Virginia Republicans’ Disastrous Start To The Legislative Session

From the Democratic Party of Virginia:

Virginia Republicans’ Disastrous Start To The Legislative Session

Richmond, VA — Virginia Republicans have been under fire for days, with their members at the local and federal level facing calls to resign after they helped fuel the rhetoric that sparked a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol. But things only got worse for them when the General Assembly’s legislative session began yesterday. 

Delegates Dave LaRock, Mark Cole, and Ronnie Campbell were roundly criticized after they sent an official letter to Mike Pence requesting he overturn Virginia’s election results the day before the Capitol riot. The Daily Progress editorial board slammed their effort as “ludicrous,” laying part of the blame for the violence at their feet. When the House of Delegates convened yesterday, all three were stripped of some of their key committee positions for undermining democracy. 

To make things worse, LaRock told local leaders in his district – including Loudoun County Executive Phyllis Randall and the NAACP Loudoun Branch – that they should focus on “the needs of the colored community” instead of calling on him to resign.   

But LaRock wasn’t the only one whose racist comments got the GOP in trouble. Reporting from the Virginia Mercury revealed that House GOP leader Todd Gilbert had nominated a pro-Trump conspiracy theorist with a long history of racist and sexist tweets to the redistricting commission. 

Jose Feliciano Jr., who Delegate Cole praised as “a person of integrity, and honor” in his letter of recommendation, had questioned America’s history of slavery, used vulgar language to degrade women critical of Donald Trump, and insisted that Trump would only lose if the election was “rigged.” Gilbert and Cole have so far been silent and neither has condemned Feliciano’s comments. 

“It’s understandable why Virginia Republicans want a shorter legislative session – their first day was a complete dumpster fire. They’re continuing to undermine the election and embrace the most hateful and radical members of their party out of blind loyalty to Donald Trump. Failing to condemn someone like Jose Feliciano is exactly why Virginians don’t trust Republican leaders like Todd Gilbert and Kirk Cox,” said DPVA Communications Director Grant Fox.