{Virginia} Legislature elects 1st openly gay judge to Richmond court
Last edited Tue Jan 15, 2013, 04:19 PM - Edit history (3)
Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch
Posted: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 12:53 pm | Updated: 2:25 pm, Tue Jan 15, 2013.
Legislature elects 1st openly gay judge to Richmond court
JIM NOLAN Richmond Times-Dispatch
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Virginia House and Senate elected interim Judge Tracy Thorne-Begland to a full term on the Richmond Manchester General District Court today, giving legislative approval to the state' s first openly gay judge after rejecting him last year.
The Republican-controlled House voted first, approving him 66-28 with one abstention, and was followed by a Senate vote of 28-0. Twelve social conservatives in the Senate did not vote.
"I want to thank the members of the General Assembly for their thoughtful deliberation concerning my nomination," Thorne-Begland told The Times-Dispatch. "I also want to thank my family for their support throughout this process, and I look forward to continuing my service on behalf of this great commonwealth."
The respected ex-Richmond prosecutor is a decorated former Naval aviator who in 1992 challenged the military's now defunct "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy prohibiting gays from serving in the armed forces.
Read more: http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/latest-news/legislature-elects-st-openly-gay-judge-to-richmond-court/article_787f7360-5f3c-11e2-9d1d-001a4bcf6878.html
Hat tip to Joe My God:
VA House Elects Openly Gay Judge
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/01/va-house-elects-openly-gay-judge.html
ETA: from the WaPo:
Lawmakers appoint Virginia’s gay judge after rejecting him last year
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/lawmakers-appoint-virginias-gay-judge-after-rejecting-him-last-year/2013/01/15/4d2a76f6-5f41-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_story.html
By Laura Vozzella and Errin Haines, Jan 15, 2013 06:52 PM EST
The Washington Post Tuesday, January 15, 1:52 PM
Virginia's General Assembly voted Tuesday to appoint a gay judge to the bench, reversing its decision last year to reject his nomination.
Without debate but with a walk-out by more than half of the Republican caucus, the Senate voted 28-0 to appoint Tracy Thorne-Begland to a six-year term on Richmond’s General District Court judgeship. The vote in the House, also without debate, was 66-28 in favor of his appointment.
In both chambers, all of those opposed to his appointment were Republicans.
In the Senate, 12 of the chamber’s 20 Republicans left the chamber rather than vote on the matter. Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment (R-James City), who supported the appointment, had urged anyone opposed to leave the chamber rather than cast a no vote against the nominee. He said that is the custom in the Senate.
= new reply since forum marked as read
