DIRTY, NASTY, SMELLY, FUCKED UP VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS!

[Howey]

And that's being nice. I cannot, for the life of me, believe this is legal, ethical, or moral.

Everyone involved, including the Democrat and his bitch daughter, needs to be behind bars. But especially the Republicans in the legislature who are behind it.

Republicans appear to have outmaneuvered Gov. Terry McAuliffe in a state budget standoff by persuading a Democratic senator to resign his seat, at least temporarily giving the GOP control of the chamber and possibly dooming the governor’s push to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Phillip P. Puckett (D-Russell) will announce his resignation Monday, effective immediately, paving the way to appoint his daughter to a judgeship and Puckett to the job of deputy director of the state tobacco commission, three people familiar with the plan said Sunday. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

[paddymcdougall]

fucking dems who betray their party.

When the dems had a 2/3rds majority in California - in both houses - a couple of them, who were JUST elected, decided to quit and go back to the private world. Seriously? What a betrayal of the party and their constituents.

[uselesslegs]

I'll join in and ask...how in the ever living fuck is this not illegal?  I mean is the only way society knows rape is wrong, is because there's a law against it?

Every single muther f'er involved in this wheeling and dealing, every single muther f'er who knew and didn't do or make one effort to inform media, should be ousted from state political functions. Matter as fact, they shouldn't be allowed to work within the state system at all. At no point should they be employed by the state, in any capacity, directly or indirectly.  Work in the private sector shitbag and if your company has dealings with the state, be prepared to have your company fire you because your mere presence threatens that companies ability to get a state contract or job.

They've already proven they have zero ethics and morals politically...they have no business being anywhere near anything to do with the state.

What absolutely slays me is these assholes (including the Dem who removed himself) will treat this like a judgment error of the everyday variety. "Oops, goofed up there. Won't be buying the cheaper paper towels again. har, har, har." Or..."I'm deeply and humbly sorry. I'd like to apologize to my constituents and my family for my woefully poor reasoning"...and other bullshit variations on the apology theme.  This was a major breach of public trust and ethics. How are the majority of these fuckers still anywhere near a government building, seriously?

Maybe, just maybe, if we started making this a regular occurrence, where shitty ethics aren't treated like a hand in the cookie jar mistake, and the lesson learned is the embarrassment itself, then maybe we'd quit getting so many crappy, horrible reps.  Give the Dem 3 or so years (hell, probably less) and this jackass will probably be running for public or state office again, if not hired by some lobbying firm dealing with state reps.  We gotta bust up this circle of fuckery man.

[Howey]

Looks like the FBI's getting involved.

[Howey]

https://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-447

§ 18.2-447. When person guilty of bribery.

A person shall be guilty of bribery under the provisions of this article:

(1) If he offers, confers or agrees to confer upon another (a) any pecuniary benefit as consideration for or to obtain or influence the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a public servant or party official, or (b) any benefit as consideration for or to obtain or influence either the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of official discretion in a judicial or administrative proceeding or the recipient's violation of a known legal duty as a public servant or party official; or

(2) If he accepts or agrees to accept from another (a) any pecuniary benefit offered, conferred or agreed to be conferred as consideration for or to obtain or influence the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a public servant or party official, or (b) any benefit offered, conferred or agreed to be conferred as consideration for or to obtain or influence either the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of official discretion in a judicial or administrative proceeding or the recipient's violation of a known legal duty as a public servant or party official; or

(3) If he solicits from another (a) any pecuniary benefit or promise of pecuniary benefit as consideration for or in exchange for his decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a public servant or party official, or (b) any benefit or promise of benefit as consideration for or in exchange for his decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of official discretion in a judicial or administrative proceeding or his violation of a known legal duty as a public servant or party official.

(Code 1950, § 18.1-282.2; 1968, c. 552; 1975, cc. 14, 15.)

[uselesslegs]

Excellent! 

I hope they cart them all out of the state house, never to return.  These individuals shit all over their constituents and the implied trust therein.

Fuck'em all.

[ekg]

I'll join in and ask...how in the ever living fuck is this not illegal?  I mean is the only way society knows rape is wrong, is because there's a law against it?

Every single muther f'er involved in this wheeling and dealing, every single muther f'er who knew and didn't do or make one effort to inform media, should be ousted from state political functions. Matter as fact, they shouldn't be allowed to work within the state system at all. At no point should they be employed by the state, in any capacity, directly or indirectly.  Work in the private sector shitbag and if your company has dealings with the state, be prepared to have your company fire you because your mere presence threatens that companies ability to get a state contract or job.

They've already proven they have zero ethics and morals politically...they have no business being anywhere near anything to do with the state.

What absolutely slays me is these assholes (including the Dem who removed himself) will treat this like a judgment error of the everyday variety. "Oops, goofed up there. Won't be buying the cheaper paper towels again. har, har, har." Or..."I'm deeply and humbly sorry. I'd like to apologize to my constituents and my family for my woefully poor reasoning"...and other bullshit variations on the apology theme.  This was a major breach of public trust and ethics. How are the majority of these fuckers still anywhere near a government building, seriously?

Maybe, just maybe, if we started making this a regular occurrence, where shitty ethics aren't treated like a hand in the cookie jar mistake, and the lesson learned is the embarrassment itself, then maybe we'd quit getting so many crappy, horrible reps.  Give the Dem 3 or so years (hell, probably less) and this jackass will probably be running for public or state office again, if not hired by some lobbying firm dealing with state reps.  We gotta bust up this circle of fuckery man.

Bravo!  I couldn't agree more... and I'll go one step further... the daughter who just had her judgeship paid for by her daddy.. just how impartial can she ever be? seriously, she knows her position was just paid for on the backs of the low-income voter and obviously doesn't give enough of a shit or care about her dignity enough to say "Um thanks but I think I'll try for this position using my hardwork,brains and integrity instead of this political abortion"..

I mean for Christ-sake she's getting a judgeship... wtf? isn't there supposed to be some semblance of impartiality in that role? if so, how in the hell can she ever claim it when we already know she has a price and proof of that is that she's sitting there in the black robe..

[uselesslegs]

Bravo!  I couldn't agree more... and I'll go one step further... the daughter who just had her judgeship paid for by her daddy.. just how impartial can she ever be? seriously, she knows her position was just paid for on the backs of the low-income voter and obviously doesn't give enough of a shit or care about her dignity enough to say "Um thanks but I think I'll try for this position using my hardwork,brains and integrity instead of this political abortion"..

I mean for Christ-sake she's getting a judgeship... wtf? isn't there supposed to be some semblance of impartiality in that role? if so, how in the hell can she ever claim it when we already know she has a price and proof of that is that she's sitting there in the black robe..

This exposed, failed deal was blatant, and being so, something tells me there's a shit load more favor appointments that never made any radars because they weren't so brazen. 

I know favors and politics go hand in hand, but this alarms me. This wasn't a promise to stump for a friend or to shake a contact list and call in a favor or two. This wasn't desperation, despite appearances. This was a level of conceit and confidence that only the most worry free and ethically empty would engage in.  If there were any reservations, any remorse, they conveniently saved them for getting caught.

I'm not sure who's the biggest piece of shit in all this. The Repubs for offering. The Dem for accepting. Or the Dem's daughter who didn't bat an eye for being brought on board as a deal clincher, or hell, maybe she cheered dear old dad on. Who knows. Impartial Judge my ass.  Look, my crippled shit is doing cartwheels, wheeeee.
 
I wonder what kind of justice duty/position she was getting? Civil? Oh, I know, wouldn't it be a hoot is she listened and ruled on corp./business cases? Oh! Maybe she would have ruled on ethics violations involving state reps and their staff, holy christ. I'm sure she would have been more than fair. Fuuucccckk her.  Just the thought that she was going to be any kind of lawful arbiter pisses me right the hell off.  No wait...I'm more pissed off that she probably actually thought she'd make a good justice, with evidently, little to no ethical conflict in the process.  She sure as fuck doesn't have moral issues.

There's a disconnect here that puckers my ass. I was offered, by a piece of shit lawyer, a chance to be driven around the county, going into Mom and Pop stores and eateries and rat them out to scumbag lawyer, if they weren't up to handi code, for a piece of the cash he'd get by threatening to report them to the state for non-compliance if they instead put some dinero in his hands, for poor little ole me's inconvenience...and we/he'd promise to drop the matter.  All legal mind you, even though it's morally bankrupt as hell.  It took me almost zero seconds to respond, "No thank you." I'm no saint by any stretch, but his offer never even made it to any slight consideration phase.  Even now, when money is so tight, I don't look back and think, "Man, sweet easy cash...maybe I should of."

I don't care if people get blinded by ambition, money, or the allure of power, you get no rats ass from me.  They should all be forbidden from any state positions, or indirect contact with such, for a minimum of no less than 10-20 years, if ever.  These assholes, draft, support and pass laws routinely affecting all in their state, while having no fucking code of ethical conduct that they politically or morally abide by themselves. Who the fuck are any of them to be anywhere near legislative authority?  No plea deals, no immunity. Get'em all.

[paddymcdougall]

Totally agree with you, UL.

Just want to add - where is the ethical boundary these days? Adelson supported Gingrich with millions of dollars because Gingrich promised to move the embassy in Israel if he got elected. Apparently that was legal; neither of them got in trouble for it.

Leland Yee writes a letter supporting someone's cause and that person (apparently) gives him some campaign money; he's up on federal charges of bribery.

Ok, there is other stuff in Yee's case, but honestly - when Adelson can legally bribe Gingrich, where IS the boundary? why was that legal?

And you're right, this stuff goes on all the time - people can buy ambassadorships, why can't they buy a position as a judge? or a commissioner? or whatever?

This time smells enough that they're in trouble - but I bet if it hadn't impacted the Dem majority, no one would ever have learned about it.

When is it a favor, and when is it unethical?