See below for a press release from Gov. Ralph Northam’s office. Now, there’s definitely some good stuff in here (e.g., many good people to the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice, but let’s see if it has any power at all…I doubt it will, though).
Then there are some, uh, not-so-good appointments, including: 1) State Sen. Frank Wagner (R), who is a right winger and corrupt Dominion Energy tool, to be Deputy Director of the Virginia Lottery (presumably this job pays very well, which will mean a big boost in Wagner’s pension); 2) Del. Matthew James (D), whose top donor is…yep, Dominion, and who “pleaded guilty last month to driving while intoxicated, acknowledging he had a blood alcohol content of 0.18 shortly after a Sept. 22 traffic stop in Portsmouth…[for which he] received a 60-day suspended sentence and a $300 fine for the first offense,” as Deputy Director of the Dept. of General Services. Great, eh?
Seriously, is this the best that Northam could do? In particular, why would Northam appoint Wagner to anything? Was there some deal cut or something? Weird. Of course, this *is* Virginia after all, home of legalized corruption, the slimy “Virginia Way,” etc.
P.S. Note that both Wagner and James will be retiring from their Virginia General Assembly positions; the revolving door does what revolving doors do, I guess – revolves! LOL
Governor Northam Announces Administration Appointments
RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam announced additional appointments to his Administration today.
Secretariat of Administration
Matthew James, Deputy Director of the Department of General Services
Matthew James has been appointed Deputy Director of the Department of General Services (DGS). He has served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 80th District since 2010 and was a member of the Major Employment and Investment (MEI) Project Approval Commission. James brings a wealth of economic and workforce development experience to his new role, previously serving as President and CEO of Peninsula Council for Workforce Development and Director of Economic Development for the City of Portsmouth.
As Deputy Director, James will work with the DGS executive management team on the many services the agency provides, from construction and laboratory services, to real estate transactions, fleet operations, surplus property management and procurement, to include vendor development with an emphasis on the participation of small, women-owed, minority-owned and veteran-owned businesses. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and mathematics from Hampton University and his Masters of Business Administration from J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Virginia Lottery
Frank Wagner, Deputy Director of the Virginia Lottery
Frank Wagner has been appointed Deputy Director of the Virginia Lottery. He has served as a member of the Virginia State Senate from the 7th District since 2001 and was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1991. He previously served as chairman of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
As a former shipyard owner and business leader in the maritime industry, he brings a host of experience on complex business issues and expertise to the conversation about Virginia’s future regarding legal gaming and its possible impact on the Virginia Lottery.
He previously served in the U.S. Navy as a hard hat salvage diver. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1997.
Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments
Virginia Council on Environmental Justice
- Nikki Bass of Washington, D.C., Tribal Councilwoman, Nansemond Indian Nation
- Tom Benevento of Harrisonburg, Co-Director, New Community Project
- Jevonte Blount of Hampton, Master of Public Administration Candidate, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Herbert Brown of Warfield, Marketing Manager, Browntown Farms
- Nathan James Burrell of Richmond, Facility Maintenance and Operations Manager, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities, City of Richmond
- Hope F. Cupit of Bedford, President and CEO, Southeast Rural Community Assistance Program
- Taysha DeVaughan of Wise, President, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards
- Reverend Dr. Mike Ellerbrock of Blacksburg, Professor, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech and Minister, Catholic Diocese of Richmond
- Jay Ford of Belle Haven, Virginia Voices Coordinator, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Owner, Shine and Rise Farm
- Reverend Dr. Faith B. Harris of Varina, Vice Chair, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and Chair, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light
- Reverend Dr. Lisa Johnson of Accomack, Diversity and Inclusion Program Specialist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
- Raul Garcia Lopez of Arlington, Senior Legislative Counsel, Earthjustice
- Nathaniel X. Marshall of Lynchburg, Equal Employment Opportunities Manager, BWX Technologies, Inc.
- Janet A. Phoenix, MD, MPH of Herndon, Assistant Research Professor, George Washington University
- Beth Roach of Richmond, Tribal Councilwoman, Nottoway Indian Tribe
- EJ Scott of Manassas, Environmental Program Manager, Sev1Tech, Inc.
*denotes reappointment
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