New Opinion Highlights Virginia Campaign Finance Loopholes

In Virginia, General Assembly members and statewide officeholders are prohibited from fundraising during session.  The main purpose of this is so that decision-makers cannot press groups for campaign contributions while legislation and votes are pending like they can in Congress.  In theory, it also cuts down on grandstanding during session where leaders can pick fights on issues just to get press and raise money.  Most people think this prohibition is a good thing.

Jeff Schapiro with the Richmond Times Dispatch has a column in today's paper in which he said.

The Republican nominee for governor may have a new objective, though he doesn’t seem to be telling many people: Scuttling Virginia’s 16-year-old ban on campaign fundraising during the annual legislative session.

I hope that's not the case. 

Back in 2012, a state senator from Virginia Beach was interested in hosting a Romney fundraiser during our session.  Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued an Attorney General's Opinion holding that the statutory prohibition on General Assembly and Statewide Officeholders fundraising during session did not apply to solicitations on behalf of presidential candidates.  In 2010, he had issued a previous opinion giving a sitting state senator the green light to raise money to run for Congress.  He ended up winning. 

Video Tour of New Mt. Vernon Library

The Mt. Vernon Estate is preparing to open the new Fred W. Smith National Libary for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon on September 27, 2013. 

The library is dedicated to holding George Washington's papers and spreading the word about his principles of leadership.  The Estate has raised over $100 million to support the construction of the library and acquisition of works. 

You can take a video tour of the new facility before it opens here. 

Video Tour of New Mt. Vernon Library

You can also read more information about the project here:

Fred W. Smith National Library at Mt. Vernon Information

This is going to be an amazing asset for the 44th District and I am excited to see the construction coming to completion. 

First Governor's Debate

If you missed the first Gubernatorial Debate at the Homestead yesterday, you can watch it here.

Video streaming by Ustream

Interviews Regarding Call for Resignation

Here are two interviews I recently gave regarding my call for Governor McDonnell to step down.

This is my interview on The John Fredericks Show.



I was also interviewed on Fox 5 which you can watch here.  DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

It's Time to Move On Governor McDonnell

The Virginia Governor's Mansion, Built in 1813

Over 237 years ago, a handful of Virginia’s leaders put their lives on the line to declare the independence of the Commonwealth of Virginia and start a new Democratic experiment in the East Coast wilderness. 

Since that time, Virginia has seen seventy-one Governors.  They included men like Patrick Henry and future presidents such as Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler.

Only two Virginia Governors have not finished their terms voluntarily.  John Tyler resigned when he was elected to the U.S. Senate and George Smith died at the end of the first year of his term.  No Governor has ever resigned in scandal – ever.

Other states have not been as fortunate.  Illinois has lost four of their last seven Governors to felony indictments.  North Carolina’s ex-governor was convicted of a felony relating to failure to properly disclose a helicopter ride in 2010.  Alabama’s Governor was just released from prison this year after being indicted in 2006.

44th District History: The Girls' Friendly Society Holiday House

My father used to tell me about a summer camp that was located down the street from our house overlooking the George Washington Memorial Parkway called The Girls' Friendly Society Holiday House.

One of my neighbors who is also a local recently researched this and wrote up the piece below for our community newsletter.  I thought it was an interesting piece of local history.

Interestingly, the Holiday House was also the first place of worship for the Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church and is mentioned on their history on their website.  I haven't been able to find any pictures of it though.

Tauxemont of Old – The Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS) Holiday House
by Pat Thompson  

After writing an article last year in our newsletter about the Alexandria Dairy, I embarked on an effort to find more information about a collection of old barracks-type buildings among the woods and thickets on the north side of the Alexandria Avenue stone bridge that many of us explored as children. This is what I found:  

 The land and buildings belonged to the Episcopal Church’s Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS) of Washington. The land extended from the north side of the overpass to Morningside Lane. In the early years of the 20th century, the Episcopal Seminary was closed in the summer, so seminary students held services in the GFS’s Holiday House small chapel on this land.

Charging a Hill 150 Years Ago Today

My Great Great Grandparents
William Jackson Aylor and Roberta Jane (Bowie) Aylor

Today is July 3.  While I'll be in Fairfax County Circuit Court arguing some motions through lunch, I'll also be thinking about how lucky I am to exist, in part, due to the bravery of my Great Great Grandfather who saw some of the fiercest combat seen on the planet when he was half my age. 

On this day around 2:00 p.m. one hundred and fifty years ago, my Great Great Grandfather, William Jackson Aylor, age 22, charged up Cemetery Ridge into a hailstorm of Union bullets and artillery.  He was lucky to make it out alive.

A cousin, J.R. Bowie, took an oral history from him in 1928 before he passed away on my Grandfather's 18th birthday - January 1, 1929. 

After volunteering for the Confederate Army on his 21st birthday at the Orange Courthouse, he enlisted in Company G of the 7th Virginia Infantry, Kemper's Brigade, Pickett's Division under Captain Andrew Bolen. 

On the first day of Gettysburg, he reported being in Chambersburg "engaged in tearing up a railroad to prevent enemy communication with the north."  They marched to Gettysburg on the second day.  On July 3, 1863, his Division formed the right flank of Pickett's Charge.  My Grandfather said he "went into this charge with sixty rounds of ammunition and says that he fired his carbine until it go so hot that his hands were literally blistered." 

Gay Marriage and the Law in Virginia

With the Supreme Court's recent decisions in United States v. Windsor (DOMA) and Hollingsworth v. Perry, there have been some articles in Virginia about my legislation last session to remove Virginia's prohibition on gay marriage, civil unions, or any laws recognizing such unions in any way from the Constitution of Virginia. 

Nearly all of it incorrectly describes my bill as a bill to "repeal Virginia's gay marriage ban."  Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but legally, it did not achieve that.  It was the first step towards the repeal of Virginia's gay marriage ban, but passing my legislation and approval by the voters would not have "repealed" Virginia's gay marriage ban. 

There are two important issues.  First, whether Virginia allows gay marriages to take place in Virginia.  Second, whether Virginia recognizes gay marriages performed in other states.  The Supreme Court has not addressed Virginia's power to ban gay marriage.  However, United States v. Windsor puts Virginia in violation of the 14th Amendment.

Texting and Emailing While Driving Can be Reckless of July 1

On July 1, 2013, a new Virginia Law goes into effect makes it clear that writing or reading emails or text messages is now a primary offense for which a driver may be stopped.  The law also makes clear that if someone is convicted of Reckless Driving and Texting/Emailing While Driving, there is a mandatory minimum fine of $250.

Some of the media coverage about this new law has indicated that people can use their GPS while driving.  Other stories have suggested that the law contains a loophole for other behaviors such as using Facebook, Twitter, or playing Angry Birds - this is wrong.  Some people have suggested that it should cover picking up a cigarette, putting on makeup or reading the newspaper while driving - this is unnecessary.  I requested an opinion from the Attorney General to clear some of this up which he issued on June 28, 2013 and was covered in today's Virginian Pilot.

First, here's some background.  For at least the last sixty years, Reckless Driving has been illegal and is a Class 1 Misdemeanor.  There are about ten specific things that are Reckless Driving (such as driving 20 MPH over the speed limit) and a general catch-all statute.  Here's the broad statute:

§ 46.2-852. Reckless driving; general rule.
Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.

Class 1 Misdemeanors have a maximum punishment of twelve months in jail, a $2500 fine, and Reckless Driving also provides for an optional six months driver's license suspension. 

West Potomac's Paul Russell Retires

 

Picture of Paul Russell in 1970 something from Sygyzy Magazine
West Potomac's Creative Writing Magazine

Today, I attended my 9th West Potomac High School Gradation and had the pleasure of handing the Outstanding Faculty Award to my 11th Grade English/Creative Writing Teacher, Paul Russell, who retired today after teaching at Groveton High School and West Potomac High School for 44 years. 

He was voted this honor by the Class of 2013.

I don't remember all of my classes at West Potomac, but a few teachers really stick out.  Mr. Levy (AP US Government), Mr. Holder (Band - wrote about him here when he retired), and Mr. Russell.

Mr. Russell's class really sticks out in my head 25 years later. First, and least importantly, he was my sixth period teacher (only had six periods back then), and I was caught skipping his class with Fran Kim - we skipped to play golf, Greendale was closed for rain, we tried to sneak back in to avoid the unexcused absence and got caught by Vice Principal Ruby Jackson in the parking lot behind Springbank - and had to do in-house detention (the only time) in the room next door to Mr. Russell's class (which is a whole different story).  

U.S. 1 Multimodal Study To Begin!

In the 2013 General Assembly Session, Senator Puller and I secured $2 million for the U.S. 1 Multimodal Transportation Study in the 2013 amendments to the 2013-14 Biennial Budget.  This study will analyze and recommend the appropriate mode of transit from I-495 to the Occoquan along U.S. 1.

For current information about the project, I have created this link to the official webpage maintained by the Department of Rail and Public Transit:

www.bit.ly/US1Study

If you would like to see more information about where things stand on U.S. 1, I have created a page on my official website here:

Delegate Scott Surovell, Improving U.S. 1

This study is the first legally required step to improve U.S. 1 between Woodlawn and I-495.  It is great news.

The Governor's Press Release is below the flip:

The Pot Is Calling for the Kettle - Hypocrisy on Concealed Weapons

Last session, one of few contentious gun safety bills we debated was legislation regarding confidentiality of concealed carry permits (CCP) for handguns.

If a Virginians wants a CCP today, they are required to apply at the Circuit Court.  Anyone can go to the courthouse and review them like any other court document.  If you want to see what they look like, you can click here for the standard application.

Around the United States and in Virginia, several newspapers have published the names and addressed of people who CCP's, including recently after the Newtown Shooting.  Gun rights groups have taken offense to that and fought to make these records confidential.