Virginia Governor Two-Fer: Let’s Make Convicted Felons Feel Good About Themselves And Get Hillary Clinton Elected!
[guest post by Dana]
Last week, purple-state governor Terry McAuliffe of Virginia signed an executive order which re-established voting rights to convicted felons who have served their sentences. This would impact 206,000 convicted felons. Felons whose various crimes were not limited to murder and armed robbery, but also rape, sexual assault, and child molestation. The governor pulled the race card out of his back pocket to justify the move which conveniently comes months before a presidential election, claiming that the order was aimed largely at rectifying Virginia’s “long and sad history” of suppressing African-American voting power.
“We benefit from a more just and accountable government when we put trust in all of our citizens to choose their leaders,” McAuliffe said Friday from the steps of the state Capitol, where a gospel choir warmed up a jubilant crowd. “It has taken Virginia many centuries, unfortunately, to learn this lesson. But today, we celebrate its truth.”
Given that Virginia is a swing state to watch, push back from Republicans was swift. Speaker of the House William J. Howell said bluntly:
“The singular purpose of Terry McAuliffe’s governorship is to elect Hillary Clinton president of the United States,” Howell said. “This office has always been a steppingstone to a job in Hillary Clinton’s Cabinet.”
In the face of such criticism, McAuliffe played dumb: Election?? What election?? Well, not quite, but he might as well have:
“Well, I would tell the Republicans, ‘Quit complaining and go out and earn these folks’ right to vote for you. Go out and talk to them,’ ” he said in response to a question about people saying his order was an election-year ploy to help Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton.
“I think some of the language that has come out of the Republicans, I would tell them to be very careful at how they frame this, very careful of their rhetoric.”
…I’ll do everything I can to get disenfranchised voters entrenched,” he said.
…
It works when you welcome people back into society and make them feel good about themselves.“
Well as long as the convicted felons feel good about themselves then that’s okay said no violent crime victim ever.
Interestingly, MSNBC wasn’t fooled by McAuliffe’s move either:
But with Virginia shaping up as perhaps the single most pivotal swing state in the nation, it’s not impossible that the move could also tip the 2016 election for the Democrats.
McAuliffe, it’s worth noting, served as a top fundraiser for President Bill Clinton, and remains a close ally of the Clintons. Now there’s a small chance that with Friday’s order, he has helped put Hillary Clinton in the White House.
Of course, the fact that Democrats may get a boost from the move is irrelevant to whether it’s good or bad policy—and there’s growing support for the notion that people who have served their time should be full participants in society. Still, it’s hard to believe the political benefits didn’t cross the governor’s mind.
Hillary Clinton, who once smeared the 12-year old victim of a violent rapist she was defending and then laughed about it later, welcomed the violent felons with open arms:
“Proud of my friend (Terry McAuliffe) for continuing to break down barriers to voting.”
Donald Trump, who once donated $25,000 to McAuliffe’s gubernatorial campaign, criticized the executive action:
“That’s crooked politics,” Trump told his supporters during his Monday afternoon campaign rally in Warwick, Rhode Island. “I would win Virginia.”
“They’re giving 200,000 people that have been convicted of heinous crimes…the right to vote. They know they’re going to vote Democrat,” the Republican frontrunner said. “That could be the swing,” referencing Virginia in the general election
Today, Hans A. Von Spakovsky and Roger Clegg presented their argument that McAuliffe’s executive action is “likely an unconstitutional state action”:
He is following the example set by President Obama: If you don’t like a law or a constitutional limit on your authority, just ignore it. Rewrite, change, or bend it. The New York Times inadvertently gave the game away when it said that McAuliffe’s “action effectively overturns a Civil War–era provision in the state’s Constitution.”
McAuliffe’s willingness to do anything (and to say anything) to achieve partisan political goals shows a complete contempt for the rule of law and for the constitutional republic that is the United States. What a sad day for the great state that was the home of Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, James Madison, George Mason, and the father of our country, George Washington.
–Dana
Shame on anyone still surprised by how low the left is willing to go.
Dana (0ee61a) — 4/25/2016 @ 6:56 pmit’s a quaint notion to consider mcawful@ and the law, in the same breath,
http://blogs.nbc12.com/decisionvirginia/2013/07/mcauliffe-sought-mayorkas-help-because-of-bureaucratic-pace-of-eb-5-program-.html
thanks top men,
narciso (732bc0) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:02 pmWould that “Civil War provision” be Section 2 of the 14th Amendment?
Anyhow, it sounds like it will be struck down in Virginia’s courts. Unless the Virginia constitution provides that it can be amended by executive order.
nk (dbc370) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:07 pmHas no one standing to sue? Is having your vote diluted not enough?
Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:11 pmAnyhow, it sounds like it will be struck down in Virginia’s courts.
Yes, but will it be enjoined before it affects the 2012 vote? I doubt the governor cares much after that.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:12 pm2012 vote? McAuliffe’s a scumbag, but he’s no time traveler.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:18 pmThe willingness of leftists at all levels to ignore the law or change it by whim means we no longer actually have laws, therefore we are by definition lawless. And McAuliffe is an outlaw. The left has dragged our nation to banana republic status with outlaws making law.
Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:19 pmAn interesting challenge if the electoral vote is close and Virginia’s election is also close. I can see a great temptation to have the House and Senate refuse Virginia’s certification.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:21 pmoh, right, I still want to refight that election. 2016 then.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:22 pmI would love to see a poll, btw, asking people who they voted for in 2012. Bet you Romney would “win” in a landslide.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:24 pmWho controls the Virginia legislature? It would be the one to certify the Electors.
nk (dbc370) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:24 pmRepublicans.
nk (dbc370) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:27 pmmcauliffe, lost the first time, that’s why the brouhaha with star scientific, to take mcdonnell off the board, this is the consequences of the #never cuccinellis,
narciso (732bc0) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:31 pmthe irony is siegelman was guilty, but they pretended he was innocent,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/as-mcdonnell-awaits-supreme-court-another-governor-watches-from-prison/2016/04/25/c8fa5828-097a-11e6-b283-e79d81c63c1b_story.html
mcdonnell was probably not, yet they pretended he was,
narciso (732bc0) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:39 pmThey know there is no reason for any shame or concern. They can admit it, say it out loud, and look forward to a win.
Chris Matthews:
Dana (0ee61a) — 4/25/2016 @ 7:47 pmMy reading of the Constitution doesn’t allow for preventing felons released after serving their sentence from voting or owning guns. If the felon is a natural born citizen who satisfies the age and residency requirements, he should also be eligible for the presidency by my reading of the Constitution.
jcurtis (45f5ef) — 4/25/2016 @ 8:05 pmMaybe not owning guns, but voting is up to the states under Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment. And they can be enslaved under the Thirteenth. Anyway, only eleven states prohibit felons who have completed their sentences from voting.
nk (dbc370) — 4/25/2016 @ 8:11 pmSame thing for being elected to public office.
nk (dbc370) — 4/25/2016 @ 8:12 pmit’s the chicago way, and mcauliffe is a scalawag, that the razorback punk put in power, as they would later do with ‘yeargh dean’
narciso (732bc0) — 4/25/2016 @ 8:18 pmA quick check with the ACLU website reveals current California law:
“The only time you are not eligible to vote is if you have a felony conviction and you are still in state prison or serving your sentence in county jail under Realignment, or if you are on parole, on community supervision, or on mandatory supervision. If you are on probation or if you have completed your parole, post-release community supervision, or mandatory supervision you CAN vote!”
AZ Bob (d6a3a9) — 4/25/2016 @ 8:41 pm“Proud of my friend (Terry McAuliffe) for continuing to break down barriers to voting.”
“They’re giving 200,000 people that have been convicted of heinous crimes…the right to vote. They know they’re going to vote Democrat,” the Republican frontrunner said.
Just about ever criticism of Trump is accurate except one: That being the theory he’s as idiotically liberal as Hillary is. Of the 4 leading candidates, I’d say the only one as leftwing or more leftwing than Hillary is Bernie.
Although Trump can be surprisingly foolish and tone-deaf, and is squishier than a bowl of Jell-O, I do think he’s intrinsically, emotionally less liberal that the Democrat Party’s likely nominee.
If Hillary and Donald were ever both sitting in Jeremiah Wright’s church listening to a “goddamn America, your chickens are coming home to roost” sermon, she’d be nodding and smiling, even waving her hands and shouting “hallelujah” (in her fake southern drawl) once the choir struck up, while Trump probably would be squirming and putting on a stone face.
Mark (1431b8) — 4/25/2016 @ 8:44 pmMy reading of the Constitution doesn’t allow for preventing felons released after serving their sentence from voting…
Clearly in the 14th Amendment, Section 2 “or other crime…”
Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/25/2016 @ 9:18 pmDonnie gave McAuliffe $20k for his VA guber run in 2009. Must have had some biz in VA? Nah– Donie was then and is now a democrat. And heseeks the love and admiration of his Democrat Party friends.
jb (a426f9) — 4/25/2016 @ 9:28 pmterry mcauliffe and justice, never the two shall meet,
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/newsletter/2002/0402a.shtml
narciso (732bc0) — 4/25/2016 @ 9:42 pmI learned contempt for mcauliffe when he was the dnc chairman, and demagogued to an extraordinary way, the 2000 election, apparently all was forgiven with the top men, because they gave him a free berth, even though he had more skeletons than dorian grey,
narciso (732bc0) — 4/25/2016 @ 10:05 pmthe top men didn’t even stand by gillespie, who was one of their own, last time, so why would they hold out against anyone,
narciso (732bc0) — 4/25/2016 @ 10:17 pmThis whole “let’s all feel good about ourselves” crap is overrated.
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/ships/battleships/washington/bb56-wash.html
Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/25/2016 @ 10:35 pmMSNBC wrote:
To become “full participants in society,” wouldn’t that mean their Second Amendment rights would have to be restored?
Oh, that’s right, that’s different!
The Dana who noticed (f6a568) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:41 amDonnie gave McAuliffe $20k for his VA guber run in 2009.
didn’t help
virginia social cons went on to elect a sleazy convicted criminal *instead* of the guy Mr. Trump donated some monies to
happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:04 amPikachu doesn’t catch the irony, the crook is in office now.
narciso (742ca9) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:08 amPikachu doesn’t catch the irony, the crook is in office now.
but not with Mr. The Donald’s help
Mr. The Donald is trying really hard to keep failmerica from electing a pee-stanky criminal to the failmerica’s sleazy brothel white house, and I wish him well cause of it’s a noble endeavor to be sure
happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:19 amThe law has been weaponize against newt, the huntress, delay, perry Paxton ( those by Texans for public justice) mcdonnell, yet it doesnt touch mcawful or red queen
narciso (742ca9) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:22 amI think Hillary is a very nice lady and Mr. The Donald should discuss a co-Presidency with her where she is in charge of all the food stamps and he is in charge of all the casinos.
nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:23 ampee-stank’s mama never taught her how to share
happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:27 amShe was a nice Republican girl from Park Ridge until she met that hillbilly gangster* from Hot Springs.
*Literally true, by way of his uncle Raymond, a Boss Hogg type.
nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:31 amDoes what McDonnell allegedly did (which I doubt) have any logical connection to Trump donating to McAuliffe? Are you saying McAullife should have been elected? Or you just sending things off on a tangent like a good little Trumper?
Gerald A (945582) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:52 amI give Trump credit where credit is due. That’s pretty much the right thing to say. Your typical R candidate just doesn’t talk that way. It’s a big reason why Trump is where he is. Even Cruz didn’t say that (other than the part about “I would win Virginia.”). Has Cruz even said anything?
Of course that is not a reason to want Trump to actually be President. But R’s could (sometimes) take a lesson from him about how to say things.
Gerald A (945582) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:10 amThe presumption of innocence was swept away by the guilty verdict. In fact, McDonnell didn’t deny getting all those “gifts”, he just denied it was against the law.
I hate it when a Republican acts like this (doubly so for Duke Cunningham, who all those in Naval Aviation admired). I hate it when Democrats get away with worse. But a crime is a crime, and to deny that at this point seems a little unhinged.
prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:13 pmIf they have paid their debt to society…
n.n (facbb6) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:04 pmMcAuliffe’s political motivation is obvious, but Spakovsky and Clegg’s constitutional argument seems to be to be just as obviously bogus. Blanket clemency has a long tradition in the USA and I don’t think anyone has ever doubted its validity before now. Carter came in for criticism when he pardoned all Vietnam draft dodgers, but I’ve never heard that anyone questioned his power to do os. Nor is there anything in the VA constitution that can be construed as forbidding it.
In fact the language of Article V §10 seems to specifically contemplate exactly this move. The governor is given the power to “remit fines and penalties…grant reprieves and pardons…remove political disabilities…and to commute capital punishment”, but he is only to account to the General Assembly for “every case of fine or penalty remitted, of reprieve or pardon granted, and of punishment commuted”, but not for every case of disabilities removed. That seems to me to imply that while the other actions should be justified on a case-by-case basis, this action needn’t be, which in turn seems to imply that the drafters contemplated a potential mass removal.
Milhouse (87c499) — 4/27/2016 @ 12:36 amWhich in fact it wasn’t. “Honest services fraud” is a blatantly bogus charge that can be used against anybody for anything. It’s anathema to a free nation.
Milhouse (87c499) — 4/27/2016 @ 12:40 am