By Brody Levesque | RICHMOND, VA -- Circuit Court judges for Virginia's capital city filled one of several vacancies on the city District Court by appointing openly gay Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland just one month after the state's General Assembly rejected his nomination. This action by the Circuit Court is a temporary solution until a permanent appointment can be voted on in the next session of Virginia's General Assembly in January of 2013.
GOP lawmakers in the Virginia House of Delegates, led by virulently anti-gay Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William), blocked the judicial nomination of Thorne-Begland, a Richmond prosecutor for the past 12 years. The conservative group The Family Foundation and Marshall argued that Thorne-Begland’s sexual orientation would conflict with his ability to hold up the state’s constitution.
The appointment today of Thorne-Begland by the Circuit Court judges infuriated Delegate Marshall;
“I think it’s highly imprudent and arrogant on their part,” said Marshall. “I hope Virginia understands what’s going on here: They’re contesting the authority of the General Assembly here. . . . This is an act of defiance on their part. When appointed officials get in fights with elected officials, they invariably lose.”
However, Democratic State Senator Donald McEachin who supported Thorne-Begland’s initial nomination said;
“I applaud the circuit court judges for recognizing Mr. Thorne-Begland’s skill, qualifications and competency and putting aside bigotry, prejudice and false excuses,” McEachin said. “I have always had and continue to have the utmost confidence in Mr. Thorne-Begland’s ability to serve our community and I am gratified to see that the circuit court judges share my confidence.”
Earlier this week, the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper reported that leaders of Richmond’s five largest law firms had urged the city’s Circuit Court judges to appoint Thorne-Begland to the bench acknowledging though that it would be an interim appointment, lasting only until the General Assembly reconvenes.
The House of Delgates blocked Thorne-Begland’s appointment in May by a wide margin. Thorne-Begland received 33 votes, and 31 delegates voted against him. He needed a majority of the 100-member House — 51 votes — to secure the judgeship. Ten delegates abstained and 26 others did not vote.
Thorne-Begland, who lives with his partner and two adopted children, has been an outspoken advocate of LGBT rights, particularly following his discharge from the U.S. Navy in the early 1990s under the now repealed “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. He has also served as a board member of Equality Virginia, an LGBT advocacy organization.
Posts
1 comments:
I know my following comment is not really on the subject, but nevertheless, it is something that struck me as being worth noting;
"Ten delegates abstained and 26 others did not vote."
This must be politician-speak or something, and reminds me very much of the weather differentiations we have here in the winter; rain, followed by showers, mixed precipitation, and then downpours. Only those thoroughly familiar with it all could ever understand the differences. I admit to not understanding the difference between not voting and abstaining. Maybe naively, I am assuming those not voting were actually in attendance, otherwise one would think the report would just say that 26 were not present during voting.
Post a Comment