Here are a few Virginia (and national) news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, May 1. Also check out Terry McAuliffe’s first television advertisement of the campaign, “Youngest of Four,” a positive ad which will air statewide starting tomorrow. Go Terry!

*Obama preparing to send arms to Syrian rebels (Time for a no-fly zone as well?)

*Markey takes Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary in rout (We badly need this champion of clean energy and climate action in the U.S. Senate!)

*Senate Democrats Eye Push For Gay Couples’ Protections In Immigration Bill

*Virginia’s deepening scandal (“The troubling questions about the McDonnell-Cuccinelli-Williams affair are mounting. Did the governor and his wife accept unreported gifts from Mr. Williams in return for political favors? Did Mr. Schneider’s role as whistle-blower factor in any way into Mr. Cuccinelli’s pursuit of criminal charges against him? How could Mr. Cuccinelli not have remembered that Mr. Williams paid for his family’s summer vacation last year? Virginians deserve answers.”)

*McAuliffe’s first ad focuses on family, jobs

*Cuccinelli’s test: Winning centrists without losing conservatives (Why would any “centrist” vote for a guy who’s as far right wing as is humanly possible? It makes zero sense.)

*Case of Cailin McDonnell’s wedding involves Cuccinelli, FBI

*Gov. Bob McDonnell denies donor favoritism in Star Scientific case (Yeah, right!!!)

*Ken Cuccinelli Struggling with Makeover in Virginia Governor’s Race (“The Republican nominee is now focusing more on job growth and education reform than railing against abortion and gay marriage.”)

*Lawmakers differ over effectiveness of state’s ethics laws (Anyone who thinks Virginia’s current ethics laws are even close to adequate must be personally benefiting from those laws themselves, because that’s just laughable.)

*McAuliffe proposes state ethics oversight panel

*GOP candidates for lieutenant governor agree on conservative principles (I’m shocked, shocked, that a bunch of far-right wingnuts agreed they’re all…far-right wingnuts!)

*A broader vision on immigration reform (“As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Bob Goodlatte has a chance to be a leader in the search for a bipartisan solution.”)

*Several key Democrats rally behind Dance (“On Tuesday, the leaders of all six party committees in Dance’s district signed a letter of support for the incumbent.”)

*Bat-killing disease hitting Virginia harder than ever (That sucks.)

*Warner, Kaine make push on VA disability claim backlog

*Science, tech jobs dominate region, census says

*Atlanta Braves 8, Washington Nationals 1: Gio Gonzalez struggles in loss (OK guys, April – the cruelest month – is over, time to turn the page!)

Cross posted from Scaling Green

According to a new report by the Center for American Progress

…the federal government-which means taxpayers-spent $136 billion total from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2013 on disaster relief. This adds up to an average of nearly $400 per household per year.

Nearly all of this disaster spending was for relief and recovery from these and other smaller natural disasters. Most of these disasters are symptomatic of the man-made climate change resulting from massive amounts of carbon emissions and other pollutants in the atmosphere, which warm the oceans and the Earth. As climate change accelerates, so will federal spending on disaster relief and recovery, which will ultimately be paid for by taxpayers.

The nearly $400 per household spent annually over the past three years could be the beginning of a very costly future as climate-related extreme weather multiplies. This issue brief explores federal spending on disaster relief and offers up recommendations for how we can respond to the potential growth in these expenditures.

So, let’s get this story straight. The fossil fuel companies make enormous profits and receive huge taxpayer subsidies. At the same time, they spew enormous amounts of pollution that fuels climate change and intensifies storm severity and damage. Then, we the taxpayers get to shell out of our wallets to clean up the disasters the fossil fuel companies helped create. Great deal, huh? No, didn’t think so. Instead, how about the fossil fuel companies reimburse taxpayers some or all of the $136 billion spent between 2011 and 2013 on disaster relief? And, going forward, how about the fossil fuel companies pay for the damages their pollution contributes to, especially as long as they continue to wallow at the taxpayer-funded government trough. Deal?

(Given recent developments, I thought this story was worth pushing back up to the top. The question is, which governor was/is more corrupt? I’m leaning towards McDonnell, in part because he actually managed to get $$$ for his corruption. I’m not sure Blago actually pulled that one off. – promoted by lowkell)

True, in some ways (corruption, bribery) Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is becoming a lot like disgraced (and convicted) former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But in terms of accomplishments while in office, McDonnell is actually much worse than Blagojevich. Here are a dozen examples of how Blagojevich kicks McDonnell’s butt. Seriously, can you think of anything McDonnell’s accomplished in any of the following areas that even comes close to what Gov. Blagojevich accomplished? I mean, heck, they are/were both totally corrupt, but at least Blagojevich improved things for a lot of people in his state. McDonnell? Well he did…uh…then he…and…uh….

1. “All Kids” Health Care (11/15/05): “Surrounded by elementary students and parents, lawmakers, health care providers and children’s advocates at Nathan Hale School in Chicago, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed the landmark All Kids plan into law, making Illinois the only state in the nation to provide affordable, comprehensive health insurance for every child in the state.”

2. Minimum Wage Increased (11/18/06): “Governor Blagojevich signs groundbreaking legislation to increase minimum wage in Illinois – Nearly 650,000 Illinois workers to benefit as minimum hourly wage increases to $7.50; Wage to reach $8.25 by 2010”

3. Preschool for All (7/25/06): “Gov. Blagojevich signs groundbreaking Preschool for All legislation – Illinois becomes the first state in nation to give all three- and four-year-olds the opportunity to attend preschool”

4. Illinois Warriors Assistance Program (1/29/08): “Governor Rod R. Blagojevich was joined today by Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) Tammy Duckworth, Director of the Illinois Healthcare and Family Services Barry Maram, representatives from the Illinois Psychiatric Society, the Brain Injury Association of Illinois, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, and local veterans to launch the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program.  The Illinois Warrior Assistance Program is a first in the nation program that will screen returning Illinois National Guard members for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while offering TBI screening to all Illinois veterans, and a 24-hour toll-free psychological helpline for veterans suffering from symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).”

5. Global Warming (11/15/07): “Governor Rod R. Blagojevich and the governors of Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin today signed the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord, strengthening his commitment to fight global warming in Illinois and throughout the Midwest.  This historic agreement aims to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in Illinois and across the region.  The Accord will help achieve the goal Gov. Blagojevich announced in February to reduce GHGs in Illinois to 1990 levels by 2020 and to 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.”

6. Clean Energy (2/14/05): “The Governor’s proposed Renewable Portfolio Standard would require electric utilities or other electricity suppliers to provide 2% renewable energy to their Illinois customers by 2006, increasing 1% annually to 8% by 2012.  This requirement would mean that nearly 4,000 megawatts of power be generated by renewable sources by 2012, enough to serve nearly 1,000,000 Illinois households.  At least 75% of renewable energy – or 3,000 megawatts – would be generated by wind power.”

7. Mercury Emissions (1/7/06): “The state of Illinois is taking action to cut mercury emissions from power plants by 90 percent over the next three and a half years. Governor Rod Blagojevich unveiled the proposal Thursday, saying it will reduce toxic mercury emissions faster and more thoroughly than new federal restrictions adopted last spring and will achieve the largest overall amount of mercury reduction of any state in the country.”

8. Embryonic Stem Cell Research (8/28/07): “Governor Blagojevich signs law reaffirming Illinois’ commitment to stem cell research – Legislation permits embryonic stem cell researchers to receive state funds”

9. Public Transit (10/23/08): “Beginning Friday, low-income disabled individuals will be allowed free rides on all regularly scheduled buses and trains that run on fixed-routes throughout the state.  Governor Rod R. Blagojevich welcomed the implementation of the new People with Disabilities Ride Free program for which he signed Senate Bill 1920 in August, which requires transit systems throughout the state to provide free rides to people with disabilities who meet the income requirements of the State’s Circuit Breaker program.”

10. School Safety (8/16/05): “Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed the School Safety Drill Act that will help keep students, teachers and faculty safer when they’re at school.  House Bill 2693 significantly improves school emergency preparedness by, for the first time, setting clear, minimum requirements and standards for public and private school emergency planning.  The new law also ensures that school officials work more closely with local first responders.”

11. Protecting Children from Sex Offenders (8/14/08): “Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed five pieces of legislation to increase protections for Illinois children from convicted sex offenders. These new laws provide the public with important information about unaccounted for sex offenders and strengthen barriers keeping sex offenders away from children and their homes, schools and child care facilities.”

12. Small Business (7/20/04): “Building on his pledge to expand business opportunities for small business owners across the state, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed House Bill 4947 – allowing the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) to set aside more contracts and allow more small business companies to participate in the Small Business Set-Aside Program.  Currently, about 3,000 businesses participate in this program, which gives a preference to small businesses competing for state contracts.  With this new law, an additional 3,300 may be eligible to participate in the Set-Aside Program.”

Again, Bob McDonnell accomplished none of these things. For instance, on clean energy and global warming, McDonnell’s been a relentless proponent of fossil fuels (coal, “drill baby drill,” etc.), while doing absolutely NOTHING to help promote clean energy in Virginia. Needless to say, McDonnell – right winger that he is – also hasn’t moved to help workers by raising the minimum wage, to institute preschool for all kids, to encourage public transit (for right wingers, it’s “public” bad, “private” good!), or to promote embryonic stem cell research (his mentor Pat Robertson wouldn’t approve).  In sum, McDonnell’s that wondrous combo of corrupt AND an ideological right-wing nutjob. Blagojevich had the corrupt part, in spades, but at least he didn’t have the latter…

Here are a few Virginia (and national) news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, April 30. Obviously, the top story BY FAR is FBI looking into relationship between McDonnells, donor by the Washington Post’s Rosalind S. Helderman and Jerry Markon. I hope all the organizations giving out journalistic awards are paying attention to Helderman’s work on this unfolding, multi-pronged corruption scandal, because she’s doing a superb job digging into it (and possibly bringing down both Bob McDonnell (Virginia’s Rod Blagojevich, apparently) and Ken Cuccinelli in the process). THAT is what journalism’s supposed to be all about!

*The story behind Jason Collins’ story: The interview (Courageous; let’s hope this will lead to a lot more honesty and openness in sports!)

*More backlash against Senators on gun vote (Good!)

*Ex-chef alleged wrongdoing by McDonnells to FBI

*Va. governor’s former chef alleges conflict of interest in seeking dismissal of charges (“A former chef at the Virginia governor’s mansion asked a judge Monday to dismiss embezzlement charges against him, arguing that state Attorney General Ken T. Cuccinelli II has a series of conflicts of interest that have tainted the proceedings.”)

*Chef wants indictment tossed, cites Cuccinelli conflict, McDonnell ‘wrongdoing’

*Va. Dems, liberal PAC target Cuccinelli over gift disclosure (“Ken Cuccinelli’s foes are hammering the Republican gubernatorial candidate over his delayed disclosure of nearly $13,000 in personal gifts spanning four years but only revealed late last week.”)

*Tea Party, conservative PAC pick Obenshain, Stewart (The LAST thing this state needs is more Tea Party extremists in its government. These endorsements really say it all about what’s at stake this year in Virginia!)

*The forgotten summer vacation (“Attorney general and Republican gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli is stretching the limits of credulity with his latest explanation for amending his annual economic disclosure reports.”)

*Hair shirts and good intentions (“Cuccinelli says he forgot to disclose big-ticket gifts but promises amnesia won’t cancel proposed ethics reforms.”)

*Herring wants to take ideology out of AG’s office (Which is why we need to put Mark Herring INTO the AG’s office!)

*Soft-spoken Virginian holds sway on immigration

*Supreme Court rules Va.’s FOIA law doesn’t extend to nonresidents

*Democrats say Cuccinelli took advantage of Virginia’s lax ethics laws (Cuccinelli’s and McDonnell’s scandals demonstrate why we need MORE sunshine on our elected officials’ behavior, not LESS sunshine!)

*Democrats say Cuccinelli took advantage of Virginia’s lax ethics laws

*Bolling defends McAuliffe over GreenTech’s Mississippi move

*Forum  for foolishness (“Most candidates to succeed Putney have no clue what the job entails.”)

*Sniping persists in contentious Va. Beach House race

*Third Republican enters Va. Senate special election

*Republican lawmakers line up against Bob McDonnell’s ‘outer Beltway’

*Nationals still can’t solve Braves

What’s the difference between Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, now “serving a 14-year sentence in federal prison following conviction for corruption including the soliciting of bribes for political appointments?” Well, so far at least, Bob McDonnell hasn’t been arrested by federal agents and put on trial for bribery and corruption. But based on this Washington Post front-page story, that might just be a matter of time at this point.

FBI agents are conducting interviews about the relationship between Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, his wife, Maureen, and a major campaign donor who paid for the food at the wedding of the governor’s daughter, according to four people familiar with the questioning.

The agents have been asking associates of the McDonnells about gifts provided to the family by Star Scientific chief executive Jonnie R. Williams Sr. and actions the Republican governor and his wife have taken that may have boosted the company, the people said.

Among the topics being explored, they said, is the $15,000 catering bill that Williams paid for the 2011 wedding of McDonnell’s daughter at Virginia’s historic Executive Mansion. But questions have extended to other, previously undisclosed gifts from Williams to Maureen McDonnell as well, they said.

Great stuff, huh? Gotta love these moralistic , holier-than-thou Teapublicans. Also, so much for Bob McDonnell’s hopes of ever being President, Vice President, Senator, dog catcher, etc. 🙂

By the way, I think it’s well worth noting that, to date, the one and ONLY Virginia elected official (or candidate for statewide office) to call for a federal investigation into both Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli (who has his own sleazy connections to Jonnie Williams and Star Scientific) for corruption has been State Senator and Attorney General candidate Mark Herring. On April 11, Sen. Herring said that it’s time for a “federal investigation into the relationship between Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, and the company Star Scientific and its Chief Executive Officer Jonnie R. Williams Sr.” In making that call, Mark Herring demonstrated several of the key traits we should want in an Attorney General: integrity, forcefulness, strict adherence to (and respect for) the rule of law, and a zero tolerance policy for corruption of any kind in our state government.

Sadly, Virginia’s current Attorney General not only hasn’t been on top of this situation, in fact he’s been caught up in it himself! (note: for the history of Cuccinelli’s corruption, not just with Jonnie Williams/Star Scientific but going back to Bobby Thompson and the “U.S. Navy Vets” scandal, click here and also see Steve Shannon’s letter here.) I’d also note that, instead of spending his time doing what an AG’s supposed to be doing, Cuccinelli instead has run around wasting Virginia taxpayer money on his wild goose chases – persecuting a leading climate scientist, getting his ill-conceived lawsuits thrown out of court, bullying the state health board to shut down women’s health clinics, and pushing his far-right-wing Tea Party ideological agenda on a wide range of issues. This November, it’s vitally urgent that we replace this guy (if he’s not in jail himself by then) with Mark Herring, a man with the utmost integrity and talent for the job.