Post by Logan on Feb 10, 2016 2:08:05 GMT -6
Louise Lucas changes mind again, will support Democrats and Roush for Supreme Court
RICHMOND -- Sen. Louise Lucas was the central player Tuesday in a political drama over a contested appointment to the state Supreme Court.
Lucas cast a surprise committee vote in the late afternoon, siding with Republicans in their attempt to place Court of Appeals Judge Rossie Alston Jr. on the higher court.
If Lucas had continued to support Alston, Republicans would have had the votes needed to elect him when the full Senate voted, which could have been in several days. But within two hours, after a meeting with Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Lucas issued a statement saying she would revert to her previous support for McAuliffe’s appointee to the court, Justice Jane Marum Roush.
That put the politically charged battle over the state’s highest court back where it has been for weeks, with the Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled legislature at loggerheads. If the deadlock is not resolved by Saturday, Roush’s interim appointment will expire, and she will have to leave the court.
Read more: pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/louise-lucas-changes-mind-again-will-support-democrats-and-roush/article_9fb339a0-c517-550f-a23f-35228d7e2428.html
RICHMOND -- Sen. Louise Lucas was the central player Tuesday in a political drama over a contested appointment to the state Supreme Court.
Lucas cast a surprise committee vote in the late afternoon, siding with Republicans in their attempt to place Court of Appeals Judge Rossie Alston Jr. on the higher court.
If Lucas had continued to support Alston, Republicans would have had the votes needed to elect him when the full Senate voted, which could have been in several days. But within two hours, after a meeting with Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Lucas issued a statement saying she would revert to her previous support for McAuliffe’s appointee to the court, Justice Jane Marum Roush.
That put the politically charged battle over the state’s highest court back where it has been for weeks, with the Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled legislature at loggerheads. If the deadlock is not resolved by Saturday, Roush’s interim appointment will expire, and she will have to leave the court.
Read more: pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/louise-lucas-changes-mind-again-will-support-democrats-and-roush/article_9fb339a0-c517-550f-a23f-35228d7e2428.html