Politics

On the hot seat: opinions split about District Court Judge O’Berry

By Caleb M Soptelean on December 31, 2020 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Courts, Politics, State News

Reviews of current Chesterfield/Colonial Heights District Court Judge Pamela O’Berry were split when two committees from the state House and Senate met virtually on Friday, Dec. 11. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman John S. Edwards (D-Roanoke) said he had “never seen so many citizens in support and so many with a different position” about a judge. O’Berry, who has served 12 years on the court, is one of five judges on the 12th Judicial District. Positive opinions of the judge came from several well-known officials, including county supervisors James Holland (D) and Chris Winslow (R), state Del. Dolores McQuinn (D-Richmond) and…

Political machinations underway for 2021 gubernatorial, AG elections

By Caleb M Soptelean on December 31, 2020 Politics, State News

Two local Republicans who declared their intention to seek their party’s nomination for governor next year could have faced each other in the general election. State Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) and Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) have announced their candidacies, along with Kurt Santini, a Bedford County resident and former Army Ranger. Chase, who earlier said she would run as an independent if her party chose a convention instead of a primary for next year’s election, made an about-face on Friday. In a Dec. 11 Facebook post, Chase said she recently received “thousands of communications” from across the state asking…

Legislators reflect on 1-day session

By Caleb M Soptelean on December 3, 2020 Politics, State News

Cox, Morrissey criticize rush to judgment for the VMI superintendent Two of Chesterfield’s state legislators reflected last week on the Nov. 9 special session. State senators gathered at the Science Museum of Virginia while state representatives met virtually to consider amendments to bills proposed by Gov. Ralph Northam (D). In an email to constituents, Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) said Northam had his chief of staff, Clark Mercer, call Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III to ask that he resign following claims of racism last month on the campus of Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. Peay resigned Oct. 26. Cox said…

Delegate Kirk Cox

Cox considering run for governor

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 12, 2020 Politics, State News

Chase, Morrissey respond to him joining race On Aug. 3, state Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) announced that he was considering a run for governor. In making the announcement on Twitter, Cox criticized what he called a lack of leadership from Gov. Ralph Northam on “coronavirus testing, the parole board illegally and secretly releasing violent criminals early, [and] the mismanagement of how to best send our kids back to school this fall.” Cox said he will make a decision following the Nov. 3 general election. If he joins the race, Cox would be the second Republican candidate who represents Chesterfield…

Chase reflects on session; decries ‘assault on 2nd Amendment’

By Caleb M Soptelean on March 25, 2020 Politics, State News

Although Democrats dominated the recently-completed legislative session, state Sen. Amanda Chase was in favor of some bills that passed and wait Gov. Ralph Northam’s signature. Chase, a second-term legislator, co-sponsored a bill — SB 95 — that requires “balanced emergency billing.” The bill, she explained, will require insurance companies to work together to ensure that patients don’t get stuck paying for out-of-network doctors. Chase said that sometimes a person goes to an in-network hospital emergency room, but gets treatment from out-of-network medical service providers, which can result in financially devastating bills. The Chesterfield County Republican said she also supported a…

Compromise on Chesterfield judges fails

By Caleb M Soptelean on March 17, 2020 Chesterfield Government, Politics, State News

Although a compromise was offered to get through a disagreement over appointment of two judges to Chesterfield courts, the effort failed last week before the Legislature finished its session. Joe Morrissey, a Democratic first-term state senator who represents eastern Chesterfield County, said that he and six other legislators agreed to replace retired Circuit Court judge T.J. Hauler with Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge Jayne Pemberton and appoint Travis Williams, a black attorney, to fill Pemberton’s seat. Williams is a Chesterfield resident and has served 17 years as a substitute judge in Chesterfield General District Court, Morrissey said. The compromise…

Hauler’s replacement up in the air; McQuinn, Aird don’t support consensus picks

By Caleb M Soptelean on March 4, 2020 Courts, Politics, State News

Although eight of 10 members of Chesterfield County’s delegation in the General Assembly reached an apparent consensus in January on the nomination of a replacement for Circuit Court Judge T.J. Hauler, two state delegates who did not participate in the process may thwart the majority. According to a Feb. 24 report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Dels. Dolores McQuinn (D-Richmond) and Lashrecse Aird (D-Petersburg) support two black persons for positions on the Chesterfield Circuit and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts, Chesterfield General District Court Judge Pamela O’Berry and private attorney Curtis Hairston. McQuinn told the daily that she is “deeply concerned…

Chase will not caucus with GOP, says she remains a Republican

By Caleb M Soptelean on November 26, 2019 Politics, State News

State Sen. Amanda Chase talks to a voter outside Ecoff Elementary School on Nov. 5. State Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, surprised some last week with an announcement that she would not support Sen. Tommy Norment, R-James City County, as minority leader, and, as a result, would not caucus with the Republican Party when the Legislature convenes in January. Chase was re-elected in Senate District 11 on Nov. 5 by 9 percentage points over Democrat Amanda Pohl. Senate Republicans chose Norment once again as their leader on Nov. 21. He has led the Senate GOP since 2008. Chase said she told…

Chase and Morrissey vow to work across party aisle

By Caleb M Soptelean on November 12, 2019 Politics, State News

Chase at Ecoff ElementaryChase, Kennedy and Bella Morrissey @ CroakersMorrissey with supporters @ Croakers Chesterfield County voters elected two independent-minded legislators last week in Democrat Joe Morrissey and Republican Amanda Chase. And on Morrissey’s radio show last week on WJFN 100.5 FM, the two said they would work together in the Senate. Democrats took control of the body, 21-19, by picking up two seats on Nov. 5. Morrissey and a man he volunteered for in 1979, state Sen. Dick Saslaw, D-Springfield, could be moderating forces on their party, along with Gov. Ralph Northam. Chase said she looks forward to working…

Chesterfield stays red as Virginia turns blue

By Caleb M Soptelean on November 12, 2019 Politics

House Speaker Kirk Cox walks outside Ironbridge Church on Nov. 5. The Republican Party’s Nash Precinct captain Douglas Barker is on the right. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) Although Democrats were rejoicing at picking up the state House and Senate on Nov. 5, Chesterfield County Republicans won a number of what some thought would be close races while knocking off incumbent Democrat Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Miles. Miles, who last year was narrowly elected to finish the remaining year of longtime former Commonwealth’s Attorney Billy Davenport’s term, lost 54 to 46 percent to Stacey Davenport. She is not related to Billy but…

Browsing: Politics