State Sen. Mark Herring, Democratic candidate for Attorney General, released an ethics reform proposal yesterday. The entire proposal can be viewed here (pdf). The plan includes: A state ethics commission, made up of several appointed public officials. Limiting gifts (to $100) and enhancing disclosure requirements, to include gifts to immediate family members and disclosure of … Continue reading Herring ethics reform proposal
AG Ken Cuccinelli has called for a special session on ethics reform but support for it is lacking. Perhaps it is because of this https://twitter.com/LarrySabato/status/364921041803419649 And this cartoon, from today's paper, may also be part of the problem (click to enlarge). The folks in charge really aren't interested in doing anything about this. They think … Continue reading VA Ethics reform
I've been using a wireless telephone setup in my home for years. Living as I do in an older home, phone jacks are scarce, while the demand for them is fairly high. In addition to just making and receiving calls, I have DirecTV, which requires a phone line to the receivers. The wireless setup allowed … Continue reading Technology Tuesday: Panasonic KX-TG7875
Norfolk is planning to join Richmond, Portsmouth, Newport News and other localities across the country to "ban the box" on job applications, whereby the question "Have you ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor?" is removed from job applications. The daunting question that gave Clayton pause more than two years ago will soon disappear … Continue reading Opinion, please: ban the box
My latest op-ed, title above, appeared in The Virginian-Pilot Thursday. One of the best things about writing is the research that goes into it. It never fails that I end up learning something new. In this case, it was the link between the last major scandal Virginia endured - that of Norfolk state senator Peter … Continue reading ICYMI: What will McDonnell scandal produce?
Lambda Legal, The American Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia filed suit today to overturn Virginia's ban on same-sex marriage. The press release is here. The actual filing is here. The plantiffs in the suit are Joanne Harris and Jessica Duff of Staunton and Christy Berghoff and Victoria Kidd of … Continue reading Suit filed to end VA’s marriage ban
The big story coming out yesterday was Gov. Bob McDonnell's announcement that he is going to give back the gifts he received from BFF Jonnie Williams, including the Rolex. As I read somewhere else, I'm not sure what value there will be in an engraved watch. Maybe the governor can just pay Williams for it … Continue reading McDonnell to give back gifts, throws Cooch under the bus
My op-ed, title above, appeared in USA Today Monday. There is a seemingly growing dissatisfaction with the two major candidates for governor. It seems everywhere I go, that's what I'm hearing. The more people learn about the two candidates, the more they wish there was another choice. (Of course, there is a third choice, Libertarian … Continue reading ICYMI: Virginia isn’t for governors
The money quote: "Poverty is no longer an issue of 'them', it's an issue of 'us'," says Mark Rank, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis who calculated the numbers. "Only when poverty is thought of as a mainstream event, rather than a fringe experience that just affects blacks and Hispanics, can we really … Continue reading Poverty in America
My latest op-ed, title above, appeared in The Virginian-Pilot Thursday. Until I read the Ohio court order, I had no clue that the couple mentioned had been married on the same day and in the same state as I had been. I spoke with someone yesterday who had been following me on Twitter that day; … Continue reading ICYMI: A tale of two marriages
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 