Friday, a group of Portsmouth residents turned in petitions containing almost 8,800 signatures, the first step in the process to recall the mayor. James Holly, who was last elected in 2008, was fined $2,500 by his fellow council members last year, who also asked for his resignation. The mayor refused to do so.
The next step will be the verification of the signatures. Once that is done, the mayor can resign or a recall election date will be set. Complicating things is the new law that goes into effect July 1, which requires a special election to fill the vacancy should Holley resign or be recalled.
This is not the first time Holley has faced recall.
In 1987, he became the first mayor in Virginia to be recalled – after being implicated in a hate-mail campaign.
Given that the group turned in a significant number of signatures more than required, I don’t see how Holley avoids being recalled for a second time.
Unless he resigns.
Which he should.
As soon as possible.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
This situation has been such an embarrassment for Portsmouth. That city has so much potential, but realizing it can’t take place until the governance is changed. We can only hope that the Not-So-Honorable Holley resigns and resigns quickly.
If Holley had any sense of honor, he’d have resigned long ago. But he didn’t. And he won’t.
He’s a textbook case of how power can corrupt. He started out as one of the good guys, a civil rights leader on a small stage. Then, over time, he assumed that sense of entitlement that he displays in ever-greater abundance with every passing year … until he reaches the point … well, NOT of blatant corruption, but simply of using a publicly-paid staffer to label his socks. Appalling, of course … but also sad.
What’s almost as sad, alas, is that it took so long to gather the citizens of only about 1 in 12 Portsmouth residents. One suspects most residents don’t really give a damn that their mayor is a buffoon.
Perhaps, to some extent, Portsmouth has the mayor it deserves?
the fact is, the people of Portsmouth elected Holley, even after his first recall and resignation. They keep electing him, then recalling him. I don’t think this is as much about Holley as it is the people of Portsmouth, who can’t seem to make up their collective minds.
The reason Portsmouth has so many problems is because the people of Portsmouth don’t know what they want and can’t seem to make up their minds. Holley is but a symptom!
Portsmouth had a history of being the murder capitol of the region after Ms Louise Lucas made a deal to help remove him from office.
When Mayor Holly got her back by passively blocking her hotel project it was then that I knew he was on his way out again.
Let’s see whose career advances resulting from THIS debacle.