Hargrove: time to retire?

Local, Politics, Virginia 1 Minute

Today, January 26, is Delegate Frank Hargrove’s birthday, his 80th to be exact. Happy birthday, Delegate Hargrove.

Most folks at 80 are slowing down, taking it easy, smelling the roses, eating dinner at restaraunts during the 5pm early bird specials. Not Delegate Hargrove. He’s at his seat, casting votes on bills. I wonder, though, if he knows what he’s voting on.

According to Richmond Sunlight, Hargrove introduced HB1960, which abolishes the death penalty for all Class 1 felonies committed after 7/1/07. Last October, he was one of the presenters of a report on the death penalty that said that Virginia’s death penalty is arbitrary and faulty. Back in 2001, Hargrove first introduced a bill to abolish the death penalty, surprising many.

“I voted for the death penalty on numerous occasions. But I never was really certain it was the correct thing to do. There was a huge chance of making a mistake and executing the wrong individual,” Hargrove said

He said he did not believe the death penalty served as a deterrent for crime.

“There are obviously individuals who perpetrate crimes on the broader population that should be taken out of circulation,” Hargrove said. “Incarceration for life without chance of parole is the way to do it.”

Oh, and he serves on the Advisory Board of Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.

I’d say that it’s pretty clear that he is death penalty opponent, wouldn’t you?

But today, he voted in favor of the death penalty, not once, but twice! HB2750, which makes the killing of a judge a Class 1 felony, and HB2347, which makes the killing of witnesses a Class 1 felony, were on the calendar today. Hargrove supported both bills.

I don’t know – maybe, since his bill refers to Class 1 felonies as the death penalty and the other two refer to Class 1 felonies as capital murder, he thinks that the death penalty and capital murder are two different things. 😕

In 2001, Hargrove said, “People think I’ve lost my mind.”

Well, they do say that the mind is the second thing to go.

Published

11 thoughts on “Hargrove: time to retire?”

  1. Hargrove’s recent comments only further prove that the man is WAY past his prime. I agree. It’s time for Delegate Hargrove to scrape up what little dignity he has left and leave.

  2. Let’s not forget his bill to bring back public hanging in the 80’s. And his bill just last year I believe to make it legal for developers to bull doze cemetery’s without any court action in certain circumstances.

    Glad to see you get in the real fight for justice in Virginia.

    Hanover is corrupt to the core. Hargrove is the most harmless tip of the iceburg.

    There is yet another property “Hickory Hill” the Hanover BOS has voted to develop. It is another historical property, which though I haven’t researched, can all but guarantee has a slave cemetery. Start doing the right thing and expose the immoral, criminal acts of Hanover and many counties of destroying cemeteries and the histroy that goes with them.

  4. Vivian, that is interesting. I would hate to accuse anyone of slipping their cogs because it just isn’t kind, but these votes do seem to suggest a disconnect of sorts. I would sure be interested in hearing from Hargrove himself as to why he voted that way. Someone should ask him. It is not as if the man doesn’t like to talk.

  7. Sorry – been away all day. Just in case anyone thinks I’m losing it, I started writing this post last night before midnight (when it was still the 26th and Hargrove’s birthday) but didn’t finish it until afterwards.

  8. “hanover is corrupt to the core” nice Tom. maybe we should lump you in with Hargrove and his remarks along with members of the NAACP who said Hanover was full of “white sheets”….simply inflamatory…but nothing like taking the higher ground in these matters I guess…way to join those in which you condem…if I am not mistaken is not the Board over in Hanover elected by the people and if the Board is to approve Hickory Hill re-zoning and the public hearings were held explain how a vote is “criminal”.

  9. What I was refering to as “criminal” and “immoral” is the destruction of graves and history. The BOS knows about these graves yet the people who vote for the BOS, rarely take the time to educate themselves to these issues, until it’s too late. And you have to get people of integrity to run of which there are far too few. What decent person would subject themselves to the smell of corruption these folks exude.

    I don’t reside in Hanover anymore. I live in Caroline County just north of Hanover. I did attend Hanover schools in the 70’s and still know plenty of the people living there. I have no desire to return.

    Caroline’s BOS is no better, however. I am doing all within my power to change that this year, as are many in Caroline. We desperately need a full-time CA if you know anyone of integrity that would like to relocate and run. They stand a very good chance of winning as our current part-time CA has repeatedly run unopposed. With a population of around 22,000 last count and a low income rate, we don’t have many qualified for the position. It will take someone moving to the county to run. The current CA is Harvey Latney a black Richmond attorney. DO you know any black, white, yellow, or green attorneys willing, with integrity, to relocate and run? If you have followed the news from Caroline the past few years, you have read about the murders, rapist, and thieves walking out free men from the Circuit Court.

    Sorry, I don’t express myself that well.

    http://www.savinggraves-us.org/va/pebblecreek/index.html

  10. This may seem unrelated, but bear with me a moment. Here goes.

    Our military has a up or out system. To prevent too many old fellows from remaining on active service past their prime, Congress mandated that the military either promote people after they had been at a particular rank for a specified period of time or force them out.

    Keep in mind that the military requires that you stay on duty for a minimum of twenty years before you can receive retirement benefits. Moreover, military pay and retirement is not that sweet. People serve because they want the challenge.

    If we want to ensure our politicians do not stay in office too long, the simple, straight-forward solution is term limits. If politicians can impose term limits on military personnel, why don’t we do it to them? The same reasons apply.

  11. Tom, your point is well taken. Thank you for shedding some light on the graves and history issue with regard to the BOS rezoning efforts in Hanover.. With regards to Caroline almost moved into Ladysmith Village myself. Caroline residents should work to get a solid BOS in before in continues down the path of Chesterfield or Hanover where it seems the developers own the BOS, even while Planning Commisions vote no the BOS always seem to go ahead with developments. Shame.

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