Satanic’. Robertson has denounced left-wing views of feminism, activism regarding homosexuality, abortion, and liberal college professors.” ‘Nuff said.
  14. Bill Howell: The former Speaker of the House was also a big player at hard-right, anti-environment, anti-worker, etc. ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council), where they write glowingly about how supposedly amaaaaaazing Howell is. Except that, of course, he wasn’t in the least bit amazing. Check out Bill “ALEC” Howell Signs ALEC Letter to Google Blaming Climate Activists for ALEC’s Own CrazinessVA Speaker Howell Leaps to ALEC’s Defense; Attacks Anna Scholl as Only Understanding “Little” WordsVirginia Women’s “Strike Force” Condemns Speaker Howell for “Demeaning Rhetoric” Towards WomenDemocratic Senators Condemn Speaker Howell for his ActionsSpeaker Bill “ALEC” Howell Celebrates Denying Healthcare Coverage to 100s of 1000s of Virginians, and GOP Virginia House Speaker Takes No Action Against Member Indicted for Child Abuse.
  15. Tommy Norment: In a way, Norment is Dick Saslaw’s Republican doppelganger in the State Senate – in Norment’s case, though, he was literally in bed with a lobbyist. Norment is a recipient, not surprisingly, of big-time $$$ from Dominion Energy, Altria, the realtors, the bankers, you name it. And let’s not forget the September 7, 2014 Washington Post editorial, “Virginia’s ethical vacuum,” which noted that “Norment accepted seven hunting trips worth about $19,000 between 2001 and 2007, and, since then, 12 trips that he described only as “travel,” worth $29,688.” But wait, it gets better: “All but a few of the major trips Mr. Norment enjoyed were given to him by just three interest groups: Dominion, a Richmond-based power and energy giant; the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association; and the Virginia Public Safety Alliance, which represents several law enforcement agencies. Each of those groups has business before the state legislature, where Mr. Norment is a key player.” Does that epitomize the slimy, “legally corrupt” “Virginia Way” or what? Just appalling…but also par for the course here in “anything-goes” Virginia.
  16. Mark Obenshain: Every day, we should all give thanks for the fact that Mark Herring barely beat (in overtime) this far-right extremist for Attorney General in 2013. Among other things, Obenshain introduced a bill “which would have required women who had miscarriages without medical attendance to report it to authorities within 24 hours.” Other than that, Obenshain is basically a standard-issue hard-right ideologue, with a ZERO rating on a woman’s right to choose, top-notch ratings from the gun lobby, etc. No thanks.
  17. Ed Gillespie: Good ol’ “Enron Ed” epitomizes almost everything wrong about the Republican Party, including his disgraceful pandering to the far-right in his 2017 gubernatorial run. As the Washington Post wrote at the time, Ed Gillespie wages war on his own principles and Ed Gillespie flirts with toxic ideas at his own risk. It’s truly pathetic that Gillespie was willing to “go there” in his quest for power.
  18. Dick Saslaw: Yes, “Dominion Dick”‘s a Democrat, but he definitely makes this list. Why? Other than the tight Dominion connection (he’s taken over $350,000 over the years and dutifully done their bidding in the State Senate), there’s also stuff like Video: In Crude Language, Sen. Dick Saslaw Argues that Ethics Laws are Irrelevant, Unnecessary and AP Scoop Epitomizes “Dominion Dick” $a$law’s ‘Pay-to-Play’ Corruption,” plus the large amount of money he’s taken from the predatory lending industry (he’s dutifully done their bidding for many years, as well); plus his utter lack of political judgement, as exemplified by his going on Trumpster radio and spewing stuff like this; plus his incompetence as Democratic leader (e.g., despite drawing the State Senate lines, he still couldn’t manage to win it back in 2015 – #FAIL). In short, $a$law is “well past his ‘sell-by’ date” and badly needs to retire.  But of course he won’t, because he lives and breathes this stuff…
  19. Scott Howell: This Republican consultant was the “brains” behind the infamous “Hitler” ad in 2005 against Tim Kaine (also see “Howell and Kilgore, crafting the message,” by Waldo Jaquith). Fortunately, that ad backfired, and his candidate, Jerry Kilgore, lost to Kaine. But nope, Howell wasn’t quite done, as George Allen hired him for his bigotry-infused, nasty, and losing 2006 U.S. Senate race against Jim Webb. Just for those two races alone, Howell richly deserves to be on this list.
  20. Chris LaCivita: The Swift Boat slime/smear merchant also worked in Virginia, including years of work for George Allen, plus Mark Earley (who lost to Mark Warner in 2001), Robert Hurt against Tom Perriello in 2010, Scott Rigell in 2010 against Glenn Nye, and worst of all, “LaCivita was the chief strategist for the 2013 gubernatorial campaign of longtime client Ken Cuccinelli in Virginia.” So yeah…LaSwiftBoatVita also richly deserves to be on this list.
  21. Dick Wadhams: This guy was touted as “Karl Rove’s heir apparent,” as if that could possibly ever be a good thing. See here, and read about Wadhams’ “pit bull”reputation, his “slash-and-burn reputation,” his accusation that Tom Daschle “emboldened Saddam Hussein,” attacking Daschle’s wife, etc., etc. There’s also Wadhams’ work with James Dale Guckert, aka Jeff Gannon,” the fake White House “reporter” who turned out to be a gay male “escort” under the professional name “Bulldog.”  And, bringing it home to Virginia, there’s Wadhams’ disgraceful 2006 U.S. Senate campaign, in which he helped orchestrate attacks on Jim Webb’s acclaimed Vietnam War novels as pornographic. Wadhams justified those attacks, saying, “Webb continually refers to himself as a writer. That’s the main thrust of his professional life… so his writings should be subject to scrutiny by the public. … Webb is the one that wrote those words – we didn’t.” You really can’t make this stuff up.
  22. John Whitbeck: This guy really has a thing with anti-Semitism. First, of course, was Whitbeck’s supposed “joke” – told at a rally in 2013 for Ken Cuccinelli, no less – which he claimed wasn’t anti-Semitic because he heart it in church. Then, in 2018, Whitbeck engaged in a series of “outrageous and bizarre,” totally unsubstantiated (aka, false!) charges of anti-Semitism against 5th CD Democratic nominee Leslie Cockburn. And to cap it all off, Whitbeck was Chair of the Republican Party of Virginia when it nominated white nationalist sympathizer (at the least) Corey Stewart. So that’s why this guy’s on the list.
  23. Eugene Delgaudio: Leader of an anti-LGBT hate group (“Public Advocate”), this bigoted nutter was somehow elected multiple times to the Loudoun County Board for around 16 years, until he was mercifully defeated by Democrat Koran Saines in 2015. For a few of Delgaudio’s “greatest hits” over the years, see Eugene Delgaudio on “Thousands of men in bright neon bikinis”Loudoun County Republicans Play Dress UpFun Times In Loudoun County With Eugene DelgaudioDelgaudio Rants About “The Homosexual Classrooms Act”More Eugene Delgaudio Insanity, Homophobic BigotryEugene Delgaudio: “The Homosexual Onslaught is relentless”Eugene Delgaudio asks: Do you Support the Homosexual Agenda?Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That, Eugene DelgaudioThe Young Turks Skewer Eugene Delgaudio and His “Gay TSA Conspiracy” Theory; and Eugene Delgaudio: Radical Homosexual Pirates Invade Tampa. Seriously, who votes for freaks like this?
  24. Jeff Frederick: This far-right former Virginia delegate and Republican Party of Virginia Chair (ousted for utter incompetence) was quite a piece of work. Remember when the Virginia GOP Chair called Frederick a “sideshow distraction?” How about when Frederick was enraged by a “Happy Kwanzaa” tweet by the Republican National Committee? Or how about in March 2018, when Frederick tweeted “2 bad so much attention focused on guns as the culprit of violence. In C’ville, someone was intentionally run over/killed by a car but no one blamed the car. Taking away guns won’t stop violence any more than taking away cars will. Plus, bombs ARE illegal, didn’t stop TX bombings.” OK!
  25. Scott Taylor: Can we say “Petitiongate?” How about “out-and-out fraud?” The only question is when we’re going to get the results of the special prosecutor appointed to look into this scandal. Oh, and thank goodness Taylor lost to Elaine Luria this past November!
  26. Tom Garrett: This January 3, 2019 Washington Post article basically sums it up, describing how Garrett “repeatedly asked his staff to run his personal errands, from buying cigarettes and carrying groceries to helping his children apply to schools, in violation of House rules”; how his wife would “berate staff, often using profanity and other harsh language, for failing to prioritize her needs over their regular official duties”; etc. Garrett didn’t run for reelection and is being succeeded by Denver Riggleman. We’ll see if that’s a step up in any way, but certainly Garrett set the bar low for Riggleman.
  27. Morgan Griffith: You don’t get more embarrassing than this guy – 100% in the pocket of the coal industry, with embarrassing, appalling comments on climate change, also rabidly anti-LGBT, pro-gun, anti-healthcare, pro-death-penalty, anti-choice, etc, etc.  Just godawful in every way.
  28. Nick Freitas: A rising star of craziness in the Virginia Republican Party, Freitas  bragged about the “Courageous Leadership Award” he received from the “Virginia Christian Alliance” for having “voted the right way and…stood up and spoke out for Christian causes”; was a co-sponsor, along with our old friend “Sideshow Bob” Marshall and other anti-LGBT Republicans like Scott Lingamfelter, Mark Cole and Dave LaRock, of Virginia’s version of the so-called “bathroom bill,” which even the highly conservative Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial page called “even more extreme” than North Carolina’s infamous law; delivered this bizarre, unhinged speech in the House of Delegates, in which he claimed that we “can’t have an honest debate” on the issue of guns because supposedly Democrats will never stop until all guns are taken away (e.g., “assault weapons,” which Freitas defines as “something that looks scary”). And Freitas was SUPER insulted about, supposedly, being compared to Nazis and “segregationists” (which he claimed was all about the “Democrat Party,” not HIS party); said Social Security is like a “Ponzi scheme” and claimed that climate scientists “immediately go into a policy discussion” (FALSE!) and that the “private property rights” are the answer to global warming…and on and on it goes, where Freitas stops, nobody knows (although he’s very likely to run for higher office – gack!).
  29. Nick Rerras: In hindsight, the most significant thing about how former State Senator Nick Rerras is that he helped launch Ralph Northam’s rise to the Virginia governor’s mansion by losing to Northam in the 2007 State Senate race. As for why he makes this list, check out the Virginian-Pilot from 2007, which wrote that “The allegation that state Sen. Nick Rerras, R-Norfolk, has said repeatedly that mental illness is caused by demonic possession has again become a campaign issue.” Also see here for a report about how “a woman who wanted to be a Norfolk judge said Rerras used the term ‘feminazi’ – used often by Rush Limbaugh – during her interview.” So yeah, he’s a real winner.
  30. Jerry Kilgore: I’m not sure I can do any better than the “Top 25 Reasons Not to Vote for Jerry Kilgore” list we came up with in 2005. So check it out and see for yourself. Also, let’s all just remember that this guy could have beaten Tim Kaine in 2005, in which case…who knows, but certainly Kaine’s future (including being Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016) would have been a lot different. Anyway, just glad Kaine won and Kilgore lost, and that I did whatever I could (including starting the blog “Raising Kaine”) to help make that happen!
  31. Virgil Goode: I’ll never forget how certain people (who shall remain nameless) kept telling me that there was NO WAY Tom Perriello could beat Virgil Goode in 2008. Fortunately, I didn’t listen, nor did Perriello’s many other supporters, and Perriello…yeah, won! So why is Goode on this list? Where to even start?!? For starters, he used to be a Democrat – but a SUPER conservative one who “opposed abortion and gun control and vigorously supported the tobacco industry,” also “came under considerable fire shortly after being unopposed for a second term in 1998, when he voted for three of the four articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton.” Goode then switched (mercifully) out of the Democratic Party, first to “independent” in 2000 and then to the Republican Party in 2002. At that point, he let his inner bigot out, such as in 2006, when he wrote about Keith Ellison being sworn in on a Koran, “When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way. The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran.” So yeah, this guy was a real winner. Thank goodness we didn’t listen to the people who claimed Goode couldn’t be beat and instead worked our butts off for Tom Perriello in 2008!
  32. Elizabeth Schultz: Far-right member of the Fairfax County School Board, hopefully in her last term, as she’s highly likely to lose this November. Still, she makes the list for stuff like: Far-Right Fairfax School Board Member: Gun Violence Prevention “Not a Job for Traumatized Children”, Far-Far-Right Fairfax County School Board Member Recommends Video by Rabid Bigot, Extremist, Video: Heated Debate Over Transgender Rights in Fairfax County Public Schools, Latest Tweets by Fairfax Far-Right School Board Member Feature Fidel, Florence Henderson with Laser Beams. In short, to put it mildly, this is NOT the type of person you want on – or anywhere near – a school board.
  33. Shaun Brown: Found guilty in a fraud case, part of the “Petitiongate” scandal with Scott Taylor, etc, etc. Not good.
  34. Joe Morrissey: For some highlights of former Del. Morrissey’s illustrious career, see his Wikipedia entry – “A convicted criminal, he served three months in jail, before being released on parole, for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, whom he later married”; “Morrissey attracted national attention in January 2013, when during a debate on gun control he pulled an unloaded AK-47 from under his desk and flourished it on the floor of the House of Delegates”; “As an attorney, Morrissey was cited for contempt of court ten times and was jailed or arrested five times”; “Morrissey’s law license was revoked for the second time on June 15, 2018.” Now, not surprisingly, Morrissey has a show on far-right Trumpster radio. Don’t ask.
  35. Catherine Crabill: On the list for one reason and one reason only – her speech in her 2009 campaign for Virginia House of Delegates which suggested turning to the “bullet box” if the “ballot box” was not sufficient. Thankfully, Crabill lost that race to Democrat Albert Pollard, but disturbingly she got 48% of the vote. Shudddderrr…
  36. Cynthia Dunbar: You can’t get more extreme/crazy than this RNC member from Virginia, former chair of the 2016 Ted Cruz (gack!) campaign in Virginia. Among other things, “Dunbar was publicly criticized in 2008 for a column she wrote for Christian Worldview Network, in which she claimed that then Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama was plotting with terrorists to attack the U.S. within his first 6 months in office”; “claimed that voters responded to her call for teaching intelligent design in science classes, rather than only the theory of evolution”; lost not one but TWO tries at the Republican nomination for Congress in 2018 (in VA-05 and VA-06); etc. A real piece of work…and so, so Republican.
  37. Tim Hugo: Republican delegate from HD-40, I really want to see this guy defeated in 2019. A few reasons? See VA Dems Chair: “Whenever you’re stuck in traffic, don’t get mad at the cars in front of you. Get mad at Tim Hugo.”, Tim Hugo Puts the F-I-X in Fairfax Judicial Nominations (“Hugo Says No to First Female, Asian-American Judge in Virginia”), Godawful Del. Tim Hugo (R) Bill Would Screw Arlington, Lavish Big $$$ on Super-Rich People, Weaken Local Autonomy vs State AND Set a Horrible Precedent – VETO!, New Story by Michael Pope Highlights How Predatory Lenders “Capture” Virginia GOP Delegates Like Tim Hugo, etc.  Given Hugo’s horrible record, and the fact that he (mis)represents a Northam/Kaine district, all I can say is, GO DEMOCRAT DAN HELMER!
  38. Amanda Chase: Another right-wing Republican crazy – see VA State Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Theocratic Nutjob Wing) Spews Disinformation on SCOTUS, Virginia Racial “Packing” Case, Far-Right Virginia State Senator, Dave Brat Supporter, Lets Her Inner Theocrat Out; Outraged Comments Ensue (“His plan was Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve”) and Audio: Despite 81% of Virginia Voters Supporting ERA Ratification, Far-Right Sen. Amanda Chase Invites Equally Far-Right Former Del. “Sideshow Bob” Marshall On Her Radio Show to…Yep, Trash the ERA. The scary thing is that she might run for even higher office. Of course, if she were to win the nomination, she’d probably get crushed by whoever the Democratic nominee would be, so there’s that…)
  39. John Cosgrove: This guy actually put in legislation “that would have required mothers who had failed to report fetal deaths to the police within 12 hours of the delivery to face a possible misdemeanor sentence.” Kinda like Mark Obenshain (see above), pretty much. As an added bonus, according to VAPLAN, he was the second-most hard-right State Senator last year, even more hard-right than Dick Black! The sad thing is he’s in a safe Republican district and probably isn’t going anywhere.
  40. Philip Hamilton: This former delegate is in prison “after being found guilty of bribery and extortion in a scheme centered around Old Dominion University.”
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