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Justin Fairfax hands over gavel rather than preside over tribute to Stonewall Jackson
Retweeted by David Fahrenthold: https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold
Justin Fairfax, a descendant of slaves and the second African American elected statewide in Virginia, handed off his gavel rather than preside over a tribute to Stonewall Jackson https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginias-only-black-statewide-officeholder-bows-out-of-stonewall-jackson-tribute/2018/01/22/96cc801c-ffa8-11e7-9d31-d72cf78dbeee_story.html?tid=ss_tw-bottom&utm_term=.ba9f59711b05 … via @LVozzella
Link to tweet
Virginia Politics
Virginia’s only black statewide officeholder bows out of Stonewall Jackson tribute
By Laura Vozzella January 22 at 8:12 PM
RICHMOND — Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Virginia’s first black statewide elected official in a generation, slipped off the dais in the state Senate on Monday to quietly protest a tribute to Confederate Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.
After Sen. Emmett W. Hanger Jr. (R-Augusta) called on the Senate to adjourn for the day in honor of Jackson, whose birthday was Sunday, Fairfax (D) moved from his spot as presiding officer to a bench normally occupied by Senate pages. Sen. Stephen D. Newman (R-Bedford), the Senate pro tempore, stepped up in place of Fairfax.
Fairfax’s protest was so low-key that some senators missed it, or thought Fairfax had just wanted to rest his feet for a few moments.
It came about after Fairfax had been informed Friday of plans to honor Gen. Robert E. Lee that day and Jackson on Monday. Fairfax, who presides over the Senate, told Republican leaders that he would hand off the gavel to Newman rather than preside over either tribute. Newman said plans for Lee were ultimately scrapped for scheduling reasons Friday.
....
Laura Vozzella covers Virginia politics for The Washington Post.
Follow @LVozzella
Virginia’s only black statewide officeholder bows out of Stonewall Jackson tribute
By Laura Vozzella January 22 at 8:12 PM
RICHMOND — Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Virginia’s first black statewide elected official in a generation, slipped off the dais in the state Senate on Monday to quietly protest a tribute to Confederate Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.
After Sen. Emmett W. Hanger Jr. (R-Augusta) called on the Senate to adjourn for the day in honor of Jackson, whose birthday was Sunday, Fairfax (D) moved from his spot as presiding officer to a bench normally occupied by Senate pages. Sen. Stephen D. Newman (R-Bedford), the Senate pro tempore, stepped up in place of Fairfax.
Fairfax’s protest was so low-key that some senators missed it, or thought Fairfax had just wanted to rest his feet for a few moments.
It came about after Fairfax had been informed Friday of plans to honor Gen. Robert E. Lee that day and Jackson on Monday. Fairfax, who presides over the Senate, told Republican leaders that he would hand off the gavel to Newman rather than preside over either tribute. Newman said plans for Lee were ultimately scrapped for scheduling reasons Friday.
....
Laura Vozzella covers Virginia politics for The Washington Post.
Follow @LVozzella
@FairfaxJustin
@VASenate
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