Virginia Senate Defeats Bill to Force AG to Defend Unconstitutional Laws

Pogge with convicted felon, Bob McDonnell

A leading mental midget of the Virginia House of Delegates is Del. Brenda L. Pogge (R-James City), who consistently votes with Christofascists and other elements of the Virginia GOP that live in the delusional world of Teabaghistan.  Typically, if there's a right side to any issue, Pogge will be on the wrong side of it.  Any example?  Her bill that would force the Attorney General of Virginia to defend any and all Virginia laws no matter how repugnant or unconstitutional (The concept that the U.S. Constitution trumps Virginia's laws and Constitution is seemingly too difficult for Pogge's limited intellect).  The main laws Pogge had in mind?  Those denigrating and marginalizing LGBT Virginians.  Not surprisingly, the bill was passed by the Kool-Aid drinking Republicans in the House of Delegates.  Thankfully, the bill was killed yesterday in the Virginia Senate.  The Washington Post has details.  Here are highlights:

By the narrowest of margins, the state Senate on Monday killed a House bill that would have required Virginia’s attorney general to defend any state law whose constitutionality is challenged. 

Proposed by Del. Brenda L. Pogge (R-James City), the measured appeared to be aimed at Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D), who last year declared the state’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional and joined two same-sex couples in asking a federal court to strike it down. Months later, the Supreme Court allowed same-sex marriages to take place in Virginia when it refused to take up a lower court ruling that overturned the ban.

Herring’s move had thrilled gay-rights activists but infuriated conservatives who asserted that the attorney general had a duty to defend state law. Herring said at the time that he had concluded that the ban was in conflict with the U.S. constitution, which he also has a duty to uphold.

“The federal constitution trumps the state constitution,” Sen. John Edwards (D-Roanoke) said before the vote. “The attorney general of Virginia did the right thing. He did the courageous thing.”

The Senate voted 20-20 on the bill, with Sen. John Watkins (R-Powhatan) siding with Democrats who opposed it. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who presides over the Senate, broke the tie by voting against the bill.

Elections do matter and in November, Pogge and other Neanderthals in the Virginia GOP need to be defeated and sent into retirement.