Yesterday afternoon, Speaker Don Scott (D) – the first African-American Speaker in Virginia history, by the way – announced that he was making a series of changes in House committees, including removing Del. Barry Knight (R) from the Appropriations Committee, apparently in response for Virginia House GOP Leader Todd Gilbert challenging Speaker Scott’s ruling re: the “germaneness” (or lack thereof) of a House GOP “substitute” for one of their members’ (far-right freshman Del. Tim Griffin)’s extreme anti-abortion bill.
If you haven’t been following this, it might seem somewhat convoluted, but it’s really about: a) Republican extremism on abortion; b) Republicans trying to cover up that extremism; c) Democrats – including Speaker Don Scott – not letting Republicans cover up their anti-abortion extremism; d) Republicans getting really mad that Democrats wouldn’t let them cover up their anti-abortion extremism; e) VA House GOP Leader Gilbert challenging Speaker Scott in an unprecedented way; f) Speaker Scott apparently retaliating for that; g) the VA House GOP viciously attacking Speaker Scott; h) the VA House GOP getting called out on that; i) Republicans scrambling to do “damage control,” realizing that yes, indeed, Don Scott is Speaker – while Democrats also control the State Senate – and if they want ANY cooperation with Democrats for the rest of Glenn Youngkin’s term as governor, they’d better not burn their bridges.
Anyway, with that, see below for a quick review of the past couple days in Virginia politics, also known as “all hell breaking loose.” Oh, and obviously don’t take anything Youngkin says seriously, given his own vicious attacks against Democrats this past weekend (insanely claiming that *Democrats* are the ones – not his own party, led by Putin’s BFF Donald Trump! – who don’t want a strong America – WTF???), and given the fact that pretty much every word out of Youngkin’s mouth since he started running for governor has been dishonest, false, in bad faith, etc.
Exactly right by Speaker Don Scott: “people at @VA_GOP act friendly but “don’t have the balls to come to my face and stay stuff like that. If I am what they say I am, how the hell do they keep losing to me?”
Interesting – pointed? – comments by John Grisham, given what just went down in the VA House of Delegates (with Speaker Don Scott removing Del. Barry Knight (R) from the Appropriations Committee
Repulsive, as usual, by the VA GOP(Q)
Video from Monday, when VA House GOP Leader Todd Gilbert shockingly challenged Speaker Don Scott’s “germaneness” ruling re: the House GOP’s “substitute” on their extreme anti-abortion bill. Gilbert lost, but this was really unprecedented.
Video from Monday, when VA House GOP Leader Todd Gilbert shockingly challenged Speaker @DonScott757‘s “germaneness” ruling re: the House GOP’s “substitute” on their extreme anti-abortion bill. Gilbert lost, but this was really unprecedented. https://t.co/6svIndQj9U pic.twitter.com/CbGXSTbV0G
— Blue Virginia (@bluevirginia) February 14, 2024
Del. Coyner (R) appointed to/Del. Batten (R) removed from Rules Committee
Del. Tata (R) appointed to/Del. Knight (R) removed from Appropriations Committee
Del. Knight (R) appointed to/Del. Tata (R) removed from Transportation Committee https://t.co/aRre463BdA h/t @vaplan2018 pic.twitter.com/LXci3F91iD— Blue Virginia (@bluevirginia) February 14, 2024
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