Posted on 04/22/2016 8:16:38 AM PDT by GIdget2004
Gov. Terry McAuliffe this morning will sign an order that effectively restores the civil rights, including the right to vote, of more than 200,000 felons in Virginia.
The unprecedented move, expected to be announced at an 11 a.m. news conference on Capitol Square, marks a dramatic expansion of policy in restoring the right to vote, to sit on a jury, to serve in elected office or become a notary.
Today's order applies to nonviolent and violent felons - a significant departure from a policy embraced in recent years by Democrat and Republican governors to remove the societal obstacles felons face upon completing their sentences.
"Under the Constitution of Virginia, the governor has the authority to 'remove political disabilities consequent upon conviction' for felonies," according to a confidential draft of research for the order obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
"Using this authority, the governor has issued an order restoring civil rights to a large number of Virginians currently disenfranchised for a felony conviction."
The order, effective today, applies to "any felon who has completed any term of incarceration and completed any period of supervised release, probation or parole, for any and all felony convictions."
(Excerpt) Read more at richmond.com ...
There ought to be state and federal laws that prohibit doing this sort of thing in an election year.
McScumbag bump for later...
He could apologize for funding McAuliffe's campaign.
Need... more... demonorat... voters...
target practice.
Just how does he get away with this when it’s actually part of the state’s constitution... for the last 150 years or so?
Is the Communist Governor restoring GUN RIGHTS to the felons also? If there is no check nor ID needed to vote, there should be NONE to buy guns. Same difference.
Is this an Obama Pen-And-Phone move, just writing the law? This seems like something that should have gone through the house and senate.
He is doing this even though the have not paid their debt to society. 95% still court costs or restitution or both.
Keeping Virginia blue.
Didn’t Donald Trump donate $25,000 to McAuliffe’s campaign for governor?
Hillary was in danger of losing Virginia?
It’s long been a joke here in Maryland that people from northern Virginia don’t know how to drive, period. That is an extension of the belief that most of the people in the suburbs of DC “ain’t from around here.” :)
McAuliffe, Terry the Thug, has always been a fascist in his authoritarian methods. He’s aided by another corrupt State’s Attorney General Herring, who refuses to enforce state and federal laws (as required by law) on illegal immigrants, etc.
This has long been in the works, and a lot of the fault lies with the GOP RNC’s refusal to help elect the brilliant former States AG Ken Cuccinelli as governor. They stabbed him and us in the back.
With the influx of “yuppies” in the 70’s (Carter’s peanut brigades) and the “millenials” of the Clintons and Obama now, the level of the state’s Political IQ has dropped below sea-level.
Unless we get some take-no-prisoner conservatives to lead us, the state and the country is doomed.
McAuliffe is the “FIXER”. CLinton in “der fuerher” and Obama is the “Commissar”. You can see how far American has gone down the crapper just by looking at their records.
My point is that if the alternative “punishment ends” scenario is adopted, scrapping the present “punishment never ends” scenario, i.e. amounting to a change in present policy, such that those prisoners who have completed their sentences have all their rights restored, then I would also strongly suggest a corresponding change in sentencing guidelines, such that repeat, dangerous, violent criminals receive _much longer_ or permanent sentences - LWOP or death - so that these people are never released, and accordingly never have their rights restored.
I think it would be a disaster to retain the present catch-and-release program and also bestow a full restoration of rights upon release; if rights restoration is to take place, and I think those who are reasonably not future threats deserve this, that sentencing should change correspondingly.
Actually, I support restorative justice over punitive justice - have the convicts make good to the victims rather than serving time for the state or paying monetary fines to the state. If the victims are fully satisfied in this way, on what basis should the state make any additional claims against the perpetrators?
Of course, this is difficult to answer for murderers, as their victims cannot be compensated, but these are the sorts of people I think should be kept away for a long time, unless circumstances are such that it’s clear they killed under special circumstances that aren’t likely to ever happen again.
This is similar to “Fast and furious” The whole idea is to take our Country down to another level. McCaulife is totally in the bag for whatever and if the worst get voting rights before an election, he knows where that goes or wouldn’t do it.
It is just another arrogant slap when there Are people who have been through hell on earth. Vote for ... then it turns the safest place was in prison.-differently. Lot of work.
The neighborhood becomes more hood than neighbor. There is but a trigger edge. Groups and the same generation over and over spreading and invited. Cool deal. Taxed my ass for years to ......
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.