G. Paul Nardo was unanimously elected and sworn in as Clerk of the House of Delegates and Keeper of the Rolls today by Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court Cynthia Kinser.
The House leadership offered their congratulations:
“Not only is he a hard worker, a good listener and a leader who loves the House of Delegates, but Paul also understands better than most the central role the legislature plays in impacting the lives and livelihoods of all Virginians,” noted Delegate Kenneth C. Alexander (D-Norfolk), who seconded Mr. Nardo’s nomination as Clerk. “He has demonstrated good management skills, professionalism, organization and a solid knowledge and understanding of administrative, legislative and regulatory affairs. Paul intends to continue the tradition of the Clerk’s Office being a non-partisan one. The Clerk’s Office is a well-run and successful organization with many accomplished professionals. Paul will keep it that way.”
“It is essential to the success of our citizen legislature that we have an effective, professional staff working in the Clerk’s Office,” Speaker Howell remarked. “Having worked with him throughout my tenure as Speaker, I know Paul is the ideal choice to lead that important office. We have 100 delegates representing 8 million Virginians. All delegates necessarily rely on the Clerk’s Office, both when we are in and out of session. The confidence they have placed in Paul today is testimony to the respect he has earned and the dedication he has shown to this institution.”
In Speaker Howell’s release, he detailed the responsibilities of the Clerk:
Responsible for the administration of the Virginia House of Delegates under the direction of the Speaker, the Clerk serves all 100 delegates in a non-partisan manner. Overseeing a staff of 30 permanent employees, this legislative leadership position manages an annual budget of $21 million and is responsible for ensuring that all constitutional, statutory, and policy requirements are followed when the House conducts its business. As Keeper of the Rolls of the Commonwealth, the Clerk also is responsible for the official certification of all Acts of the Assembly. The successor to the House of Burgesses, which first met at historic Jamestown in 1619, the Virginia House of Delegates has been operating for 235 years.
Adding his congratulations is Governor Bob McDonnell:
“I want to congratulate G. Paul Nardo on his selection as the next Clerk of the House of Delegates and Keeper of the Rolls of the Commonwealth. Through years of public service, Paul has earned the trust and respect of elected and appointed officials from both political parties and all branches of state government. He is a consummate professional, has a deep respect for the history and institution of the House of Delegates, and loves the Commonwealth of Virginia. Paul has developed strong relationships on both sides of the aisle, cheerfully and tirelessly finding common ground in an effort to advance sound policy for the Commonwealth. I know that Paul truly appreciates the significance of serving as Clerk for the oldest continuously elected legislative body in the country. I join the members of the House of Delegates in looking forward to working with Paul in this next chapter of his career of public service to our Commonwealth and our citizens.”
Nardo himself understands the importance of the position:
“This is an immense honor for me and a tremendous responsibility, and I will devote my every energy to providing each delegate, and the citizens of the Commonwealth they serve, with the professional, effective and efficient services they expect and deserve,” Mr. Nardo said. “The faith that has been placed in me by the delegates with whom I have worked for nearly a decade is truly humbling. As a student and lover of history, being given the opportunity to serve an institution that was the model for representative government in the New World is a privilege for which I am extremely grateful.”
“I am looking forward to continuing my work with the highly skilled public servants who work in the Office of the Clerk. We have done so together for many years now, and they have been a valued resource and enormous help to me during my tenure as Chief of Staff to the Speaker. They are a remarkable group of professionals and I know they are ready to continue our teamwork as I undertake this new challenge,” Nardo concluded.
Mobile phone photo by Del. Rich Anderson (R-51st)
