DNC Chairman and former Virginia Governor Tim Kaine was on Fox News the morning. We had not seen Timmy in a while and were wondering if all that Obama changey talk had any impact on the DNC Chair. The news is good. Tim Kain is still an idiot.

Kaine proceeded incoherently to accuse the Republicans and the Tea Party of being one and the same. His warning was to voters that the Tea Party was only for the rich, and were themselves the elite.

Well, I am not sure what Tea Party Timmy based this assumption on, but certainty none that we have attended.

At first, they said the Tea Party were all dumb, racist, redneck hicks and they would fizzle and go away.

Then, they said the Tea Party were all thugs and Nazi’s.

Now, the Tea Party are elitists.

I suppose that means we all stick our little finger out when we sip our Buds.

Here is what is going on with this new strategy. The Democrats are afraid of losing their RINO’s and the Republican Elitists who are in it for the power, not the good of the country.

Allow me to explain it.

The Liberal Republicans like John McCain (when he sobers up after the election) and Lindsey Graham along with the witches of Eastwick, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have proven to be easy pushovers for the liberal Democrat legislation. And a number of other Republicans who understand that the Tea Party is NOT their friend, because the gig is up (they all know who they are).

This latest DNC scheme is designed to give these Republicans a reason to come out against the Tea Party, eliminating the powerful influence the Tea Party has on the Republicans.

So, it is absurd to think for one minute that the Tea Party is the same as the Republican Party. To be sure, there are Republicans that understand the Tea Party is representative of the anger and disappointment in the horrible job that our elected officials have done, and the damage they have done to America and our freedom. And the Tea Party is an equal opportunity offender. Both Democrats and Republicans are in the line of fire to be the next to retire. (I’d like to hear Jesse Jackson say that sentence.)

But the real show of ignorance from Kaine and the DNC is in attempting to use a historical reference to the Boston Tea Party.

Ok. Follow me here, dear Dems. TEA stands for Taxed Enough Already.

See that? You take the first letter of each word and they spell T.E.A. Cleaver name. That’s all. Reminds you of the thing that happened in Boston a few hundred years ago, doesn’t it.

Well, the similarity ends there.

The Tea Party is not mad at King George, or even Queen Elizabeth. And the movement is not about taxes on tea. It is about taxes – period. Too much. And what is really frustrating is that Obama is not really taxing and spending. He is borrowing and spending. The taxes will come later. Well, really sooner.

And yes, Republicans and even Bush are to blame for this mess too.

But I really feel embarrassed for Timmy Kaine. He really is a lug nut or two short. Does ObamaCare include coverage for delusional folks?

From The Richmond Examiner:

In a letter mailed to select businesses this week, the Virginia Department of Taxation is notifying them that the budget passed by the 2010 Virginia General Assembly has New Tax Payment Requirements for these businesses. In order to close the nearly $4 billion Virginia deficit, former governor Tim Kaine’s budget will require businesses to pay up early. The state’s fiscal year ends on June 30 each year. Ordinarily, taxes on sales completed in June are not due until July 20th. This year, June taxes are due June 30th, and will be included in the state’s books for fiscal year ending June 30, 2010. The rate is calculated at 90% of sales for June, 2009.

Essentially, Kaine’s budget took a month’s worth of sales tax income from the next fiscal year, leaving Virginian’s with one 13 month year and one 11 month year, income wise.

The penalty for failing to pay on time is 6%.

Please click here to continue reading.

It seems there is a lot of misinformation floating around in Virginia today concerning the Virginia Budget, specifically the horrendous hack job proposed by former Governor Tim Kaine. Some of these fears concern inaccurate rumors of cuts to the police forces in Virginia concerning a large number of personnel cuts.

These are difficult times financially, but the core functions of the Commonwealth are of greatest concern to Republican lawmakers and our new Governor, Bob McDonnell.

Former Governor Kaine laid out many proposals in his introduced budget, one of which are cuts to public safety. Due to the current economic climate, legislators will be tasked with making difficult decisions throughout the budget process this session resulting in less spending. Public safety has long been supported by the Republicans in the legislature.

The Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast is held to pray for our leaders and ask God to be with them and guide them in this difficult task. It is also a time when politics and partisanship take a back seat to the interests of the citizens of Virginia.

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling opened the meeting and presided throughout the event. A number of speakers offered Prayer, Scriptures and words of encouragement.

The VMI Glee Club sang several songs and provided a well received ambiance to the assembly.

The message was delivered by NFL Hall of Fame receiver and Washington Redskin Art Monk. His inspiring story was delivered with his usual humility. He spoke of his personal experience with God and how his belief has brought joy and happiness to his life.

Governor Tim Kaine was given a standing ovation and in keeping with tradition, said a prayer for the Governor-elect Bob McDonnell. Governor Kaine remarked that as he was taking out the last bits of trash the recycling bin reminded him that he was, sort of, being recycled.

When Bob McDonnell spoke, he jokingly asked if Tom Kaine’s recycling comment was an announcement of plans to run again in 2013, which was met with laughter from the crowd.

McDonnell also wished Kaine Godspeed and success in his future endeavors, except, of course, in his DNC capacity (more laughter).

There was a genuine atmosphere between these two leaders of mutual respect and admiration. There was no hint of partisanship and this was a wonderful step in passing the torch of leadership to the next group.

Thanks to (my) Delegate Chris Peace for providing room at the table and a special thanks to Dr. O’Bannon for joining us.

Below are a few pictures of the event.

Outgoing Virginia Governor Tim Kaine now speaking at prayer breeakfast. He received a standing ovation.

Bob McDonnell is already twice the Governor Tim Kaine was.

Several reports around the internet seem a bit critical of Governor-elect Bob McDonnell for his inaugural fund raising. Most fail to mention that Bob is planning a rather subdued celebration in keeping with the times compared to the last two Virginia Governor’s inaugurations. Democrat Tim Kaine raised a whopping $3.1 million for his inauguration after Democrat Mark Warner raised $2.5 million.

The 2010 inauguration goal is $1.5 million for Republican Bob McDonnell.

And at least one event is requesting that you bring canned goods for the food bank.

It is so nice to finally have sanity restored to Virginia. While $1.5 million is hardly chump change for most, it is far more reasonable than the previous administrations.

From Virginia State Senator Ryan McDougle

Editor’s Note: For those that have not had the pleasure of meeting Senator McDougle, he is one of the good guys. He is very involved in the Hanover Republican Committee and has always gone above and beyond for Hanover and Virginia. This is a proposal that I believe holds a lot of merit and will allow State Administrations to fully implement their vision for Virginia regardless of party.

Virginia Should Change Its Budget Process

Last month, Virginians spoke loudly. With over 58% of the vote, we elected Republican Bob McDonnell as the 71st Governor of Virginia. Additionally, we added a net of six Republican seats in the House of Delegates.

McDonnell and his Republican ticketmates won running on a platform that included a commitment to not raise taxes during a time of recession. They knew that the worst time to consider a tax increase is while Virginiaâ?Ts families are having trouble making ends meet.

They pledged to balance the current budget shortfall through targeted cuts, efficiencies, and spending reductions. And they vowed to aggressively seek to improve the economy by attracting new jobs and economic development opportunities to Virginia.

Voters responded well to this message as the election results prove.

Less than 45 days after the election, Governor Tim Kaine proposed a new two-year budget for Virginia. Embedded in his budget is a proposal to end car tax relief and to replace the car tax with a new income tax â?osurchargeâ? of 1% of a personâ?Ts income. The result of this proposal is a net tax increase on the citizens of Virginia.

During his campaign, McDonnell vowed to pay for transportation improvements in part by selling and privatizing Virginiaâ?Ts ABC operations. In his budget, Kaine embeds revenues from a proposed 2% increase on liquor prices at ABC stores.

Setting aside personal feelings on the policies proposed in Kaineâ?Ts budget, the objectives do not mesh with the policies laid out by the incoming Governor and incoming House of Delegates. This demonstrates an inherent weakness in Virginiaâ?Ts budgeting process.

Since the mid-nineteenth century, Virginia has operated under two-year budgets. Currently, when the General Assembly meets for sixty-day sessions in even-numbered years, we enact a budget for the following two years. When we meet for forty-five day sessions in odd-numbered years, we review the budget passed the previous year and make appropriate mid-way revisions to the budget in light of economic changes.

The process begins when a Governor introduces a budget proposal in December. The Governorâ?Ts introduced budget becomes a bill that serves as the starting point for the General Assemblyâ?Ts work on the budget.

The problem with the current system is evident considering Governor Kaineâ?Ts proposal on Friday. With less than one month left in his term, Governor Kaine introduced a budget that includes vastly different priorities than those of the incoming McDonnell Administration and General Assembly.

There was little motivation for Kaine to do otherwise. He will not have to shepherd the budget through the General Assembly and, come March, he will not have to make a decision of whether to sign, veto, or amend the budget passed by the General Assembly. In short, after introducing a budget proposal this year, Kaineâ?Ts direct involvement ends for good.

But while Kaine is ending his involvement with the budget, he is making the job of the General Assembly that much harder. Knowing the current political realities and the priorities of the incoming administration, we know the tax and fee increases embedded in Kaineâ?Ts budget proposal will not succeed. As a result, we must start from scratch to determine appropriate cuts. The Kaine proposal will not prove a useful starting point.

To address this exact issue, I introduced legislation last year to alter Virginiaâ?Ts budgeting process. While still allowing for a two-year budget, my legislation proposes that the General Assembly pass the two-year budget in odd-numbered years and make revisions to it in even-numbered years. The lengths of the sessions are reversed accordingly.

Such a change will be particularly beneficial during a gubernatorial transition every four years. Under my plan, a new administration will enter office during the middle of a two-year budget already enacted. During the Governorâ?Ts first General Assembly session, he or she will oversee revisions to a budget already in place.

This change prevents a situation like our current one, where an outgoing Governor presents a budget that is not in line with the priorities of his successor.

The legislation has the added benefit of allowing an incoming administration an extra year to learn the process and develop expertise before having to develop an entirely new two-year budget.

And my bill ensures that whenever a Governor introduces a two-year budget, they will be present to advocate for their budget before the General Assembly, to sign, veto, or amend what the General Assembly passes, and to govern for at least one year under the new budget.

Last year, my proposal failed to advance through the General Assembly. I am introducing the measure again this year and am hopeful our current predicament clearly demonstrates the wisdom of this change.

_____________________________________________________

Ryan T. McDougle (R-Hanover) is a member of the Senate of Virginia representing the Fourth Senatorial District.

Senator Ken Cuccinelli is running for Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia. If you have any doubts that he is by far the best candidate for the office, take a spin around the liberal blogs. These people are wetting their pants and frothing at the mouth at the prospect of Cuccinelli becomming the Attorney General.

Early on, prior to the Republican Primary last May, I had some concerns about Cuccinelli’s Conservative credentials. He actually voted to uphold Governor Tim Kaine’s veto of efforts to repeal Triggerman Rule. This rule made it more difficult to charge both of the Beltway snipers with a Capital crime.

Was this some anti death penalty Liberal? Cuccinelli was the only Republican to vote in favor of Kaine’s veto. I found this very troubling. So, I spoke to Ken in Ashland, Va at a meet and greet, just a short distance away from the site of one of the shootings.

And he explained his vote to my satisfaction. He believes that the death penalty should be reserved for the most heinous of crimes. He saw this repeal as expanding the death penalty and somewhat unnecessary, as there are other laws covering this situation.

So, Cuccinelli voted against his party and with his beliefs.

And the lefties want to paint him as a far right wing nut job. The problem is, for every vote or quote they pull out as proof, there are many times he has taken a more “liberal” view than his own party. The truth is, Ken Cuccinelli is his own man. He is not a rubber stamp for Republicans and he carefully considers the implications of his positions and votes.

Take the issue with Delegate Hamilton for example. On a recent visit to the Henrico Victory Center, I had the opportunity to speak with Ken about this issue. In a politically charged election year, almost everyone running for office has called for Hamilton’s resignation. Cuccinelli could have done the same and joined the chorus, but he is fully aware of the possibility that the Attorney General’s office could be call upon to act in this matter, pending the outcome of the ethics review. As attorney general, you just can’t take sides. Democrat Steve Shannon ignored his duty to the office he seeks and attempted to make political points with the issue.

Ken Cuccinelli said his position on Hamilton is neutral. His refusal to call for Hamilton’s resignation shows neither support nor condemnation. He is simply looking at the possibility that this may wind up in his lap and the proper thing is to remain neutral.

Steve Shannon has shown he is unable to make the same rational decisions. Winning an election is the only thing he cares about. So what if he screws up a case that might be his to decide in the future.

And the recent “revelation” that Ken Cuccinelli is somehow “homophobic” or worse because he condemns homosexual acts, not the individual, shows the ignorance of the left. He didn’t say he was putting cameras in bedrooms. He simply believes the acts are wrong, not the people. Hardly radical. I think most pastors would agree with that. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Ken Cuccinelli is simply a deeper thinker than most of the hysterical lefties. And their lack of understanding is born out of their ignorance.

The bottom line is, there has never been even one accusation against Ken Cuccinelli that he has discriminated against anyone for any reason.

The hand wringing and gnashing of teeth from the left is a typical liberal reaction when they have a weak candidate who is unable to compete on the issues and has proven time and again he is ill prepared for the office he seeks. Shannon was wrong on Melendez-Diaz, wrong on Hamilton and is unable to even name the departments in the Attorney General’s office.

And the Left Wing Nut Blogs that claim Cuccinelli is Beelzebub in the flesh are foolish partisan hacks that only care the Cuccinelli has an “R” after his name. They have absolutely no credibility and show themselves as nothing more than laughable partisan hacks.

In the 2008 Presidential election, felons voted in violation of Virginia law. Louisa County has indicted two such persons.

While felons were voting illegally, Virginia’s active duty military were being disenfranchised because their requested absentee ballots were mailed out too late. Hundreds of our Service men and women saw their ballots tossed aside.

Unbelievably, the Virginia State Board of Elections Chairwoman Jean Cunningham, who was appointed by Governor Tim Kaine, feels it is not her duty to mail the absentee ballots out in a timely manner, and she can refuse to count them if they are received late.

Last week, the courts disagreed and ordered that the vots be counted. (See post.)

With this much real disenfranchisement, one wonders where Jessee Jackson was.

Voter rolls are now being examined in detail to reveal voter fraud committed by felons and those that are voting illegally. Hopefully, indictments will be forthcoming in other areas in the state.

Warning to felons and “dead” people that plan to vote in the upcoming election: We are watching. The penalty is one to five years in prison.

Hats off to Louisa Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Garrett and his office for leading on this issue. As a Veteran myself, I am appalled that felons have been allowed to vote illegally while our soldiers and sailors are treated like this.

In a just world, Jean Cunningham and Tim Kaine would be indicted as well.

First, this race is hardly over, and anything can happen over the next 12 days to change the outcome. But in a discussion this week with some friends who happen to be Democrats, the topic turned to Tim Kaine, specifically in his capacity as DNC Chairman.

Tim Kaine was appointed Chairman of the DNC in January of this year. We all agreed that this was a reward for Kaine for two reasons. First, for his part in delivering Virginia for President Obama, no small task. And, secondly, in anticipation of moving Virginia from a “purple” state to a “blue” state. Keep the Governor’s mansion and take the House. This would complete the fade to blue, give Democrats complete control of Virginia and, most importantly, redistricting.

In January, 2009, this looked like a sure thing. Ten months after taking control of the DNC, and retaining the job of Virginia Governor, Tim Kaine is looking over the edge of a steep cliff. According to my Democrat friends, the only question, should the polls be accurate, is if Kaine jumps or gets pushed.

To be sure, Creigh Deeds will be slammed with the first wave of blame. But there is no blood to be let there. The Senate is likely to be the only hold the Democrats manage this cycle, mainly due to the fact there are no elections on the Senate side this year. Deeds will not be asked to resign.

Tim Kaine will be the fall guy, no doubt.

The consensus seemed to be that if Republicans pick up more than 3 or 4 seats in the House, sweep the state ticket and capture New Jersey (a VERY close race), the Democratic mob that comes after Kaine will resemble a Frankenstein movie. Should Corzine win in New Jersey, the mob may be a bit muted, but Kaine is still gone.

None believed that Tim Kaine would be DNC Chairman for the Mid Term elections next year.

Interestingly, none of my friends were ready to lay even a small amount of blame on President Obama.

UPDATE: What the world is saying about the march.

Now they play the numbers game. Or should I say downplay. Michelle Malkin has come under fire for claiming 2 million people attended from Netroots (or as she calls them NUTRoots).

I can tell you, the traffic camera shots are not fake. As I wrote my opening and closing statements for the Bloggers Debate (sponsored in part by the Netroots Supporters), I tuned into the very same traffic cameras and watched the crowd grow. The flag was, indeed, at half mast. I did notice that and assumed it was for the 9/11 victims.

Take a look at the crowd as it gathers and marches in this time lapse view of the Traffic Camera. And if you really want to see how fearful the left really is, read some of the DailyKOS denial and the same drivel in the YouTube comments for the video below. These guys are seriously in fear, as they should be.

And as far as crowd calculations, The Examiner puts it like this:

Saturday’s “Tea Party” rally in Washington, D.C. far exceeded almost all expectations. Local police agencies estimated around 1.2 million people attended the rally, but several news outlets, including ABC and Fox News, said the crowd was nearly double that, with an estimated 2 million people in attendance.

There were no doubt hundreds of thousands in attendance. Probably less than 2 million. The police estimate of 1.2 million seems to be an average.

The crowds at the Obama inauguration were estimated at around 800,000, so there is little doubt this march exceeded the numbers to see the presidential inauguration.

And there was a big difference in the enthusiasm in the two crowds. While Governor Tim Kaine used $7 million to AstroTurf Virginians to the inauguration, plus whatever amounts were paid by other states, the 912 Marchers all paid their own way. No state assistance subsidized the true grassroots rally that occurred on 912.

This was, and will continue to be, the real deal.

Democratic Candidate for Governor Creigh Deeds seems to have a theory. All state revenue defaults to Education, therefore, any money spent elsewhere is a reduction in Education spending. It does not really matter how important the non Educational expenditures are. Republican Candidate Bob McDonnell’s plans to use revenue above predictions, which is not earmarked for Education, for Transportation somehow takes money from Education. The strange thing is, Deeds seems to forget that School Buses need safe roads to transport kids to school.

So, while the irresponsible fiscal policies of Current Governor Tim Kaine and Jody Wagner are causing massive cuts in Education, money that they were counting on from the Commonwealth, Deeds ignores that and is running around accusing McDonnell of planning to cut Education.

Oh, and somehow it’s former President George W. Bush’s fault as well.

Deeds has a serious disconnect with reality.

In a shocking move that is sure to upset Christians in Bath Count and throughout Virginia, Democrat candidate Creigh Deeds has leveled attacks at Republican Bob McDonnell for his Catholic beliefs. Contraception is condemned in the Bible. The Catholic Church stands firmly against it’s use. In case you wish to see a list of scriptures that support this, visit this website.

Is it fair, in the heat of a campaign, to attack the religious beliefs of a candidate? Has Creigh Deeds fallen so hopelessly behind that his campaign and Governor Tim Kaine’s DNC machine feel that one’s faith is fair game?

This country was founded on religious tolerance. We are brought up to respect each other’s faith and beliefs.

Are the campaigns now going to dig into Sunday School writings of Deeds? Is this relevant to Virginia when we are in the depths of the longest recession since the Great Depression? And what is the matter with the Washington Post? This is a new low even for them.

Over the last couple of decades since the thesis was written, attitudes in the Catholic Church have changed, even if the Vatican has not. Some estimates say as many as 96% of Catholics have used some form of birth control.

Whatever Bob McDonnell’s beliefs are concerning contraception at this time, I am sure I don’t have a clue, or a concern. Regardless of how you feel on the subject, I really don’t see condoms and “the pill” being made illegal by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Does anyone even believe that is something Bob McDonnell could do if he wanted to? Just how much power does the DNC and Deeds think the office of Governor has in the Commonwealth?

This is a totally bogus smoke screen designed to take the focus off of Deed’s lack of relevance in this race. Nothing more.

If you have not heard, Attorney General candidate and State Senator Ken Cuccinelli will be at the Virginia Victory office this evening located at 2819 N Parham Rd, Suite 230, Richmond, VA 23294.

Ken has one of the strongest grassroots organizations Virginia has ever experienced. This is due to the fact that Senator Cuccinelli never fails to impress anyone he comes in contact with. His knowledge of the US Constitution and what it means is unsurpassed. It is this knowledge that his opponent fears most. His opponent is content to allow the Obama administration overstep it’s constitutional authority and run Virginia. Ken Cuccinelli knows our rights and will protect us from the unconstitutional and unprecedented power grab.

The left fears him, which is one of the best reasons I can think of to make sure Cuccinelli is elected as our next Attorney General.

Want proof?

A few weeks ago, the US Supreme Court delivered a ruling that had the effect of wiping out our laws on rules of evidence. As a result, many drug cases and DUI cases were dropped, not prosecuted, or the suspects were allowed to walk away free. Ken Cuccinelli was the first to call for a special session. His opponent and Governor Tim Kaine decided to try to play politics and score points against Cuccinelli. This backfired badly and Kaine and opponent Steve Shannon ended up with egg on their face and our streets more dangerous than ever.

Please stop by and meet Ken and make some calls with us between 5PM and 9PM this evening. Extra phones were added and we would very much like to set a new record for number of calls in one night. If we have to play tag team on the phones, that would be awesome.

In addition, Ken is trying to reach a goal in his fund raising efforts. Please donate whatever you can! Please visit this link!!!

Below is a statement from Senator Cuccinelli on this fund raising effort:

Dear Fellow Virginians,

It’s official. Since I sent out the Compass last Wednesday night challenging you to help us raise $20,000 by our finance deadline, we’ve brought in $15,069.26.

What an amazing response! We got donations in ranging from $1 to $1,000. So thank you for responding to our plea for financial help…but we’re not done yet!

We’ve got just a little over 24 hours until the deadline. And we’ve still got $4,930.74 to raise to meet our $20K goal.

Can you help us out?

Remember, it doesn’t matter if you give $5 or $500. It all helps tremendously, so please give what you can.

Get your donation in by the deadline and donate here: http://www.cuccinelli.com/donations.htm

I’ll be sure to let you know how we did when the clock stops ticking at midnight, tomorrow night!

See you on the campaign trail!

Sincerely,

Senator Ken Cuccinelli II

Virginia Democrats are simply wrong about the Commonwealth accepting the Obama unemployment stimulus money. Taking this money means Nancy Pelosi and President Obama get to rewrite Virginia Laws as part of the deal. The strings attached to the Obama and Pelosi money will require a massive increase in benefits, a major extension to the length of benefits, and employers will be forced to pay for unemployment benefits to part time workers. Accepting this money will force businesses to lay off workers because of increased Unemployment Taxes that will be required. It will kill jobs.

Accepting this $125 million will cost the Commonwealth billions of dollars, not exactly a bargain. The $125 million was estimated to be about 5 weeks worth of unemployment, then we are on our own. And that was several months ago. It will likely not last that long now.

This is exactly the reason Virginia finds itself in a financial mess. Democratic Governor Tim Kaine and Treasurer Jody Wagner have proven to be short sighted in all matters financial. Lt. Governor Bill Bolling has been warning that the optimistic growth projections Kaine and Wagner built into our budget were way off the mark, and Bolling has been proven 100% correct.

Accepting this $125 million from the Federal Government will add millions more, and perhaps billions more, to the Virginia budget shortfall, already over $6 billion dollars.

Instead of using misinformation and outright lies about this money, Virginia Democrats ought to be lobbying Pelosi and Obama to remove the strings and let Virginia decide what is the best way to administer our unemployment benefits.

But for these Democrats seeking to accept the money and the strings, it’s not really about the money, or giving more benefits to the unemployed. It is really about the Democrats pushing for this money wanting to allow Washington to control Virginia.

We simply cannot afford this Trojan Horse from Washington.

STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BOLLING ON STATE BUDGET SHORTFALLS

- Bolling warned of looming budget shortfalls due to overly optimistic revenue projections-

RICHMOND – Earlier today, Governor Tim Kaine once again announced massive shortfalls to his revenue forecast for the FY 2008-2010 biennial state budget, revising budget projections down by an additional $1.2 billion for FY10 and $300 million in shortfalls from the past fiscal year. In response, Lieutenant Governor Bolling released the following statement:

“The budget shortfalls that Governor Kaine announced today are serious, but they should not surprise anyone. I have been warning for the past two years that the current state budget is based on overly optimistic revenue projections and that huge budget shortfalls would be the result. This is what happens when you base your budget on money you don’t have to make promises you can’t keep.

“For the past four years we have based our budget on overly optimistic revenue projections, the use of one-time revenues to pay for ongoing programs, spiraling amounts of state debt and raids on the rainy day fund. That is not fiscally responsible and we cannot continue to manage Virginia’s finances this way.

“Unfortunately, the budget shortfalls we are facing in the current fiscal year may only be the beginning of our long term fiscal challenges. We will likely face additional budget shortfalls in the 2010-2012 biennium when the federal stimulus dollars we used to balance the budget last year run out. In fact, those shortfalls could be larger than the shortfalls we are experiencing in the current fiscal year.

“Going forward, we must make certain that our budgets are based on realistic revenue projections, reduce spending to match available revenue and eliminate the budget gimmicks. This will require us to make many difficult choices, but these are the same kind of choices that families and businesses have had to make in recent months, and the people of Virginia expect state government to live by the same economic realities that they must live by.”

###

Randy Marcus

Chief of Staff

Office of Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling

804-786-2078

804-786-7514 (fax)

randy.marcus@ltgov.virginia.gov

PRESS RELEASE
July 31, 2009

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Chris LaCivita
(804) 594-3710
Cell (202) 907-1055

Cuccinelli receives warm reception at the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Services Council convention;

Shannon distorts…and misses…again.

FAIRFAX — This morning, Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-Fairfax) addressed the annual summer20convention of the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Services Council. Speaking to this group, Senator Cuccinelli touted his strong support of law enforcement as a member of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee, where he has served since joining the State Senate in 2002

Cuccinelli also rolled out a pro-active platform of law enforcement issues that resonated with Virginia’s prosecutors. Among the proposals that Cuccinelli mentioned were protecting law enforcement officers by adding all law enforcement officials to the capital eligible victims list as well as addressing custodial arrest by reversing the Moore v. Commonwealth decision.

Senator Cuccinelli remarked that the biggest issue currently facing prosecutors in Virginia is the new 6th Amendment standard imposed by the Melendez-Diaz Supreme Court decision. After gathering the advice of prosecutors from every corner of Virginia, Cuccinelli was first to ask Governor Tim Kaine to call a special session to amend Virginia’s law. The special session, scheduled for August 19, will help prosecutors from having to either release DUI and drug offenders or accept an unreasonable plea bargain.

Amazingly, Senator Cuccinelli’s opponent, Steve Shannon flip-flopped from his earlier position on the Special Session. He originally referred to Cuccinelli’s call for a special session as a “political stunt.” Shannon now supports the Special Session that Sen. Cuccinelli first called.

Shannon also wrongly claimed t hat Cuccinelli was opposed to hiring more lab technicians to alleviate the bottleneck of DUI and drug cases. On July 22nd, Senator Cuccinelli released a statement commending Governor Kaine for calling a special session and also called for the hiring of additional lab technicians.

Cuccinelli spokesman Chris LaCivita commented “This morning Delegate Shannon proved that he either doesn’t know what Senator Cuccinelli’s actual position on Melendez is or that he is attempting to intentionally mislead Virginia’s prosecutors on Senator Cuccinelli’s record.”

Senator Cuccinelli stated: “After initially calling my proposal a ‘political stunt,’ it is good to see that my opponent has reversed course and endorsed the proposal that I and Governor Tim Kaine bipartisanly agreed would be the best way to proceed in addressing the Melendez issue. It’s too bad that he didn’t show the leadership to initially stand with me and call for a special session.”

A Press Release on the special session from the Republican Party of Virginia.

- Legislature to Fix Prosecutorial Mess Against Steve Shannon’s Sage Advice -

- Cuccinelli Had Called for Special Session; Shannon Called it a “Stunt” -

RICHMOND – Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins today praised Governor Tim Kaine’s decision to agree with Ken Cuccinelli to call the Virginia General Assembly into a special session to fix a prosecutorial morass following the U.S. Supreme Court decision Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts.  The ruling has caused chaos among Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorneys regarding the difficulty in having forensic scientists who test material evidence personally testify at trial.  As a result, many criminal cases are having to be dismissed or are lost at trial.

“Steve Shannon, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, initially called Ken Cuccinelli’s request for a special session a ‘stunt,’” said Mullins.  “Well, I guess the governor from his own party disagrees with him.  I don’t think that’s the kind of thing you want to pull if you’re arguing to be the state’s top lawyer.”

In response to Ken Cuccinelli’s first call for a legislative fix, Shannon said it was a “stunt,” a position he continues to trumpet by posting a supportive editorial on his website.

Perhaps even more embarrassingly, Shannon criticized Cuccinelli for supposedly opposing a bill that never reached the Senate, in which Cuccinelli serves.  Inasmuch as Cuccinelli was never able to vote on the legislation, it further reveals that not only is Shannon ignorant of Supreme Court precedent vis-à-vis Virginia law, but he also does not understand the legislative process.

Shannon’s House Bill 3086 died in committee in the House of Delegates and was never communicated to the Senate, where Cuccinelli might have had a chance to weigh in on it.

“This is astounding,” Chairman Mullins said.  “This guy seriously wants to be the attorney general of the Commonwealth, but doesn’t get the severity of a Supreme Court ruling and doesn’t know that his own bill died in committee.  That’s almost too funny to make up.”

Finally! Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has decided to quit playing politics and call for a special session of the Virginia Legislature. Kaine announced at a press conference this morning that the date will be August 19, 2009. I hope oft absent governor remembers to pencil in the date between DNC duties.

As reported on this blog and other sources, Virginia Republican Nominee for Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has been calling for a special session to address the recent US Supreme Court ruling in the Melendez-Diaz vs. Massachusetts case. Virginia Right! has been behind Cuccinelli on this and we have expressed regret that Governor Kaine and especially Democratic Nominee for Attorney General Steve Shannon decided to try to use this issue for political gain.

Senator Cuccinelli has done what he always does: acted in the best interest of the citizens of the Commonwealth. His opponent, Shannon, decided to try to make this a political issue and disregard the safety of Virginians. Most Virginians are quite aware that this should have never been a political issue. Shannon has displayed a reckless disregard for the safety of the public in a desperate attempt to find an issue with which to attack Cuccinelli. It was Kaine and Shannon that took an important issue and turned it into a public spectacle that pitted the two against Senator Cuccinelli and the majority of prosecutors.

It is important for the Commonwealth’s Attorneys to know that the next Attorney General is someone that places public safety and law enforcement above petty politics. Cuccinelli has proven that he is the only Attorney General candidate that can be trusted in that regard.

In the Melendez-Diaz vs. Massachusetts case, the Supreme Court decided that the defendants have the right, under the 6th amendment to confront their accuser. In this case, the lab technicians. This ruling had the effect of making the Virginia Statutes unconstitutional.

Now that the political games have finally been called off by Kaine, we can get on with the business of running the state and debating the real issues.

And special thanks to Hanover Attorney Elwood “Sandy” Sanders for immediately recognizing the severity of this ruling and the devastating impact it would have on Virginia’s public safety. At a time when some failed to realize the importance to Virginia of this ruling, Sandy’s clarity and foresight on this issue was spot on. The ink was not even dry on the Supreme Court decision when Sandy sounded the alarm with this guest blog. And several follow up posts as the situation evolved. Well done, Mr. Sanders!