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. 

GOP Delegate Wants to Force Attorney Generals to Defend Unconstitutional Laws

Cretin Republican Brenda Pogge

Williamsburg, Virginia is not only the home of Virginia's colonial capital, but is also the home of William & Mary, the second oldest university in America.  In general, Williamsburg is a somewhat sophisticated and educated locality with many well to do retirees and others who tend to congregate around college and university towns.  This education and enlightenment sadly doesn't extend to the moronic Brenda Pogge, a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates.  Like more and more Virginia Republicans, Pogge is unable to grasp the concept that the attorney generals of Virginia are bound by not just the Virginia Constitution, but also the United States Constitution which trumps the Virginia Constitution.  Hence Pogge's introduction of a bill that would force Virginia attorney generals to defend whatever batshitery Virginia Republicans might enact no matter how unconstitutional.  The Rappahannock News looks at Pogge's latest idiocy.  Here are highlights:

A Republican legislator from Williamsburg is pushing for a law to require the state attorney general to defend the Virginia Constitution — which the current officeholder, Democrat Mark Herring, declined to do regarding the commonwealth’s ban on same-sex marriage.

House Bill 1573, which was proposed last week by Del. Brenda Pogge, would add this passage to state law:

“Except in cases where it would be improper for the Attorney General’s office to render legal services due to a conflict of interests, the Attorney General has the duty to represent the interests of the Commonwealth in any proceeding in which the constitutionality or validity of a provision of the Constitution of Virginia or of any law or regulation of the Commonwealth is contested or at issue.”

The bill is in response to Herring’s decision last January not to contest a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Herring, who was elected in 2013 and took office last January, has not publicly addressed Pogge’s bill. However, the website of the attorney general’s office addresses the case that struck down the gay marriage ban. It also addresses the duties of the attorney general.

The website states that as the attorney general, Herring has a duty to protect the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of Virginia. However, when a state law or the state Constitution conflicts with the federal Constitution, the federal Constitution prevails as the law of the land, the website says.

There's more, but the take away is that to be a Republican in Virginia requires that one be a religious extremist, a racist or have had a lobotomy.  In Pogge's case, I suspect it is the later.  The woman is an idiot.

GOP House of Delegates Kills "Ex-Gay" Conversion Ban

Brenda Pogge with now indicted Bob McDonnell

Proving once again that they are the tawdry political whores of the hate merchants at The Family Foundation ("TFF"), the Republicans in the House of Delegates killed a bill that would have banned therapists from inflicting fraudulent and dangerous "ex-gay" therapy on minors.  To these members of the GOP, the position of every legitimate medical and mental health organization in America means nothing.  All that matters is that they follow their orders from Victoria Cobb and the Christofascists at TFF.  Damaged lives and potential suicides just do not matter to these foul individuals.  The Daily Press has coverage on this disappointing development.  Here are highlights:

A House panel killed off legislation Thursday that would have outlawed controversial therapies meant to turn gay children straight.

House Bill 1135 only dealt with licensed therapists treating people under 18. Adults seeking the treatment still would have been free to do so.

These therapies, often called conversion or restoration therapy, don't work and have a long-lasting damaging effect on children who are taught that being gay is a bad thing, and if it can't be cured it might be their fault, or their parents', bill advocates argued.

The bill brought passionate testimony from both sides. Gail Dickert of Alexandria told House members that the therapy convinced her that her father molested her as a young child, turning her gay. He had not, she said. He died before she could tell him this was just a false memory planted by a therapist, she said.

In the end, members of a House Health, Welfare and Institutions subcommittee killed the bill on a 4-1 party line vote, much as supporters expected.  Del. Robert Krupicka, D-Alexandria, was the only yes vote. Del. Brenda Pogge, R-James City, said the issue wasn't ripe for change.
 Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, the bill sponsor, said he believes the therapy will eventually be banned for children in Virginia, as it is in California and New Jersey.  "Hearts and minds are changing on this sexual orientation issue every day," he said. "One day this will be the law in Virginia.… It's time we had this conversation."

Brenda Pogge is an embarrassment to thinking Virginians.  She certainly makes the voters in James City County look like cretins.