A few months ago Gov. Warner appointed me to the Virginia tobacco commission to fill the unexpired term of former Virginia Attorney General Mary Sue Terry, who resigned for business-related personal reasons. Like many of the thousands of appointments made by Virginia governors, this one is subject to confirmation by the Virginia General Assembly. Typically, these appointments go off without a hitch and are so routine as to seem automatic. But not this time. This morning I received a call from a Republican member of the House P&E committee (Privleges and Elections) alerting me to the fact that my appointment would, in all likelyhood, not be recommended by P&E to the full House for confirmation, in pure retribution for opinions I frequently express in a regular column I write for Bacon’s Rebellion and several other outlets around the state. The suggestion was later made that I may salvage this confirmation by appealing to House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith and to Speaker Bill Howell. This I declined to do. In an effort to spare Gov. Warner any heartburn or embarassment, I did express to his office a willingness for my name to be simply withdrawn. Governor Warner declined. The vote at committee level was scheduled for today, but was postponed until tomorrow. I don’t know what will happen. I am the first to admit, to even insist, that House members have every right to deny this confirmation. This is hardball politics, a game wherein no quarter is given, and none asked, something of a cross between bear-baiting and hockey without the helmets. I have dished it out enough. I sure as hell can take it. I even admire the straight-faced glee with which some of them play it. Despite our wonderful divergence of views from time to time, I hold each of you in the very highest personal regard, count myself lucky and privileged to be your colleague, and would in no way ever intentionally bring dishonor to you–by association–or otherwise.
A note to my colleagues
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Comments
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Barney:
Who says politics is not broken? Sorry to hear this confirmation of the depths to which they have decended. You might contact Prof Joe Freeman See his column “Rain Dance” in the 4 January Bacons Rebellion.
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No good deed goes unpunished, does it?
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That’ll teach you to express an opinion, fella. We don’t much like that here in Virginia.
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Barnie: What you relate in your post is sad news indeed. On the other hand, it’s good to know that we’re having an impact on the misguided souls that saturate the General Assembly.
Your experience should serve as a catalyst for re-energizing all Bacon Rebellion contributors!
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Will said: “No good deed goes unpunished, does it?”
I’m sure you meant, “No good deed goes UNPUBLISHED!”
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Barnie, if it’s any consolation, the fact that you’ve been singled out for retribution is a back-handed honor. It means that your columns are being read, and that your barbs are sufficiently on target to anger the mighty. Stay true to your principles, and continue speaking truth to power!
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Thanks, Jim. Thanks to all of you. Even as a small boy I could never get past a hornet’s nest without throwing something at it. Most anything would do–sticks, rocks, pop bottles, shoes–but my favorite projectile of choice was always a brick. I think I liked the risk/reward ratio and the lack of ambiguity. They’re harder to throw–and you have to stand closer–but when you hit, you know it and the hornets know it. There is nothing ambiguous about a well-thrown brick.
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Out of curiosity – which piece that you wrote angered them the most?
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Paul, I’m not sure. Probably any number of them. Suggesting that the Speaker was squiring around a blow-up doll in the form of the car tax probably didn’t help. You think?
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That’s hilarious…
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I certainly hope that the blow-up doll Howell is squiring isn’t wearing low cut pants that may expose her underwear–otherwise, she might be subject to a $50 fine!
I couldn’t believe Howell was on WMAL this morning defending this silly bill that was passed by the House, while the morning DJs were having a hoot with this story…
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