Sen. Lucas on Roland Martin, Aird Ad, #SITW, Crusade on Casino, Phyllis Randall #Virginia
SENATOR LUCAS ON ROLAND MARTIN UNFILTERED. “Some of my colleagues decided that they were going to put their names on an invitation for my opponent, who happens to be Black, and thought that I would be OK with that. And they said, ‘well, that's not an endorsement we’re just hosting a fundraiser for, for him.’ I said how the hell is that not an endorsement? You lend your name to a fundraiser and you don't think that's an endorsement when the funds that he will get from that fundraiser will be directed at trying to defeat me?
Lucas continued (🎙audio of the interview with Roland Martin is below).
“I took it personal because for one thing I currently serve as the President Pro Tem of the Senate, so I preside over that but I am in line to be number one in the Senate because my number one and number two who I’m tied with [in seniority] colleagues are both retiring. So with becoming number one, and the ranking member on almost every committed that I serve on. I'm in line to being Chair of Senate Finance and Appropriations. It will be the first time in the history of the Commonwealth that Black person — it’s money.
In 2019 I became the first African American and first woman to be president pro tempore and so I'm about to make history again, becoming the number one senator and also becoming Chair of Finance,” Senator Lucas told Roland Martin last night.
The panel then discussed the latest political story in Virginia.
“Look, the Virginia Democratic Party hasn't been right since they stole that seat from Justin Fairfax so let's just be honest. There always seems to be a power struggle going on there always within the party. I think that when you're looking at a state that shouldn't be solidly blue — Glenn Youngkin should have never had an opportunity to win that seat, regardless of who the Democratic nominee was. But it's this type of infighting, this type of petty personal politics that gets in the way of putting together a progressive agenda,” said panelist and civil rights attorney Robert Patillo, host of People Passion Politics on Talk 1380am WAOK in Atlanta.
The Roland Martin interview with Senator Lucas on #RolandMartinUnfiltered last night can be heard below:
AIRD AD. 📺 Lashrecse Aird released her first TV ad yesterday. The former Delegate is running for the State Senate in Senate District 13 in a primary challenge to incumbent State Senator Joe Morrissey. The ad is running on cable and broadcast primarily in the Richmond-Petersburg area. The primary is June 20. Early voting starts on May 5.
“From day one, it's always been community first for @lashrecseaird. She's ready to do the hard work and ensure Virginia families have good jobs, a quality education for their kids, and safe streets. She's the champion we need in Richmond,” wrote Clean Virginia Political Director Justin Jones on twitter.
SOMETHING IN THE WATER LINEUP. Here comes Lil Wayne, Wale, Summer Walker, SWV, Lil Uzi Vert, Nile Rogers, Mumford & Sons, Machine Gun Kelly, Grace Jones and … Pharrell’s Phriends and so many other to Virginia Beach as the SITW music festival kicks off! See the pass types.
Tomorrow in Virginia Beach
The Richmond Crusade for Voters put out a press release on April 26 regarding on the casino issue:
CRUSADE FOR CASINO: CONTACT: Marty Jewell 804.585.8698 crusade4voters@gmail.com
Richmond Crusade for Voters to lead coalition to stop Virginia General Assembly from taking Away Right To Vote
RICHMOND — The “right of all Richmond voters, but particularly those citizens who have historically had their voting rights denied” must be protected from arbitrary state government action. In a statement released today, Marty Jewell, appointed as the head of the “Our City Our Right To Vote” coalition, said the following for the Crusade: “Last year, city officials elected by the people, and a Circuit Court Judge appointed by the General Assembly, followed state law in placing a Casino Referendum on the 2022 November ballot.”
However, after the measure had been ordered on the ballot, in a backroom budget deal, the budget negotiators slipped into the budget a provision which forced the Casino Referendum off the ballot. This is the first and only time such a budget measure has ever been passed to deny residents of a city their right to vote, indeed a majority city. Such an action by any state legislature was for years banned by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. However, the Republican dominated U.S. Supreme Court not long ago stripped federal law of such protections for cities like Richmond.
However, the budget deal makers last year, knowing they were doing something never before permitted in Virginia even under the Segregationist Byrd Regime, did put into the budget a promise that Richmond had the absolute right to hold a Casino Referendum in 2023 if it so chose. The Mayor and City Council have indicated they intend to exercise their power to put such a Casino Referendum on this year’s ballot. However, there are growing rumors claiming the budget negotiators intend to renege on their 2022 promise and once again, deny Richmond citizens the right to vote CURRENTLY IN STATE LAW.
To repeat: Not even in the days of the odious Byrd Regime, which treated the majority of citizens of Richmond as second-class citizens, did the General Assembly ever take away such voting rights. Given what happened last year, the Richmond Crusade for Voters believes it owes its members and the people of Richmond a strong effort to ensure the right to vote in 2023 is protected.
The “Our City, Our Right To Vote” campaign will be reaching out to not only those in our city, but to all groups and individuals who believe the right to vote is precious. If the General Assembly can take away our right to vote, then they can do it to other cities. Our coalition is made up of individuals who favor a Casino, and those that don’t favor a Casino, for Richmond. It includes those who voted in favor of a Casino in 2021 and those who voted against it. The right to vote isn’t based on how you vote. The Crusade for Voters has profound respect for the key budget negotiators. They have a difficult job in resolving differences.
But we have studied these matters. Frankly, we cannot envision any responsible situation requiring the need to sacrifice our right to vote as necessary to get a budget deal for our state. “Our City, Our Right To Vote” therefore is an effort to ensure Richmond citizens have their legal voting rights, not to hurt any other citizen or any other part of the state.
In the coming weeks, we will be announcing our progress in ensuring that in Virginia, in the 21st century, the right to vote is protected.”
Tonight in Arlington:
Coming up in May:
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