Legislative laugh factory

By: Ryan Nobles – bio | email

It has been an interesting year in the Virginia General Asssembly.  Monday night at 11 on NBC12 I took a look at the “legislative laugh factory”.

Amidst the hot topics at this year at the General Assembly — there’s also been a lot of laughs. The respected institution has generated plenty of comedy in 2012, some by accident, and others on purpose.

The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere. It has survived both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and counts presidents among its alumni.

It makes you wonder what has happened in 2012.

You’ve seen the late night jabs taken at Virginia’s expense.

“I love transvaginal. It’s my favorite airline,” said Amy Poehler on NBC’s Saturday Night Live referring to the heated debate over Virginia requiring ultrasounds before abortions.

But as groups like Saturday Night Live use the Commonwealth as comedic punching bag, members of General Assembly have decided to make jokes of their own.

“The boys in bed, wife’s here,” said Del. Dave Albo (R-Fairfax) from the House floor. “TV check.”  

Late last week, Albo regaled his colleagues with a story of romancing his wife. It was something that was interrupted by the national coverage of the Virginia legislature.

“The Gentleman from Alexandria’s face as big as my wall going ‘trans-ve buh bu buh,” he said in reference to fellow Del. Dave Englin (D-Alexandria)

Note, the use of the word “gentleman”.

Then today, Del. Scott Surovell a Democrat from Northern Virginia stepped to the microphone to debate against the “castle” doctrine which would allow someone to use deadly force to protect their home.

“I’m a delegate running for office,” he said talking about walking door to door during his campaign. Another unidentified member of the House yelled,  “SHOOT HIM!”

The back-and-forth led to hearty laughs from both republicans and democrats.

read the rest of the story on NBC12.com

Here are the full clips. First from Monday Del. Scott Surovell and the “Shoot him” clip:

And the Albo clip. (our version) The version from the blog Not Larry Sabato has recieved over 200 thousand views.

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McAuliffe talking about the “party”, not DNC in critical comments

It is the kind of declaration that could make for awkward company for a current statewide candidate and one who hopes to be a statewide candidate. Terry McAuliffe, a former and potentially future, candidate for governor of Virginia, was captured on camera giving his frank and brutal assessment of the national democratic party.

Take a look at his remarks at a fundraiser for Del. Scott Surovell.  The interesting stuff hits at about 6:40 of this video:

(h/t to Blue Virginia)

McAuliffe did not hold back on the state of the party, calling it a “disgrace” with “no message”.   He went on to say that the huge losses in the 2010 election were shameful.

The comments lead a few prominent democratic bloggers to draw a connection between McAuliffe’s statements on the democratic party to the national organization responsible for managing its operation, the DNC.  A DNC that was run by Chairman Tim Kaine during the time McAuliffe is critical of.

Kaine of course, is seeking the democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

McAuliffe aide Levar Stoney told me that the blogosphere went too far.

“It doesn’t relate to Governor Kaine at all,” said Stoney. “Terry believes Kaine was aggressive in his role as Chairman, but he didn’t get any help.”

Help, Stoney said from the hundreds of democratic candidates across America who ran in 2010.  McAuliffe believes that many of them did not take the advice of Kaine to push and own the accomplishments of President Barack Obama. By going out on their own, McAuliffe contends the message became muddled.

“If we don’t have a message the Republicans will define it,” he can be heard saying on the video.

Stoney said that this stance is not anything McAuliffe is hiding from and that he has made the point numerous times since the election.  In fact he delivered almost identical remarks at the recent Loudon County Jefferson-Jackson. A dinner that was also attended by Tim Kaine.

Proposed law could give localities the right to overturn state law

Today Governor Bob McDonnell and his fellow Republican leaders unveiled their ambitious legislative agenda. Included in their proposal was a controversial plan that would allow states to overturn federal laws that they are not interested in complying with.

The concept is something that was born out of states rights purest in particular the Tea Party movement.

One democratic Delegate is offering up legislation that would double down on the Republican plan. He is proposing that localities be given the option to repeal state laws that don’t wish to follow.  If passed, the law could have a wide-ranging impact on any number of controversial Virginia laws.

Imagine how the smoking ban or the guns in bars legislation might have been applied across the Commonwealth if localities had the right to decide which laws they wanted to enforce.

Del. Scott Surovell is proposing the bill he will be my live guest on NBC12 First at 4. You can see First at 4 live at NBC12.com.

*UPDATE*

See the complete interview with Del. Surovell from First at 4 below:

The proposed legislation can be found after the jump: