The Virginian-Pilot confirms today what I’ve heard about tonight’s council meeting. There are apparently enough votes – five – to remove Paul Riddick from his largely ceremonial position as vice mayor. According to the Pilot, the replacement will be Ward 3 councilman Anthony Burfoot.
Why Burfoot, you ask? Well, that would be because there is an unwritten rule that the vice mayor be black. See, you just can’t get away from the racial undertones of everything in this city. Pretending that these things don’t exist doesn’t make it so.
As for why not former vice mayor Daun Hester? Well, the majority on council is still punishing her for something. Exactly what is not clear. At the time, things such as her support for the 4-2-1 mayoral plan and her support of a challenger to Riddick, among others, were offered as reasons. I’m still not buying that. Perhaps the mayoral plan situation tipped the scales but months before the vote, I had heard that she was going to be ousted.
If council removes Riddick, Daun Hester should be the vice mayor. Whatever personal beefs they have with her need to be set aside for the good of Norfolk. Hester served honorably and admirably as vice mayor and deserves to serve again. Councilman Burfoot – who was accused at one point of impersonating a Chesapeake councilman, who is running Ward 3 like the political bosses of old, and who, perhaps, doesn’t even live in Norfolk – simply does not measure up.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Not necessarily here. But back on Talknet, Reid opposed further minority numbers in Virginia Beach. They were part of a conspiracy to change voting patterns.
how soon we forget.