Cuccinelli Right, Protestors Wrong… McDonnell Splits Difference
Good God!
Talk about drama over literally NOTHING. Ken Cuccinelli puts a kindly written letter out to the publicly funded colleges, bringing to their attention that they have inadvertently broken state law by inserting a clause that was never passed by the Virginia Legislature. In response, the college(s) leak the letter to the press, who quickly drum up a fabricated uproar over something that has been in place for YEARS?!
Give me a break. VCU sends a thousand people into the streets because the Attorney General did his job!? Where was the protest and frustration when the legislature, you know, the people who MAKE the law, rejected the term ‘sexual orientation’ over and over and over again for decades?! Yet Attorney General Cuccinelli, who rightfully points out that state colleges have circumvented the law, is the bad guy?
It doesn’t help when articles like this (from RTD about the protest today in Richmond) refer to the issue as Cuccinelli’s ‘opinion.’ Wake up people. It’s not an opinion, it’s not an interpretation; it’s the LAW. And as Attorney General, it’s his job to defend the LAW. The state colleges are in clear violation of it, he pointed it out rightfully, because it’s his, you know, job!
So the backlash swells, Cuccinelli doesn’t back down (not really sure how you can back down from the law? Going oh yeah, nevermind?) So McDonnell swoops in today, as Jason throughly reported here and issues a Governor’s directive clarifying that discrimination will not be tolerated. This placates the alleged controversy, and doesn’t cut out Cuccinelli’s knees from under him. Why?
Because a Governor’s Directive is not law. It’s not an Executive Order, as Tim Kaine famously and unconstitutionally did in regards to this specific issue. So McDonnell placates the left and shuts them up (and you can tell by the headlines and press releases today, it worked). However, the same issue remains. State colleges are in violation of state law. For a state that has altered its constitution to recognize that marriage is between a man and a woman, this is not likely to go away.
I’d salute Ken Cuccinelli, but it is his job. However, way to stay strong in the face of a fabricated firestorm of nonsense and not losing sight of how blatantly wrong the opposition is on this issue.
Category: Government
Loading ...
DJ, is this the first “Joint Directive” of a Gov and LG in Virginia? Maybe Jim can way in on that as well.
I, along with many, many others are sick of our leaders being PC. Thanks to Ken for standing up when he didn’t have to. I’m sure McDonnell and Bolling would have preferred not to have anything controversial for their first year and who could blame them, but….we don’t always have the luxury of choosing our battles or the times of those battles and some understand this more than others.
That’s the mark of true leadership!
Great post, DJ. I also think Rick Sincere makes some good points about this issue as well.
I had never even heard of a joint directive until today. Clearly, the LG is going to play a much bigger role in the next few years than he did the previous four.
With all due respect Mr. Spiker, even if your arguments about Cuccinelli advising the Commonwealth’s universities are on solid legal ground, the issue we would then be forced to contend with is a term known as- selective enforcement. The fact that AG Cuccinelli chose this issue during his very busy first few months in office is indicative of the policies and regulatory action Cuccinelli intends to impose throughout his tenure as AG.
In my humble opinion, AG Cuccinelli should set to work fixing the real criminal and security issues that Virginia will face during the next four years he’ll be in office. The AG should not single out groups of people based on gender, color, class, age, and sexual orientation. With huge budget shortfalls and mounting deficit, we have a lot more important problems to solve than removing a clause in our institutions of higher education which protects sexual minorities.
Bob McDonnell recognized the inherent problems with Cuccinelli’s letters and offered one of his own which basically instructs the universities to ignore the AG. Please save us from this antiquated group on group politicking which really just segments groups of people who essentially believe the same fundamental values about limited government and individual responsibility.
The economy still sucks.
Legislators, get back to work.
Students, get back to class. You got your protest extra credit.
Didn’t all three run on “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”? That is my only real frustration.
Cooch did something dumb.
McD and Bolling slapped him down, at least they hope so.
I doubt seriously the lesson will take.
It appears that this administration took a “left” turn after taking office by getting wrapped up in this nonsense. I hope they take another “right” turn back to the center and start worrying about what they are going to cut next.
Good post DJ – this whole thing has been Much Ado About Nothing – an attempt to handicap McDonnell in public opinion and undercut his ability to make the tough budget cuts he needs to, which is why liberals are really upset. KC did nothing wrong, nor did he EVER say that colleges HAD to discriminate. What he said was, until the legislature changes the law your codes prohibiting it are unlawful and therefore any legal issues arising from them unsustainable. It was a warning that will save those schools willing to listen million in lost law suits.
What is wrong with you people? A bunch of hate mongers … must all be Republicans!
Krisjan,
Must have missed something. Where am I mongering hate? Oh yeah, because I pointed out what the law states. But thank you for proving my point perfectly. Fabricated insult and offense.
JR-there really isn’t such a thing as a joint directive, because the l.g.’s office isn’t empowered to issue anything except rulings on parliamentary questions in the Senate and inquiries about the governors’ health. It appears that there will be an effort to pretend that Bolling is doing something besides running for governor for the next four years. Is he actually making any decisions? Not on your life.
Perhaps, Steve. But the governor has elevated the LG up to a cabinet-level position and we are seeing more “joint” appearances. Just as the VP used to have no authority, we’ve seen that office change over the years. Of course, VP Biden did just recently relieve us of that notion too.
Jim, I think we’ve just seen the first round of primary season 2013.
BK: I’d agree, except that I thought Cooch had already promised to run for re-election as a.g., leaving the gubernatorial nomination clear for Bolling?
You never believe these promises, do you?
How naive of me. Guess I’m still a “his word is his bond” type of guy. But then, I am old.
SV, it wasn’t a promise, more of a insinuation. Most Cucci supporters I know are salivating about Cuccinelli 2013, and I recently heard a rumor that had Bolling 2012 against Jim Webb. For whatever that’s worth.
D.J.-that should make Dems happy about 2012 and a little worried about 2013.