Republicans trying to woo Democratic votes for GOP speaker with plum committee assignments

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Thu Dec 28, 2017, 10:54 AM - Edit history (1)

Retweeted by David Fahrenthold: https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold

Republicans trying to woo Democratic votes for GOP speaker with plum committee assignments

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Could control of Va House come down to ill-timed bathroom break?

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Virginia Politics

In a House divided, Democrats say Va. GOP is offering perks for speaker votes

By Laura Vozzella and Jim Morrison December 27 at 7:06 PM

RICHMOND — With the outcome of a critical House of Delegates race in legal limbo, Democrats and Republicans appear to be looking for new ways to wield power in a chamber that could be split down the middle. ... According to an internal Democratic email warning the caucus to stick together, House Republicans are trying to woo an unknown number of Democrats to side with them when the House elects a speaker on Jan. 10, offering plum committee assignments as enticements.

“Despite their best efforts, Republicans have so far failed to undermine our unity by offering deals to various members in exchange {for} a vote for Speaker,” Democratic Leader David Toscano (Charlottesville) wrote in the email, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post.

Parker Slaybaugh, spokesman for Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), who is in line to become speaker if the GOP retains the majority, declined to comment on Toscano’s assertions. ... Toscano declined to comment on which Democrats the GOP had approached.
....

It’s not unheard of in Virginia for Republicans to exploit a temporary absence for partisan gain. In January 2013, Republicans in an evenly split Virginia Senate used the one-day absence of a single Democrat — who was in Washington, D.C., attending President Obama’s second inauguration — to push through a rewrite of the Senate map. ... The scheme drew ridicule on late-night television, and Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) eventually tossed out the map on procedural grounds.

Morrison reported from Newport News, Va.

Laura Vozzella covers Virginia politics for The Washington Post. Follow @LVozzella

[Girard442]

1. From the WAPO article:

If the outcome of the Yancey-Simonds race is not determined by Jan. 10, Republicans would control the chamber 50 to 49.

And there ya go.