Governor McAuiffe Orders Confederate flag Removed from Virginia License Plates

In the wake of the white supremacy inspired murders in Charleston, South Carolina, last week and last week's 5-4 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that the First Amendment does not prevent states from banning the Confederate flag from license plates, Governor McAuliffe has ordered that the Confederate battle flag be removes from Virginia license plates. It goes without saying that the move will cause shrieks from the white supremacist base of the Virginia GOP.  Of course, if the Virginia GOP opposes the move by McAuliffe, it will be a wonderful reminder to voters in the lead up to November's state election of who the Virginia GOP really represents.  Here are highlights from CBS News:

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has ordered the Confederate flag removed from Virginia state license plates. The flag is displayed on a specialty plate designed for the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The governor’s announcement came in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the state of Texas was allowed to reject a license plate design that featured a Confederate battle flag and the removal of the flag from the South Carolina statehouse grounds following last week’s fatal shootings at am African-American church in Charleston.

"As [South Carolina] Governor Haley said yesterday, her state can ill afford to let this symbol continue to divide the people of South Carolina. I believe the same is true here in Virginia. Although the battle flag is not flown here on Capitol Square, it has been the subject of considerable controversy, and it divides many of our people,” Governor Terry McAuliffe said. “Even its display on state issued license tags is, in my view, unnecessarily divisive and hurtful to too many of our people. As you all know, I have spent the past 17 months working to build a new Virginia economy that is more open and welcoming to everyone. Removing this symbol from our state-issued license plates will be another step toward realizing that goal.”

McAuliffe said he has asked the Attorney General’s office to “take steps to reverse the prior Court ruling that requires the Confederate flag be placed on state license plates.” He also told the Secretary of Transportation to “develop a plan for replacing the currently-issued plates as quickly as possible.”

Heretick Defeats Anti-Gay Johnny Joannou in Primary

Steve Heretick

In yesterday's Democrat primary, Steve Heretick defeated anti-gay Del. Johnny Joannou and sent the fossilized Democrat in name only into political retirement.   While news stories focused on Joannou's opposition to Medicaid expansion, Joannou also had a documented anti-gay voting record in the House of Delegates.  Given the nature of the 79th district, Heretick is presumed to be the winner come November.  Heretick's win underscores how progressives working together can make a difference.  Joannou was so reactionary that even the lunatics of the Tea Party came to his aid .  Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:

Steve Heretick upset longtime Del. Johnny Joannou on Tuesday in the Democratic primary for the state House 79th District.  With all precincts reporting, Heretick claimed 52.7 percent of the votes while Joannou took 47.2 percent.

Joannou, who has served more than 30 years in the General Assembly, hadn’t faced a challenger since 2007.

Heretick, a former Portsmouth City councilman, said Joannou’s conservative voting record was out of touch with the district.

Specifically, Heretick, 54, attacked Joannou for his opposition to expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act and for not doing enough while the state was negotiating a deal to bring tolls to Hampton Roads to pay for a second tube at the Midtown Tunnel.

Heretick said it felt good to beat an “entrenched” incumbent backed “by the city’s old guard.”
“I really do feel like we’ve overcome a tremendous amount of opposition and I’m pleased to say that we’ve done it with a lot of progressive groups,” Heretick said.

Joannou declined to comment Tuesday night.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe supported Heretick. "We're happy with everything that's happening," said Morgan Finkelstein, a spokesoman for the Democratic Party of Virginia. 

Heretick created a website, www.johnnyjoannou.com, that referred to Joannou as “our Tea Party delegate.” Indeed, members of the Tea Party and the National Rifle Association backed Joannou.

Members of the Portsmouth Tea Party came to his aid by encouraging members to vote in the primary, hoping to stop a more liberal candidate from getting to Richmond. Because it's a heavily-Democratic district, the primary winner is likely to win the seat in November.

Good riddance to Joannou.