Saslaw warns GOP of fallout from vote
Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee were less than enthusiastic about the Republican vote to approve Senate Bill 6, which would require some welfare recipients to pass drug screening to receive benefits.
Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax, reminded the GOP-led panel that similar legislation in Florida had caused a stir and been halted by a court.
"This is essentially the bill that has made Florida the butt of jokes on late-night television," Saslaw said.
"Why would we even mess with this thing? I really have no desire to have my face on 'The Daily Show,' " he added.
"Neither do we, Senator Saslaw," a Republican colleague responded.
"Well, there's one way to do that," Saslaw responded. "And that's kill this sucker."
After the party-line vote advancing the measure, albeit without a budget amendment to provide funding, Finance Committee member Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax said:
"I would just like all the late-night comics to know who voted for it and who didn't."
Jim Nolan
U.S. Chamber throws support to Allen
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has launched a Virginia TV ad blitz in support of Republican U.S. Senate candidate George Allen, who is looking to reclaim the seat he lost in 2006.
According to a release from the chamber, the ads support Allen's "pro-growth plan to create jobs and get the state's economy back on track."
If he receives the Republican nomination, Allen is likely to face fellow former Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who is targeted in one of the ads for his support of President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul.
The release from the chamber said that the ads are designed to "ensure that the people of Virginia understand the contrast between leaders who support big government and those who support free enterprise."
Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber, pointed to Allen's support of the Bush-era tax cuts as a U.S. senator, as well as his support for a balanced-budget amendment and "record of cutting spending and waste."
Brandi Hoffine, a Kaine spokeswoman, responded by "fact-checking" the ads.
"As governor, Allen increased state spending by more than 45 percent. As a senator, Allen took an economy in record surplus and drove it into a record deficit, added $3 trillion to our national debt, voted four times to raise the debt ceiling, all while voting against common-sense measures to help balance the budget," she said. "While George Allen was part of a Congress that took a wrecking ball to our economy, Governor Kaine supported policies that helped Virginia weather that economic crisis better than nearly every other state."
Wesley P. Hester
McDonnell trades barbs with Md. governor
Gov. Bob McDonnell, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, sparred with his Democratic counterpart, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley last Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union with Candy Crowley."
McDonnell, the subject of vice presidential buzz and a supporter of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, credited governors with helping the nation's economic recovery.
"I'm glad the economy is starting to recover but I think it's because of what Republican governors are doing in their states, not because of the president," he said.
O'Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, shot back, saying, "We could create jobs faster, Governor McDonnell, if your party were not captive of the right-wing tea-party folks in Congress who want to keep anything from happening."
Olympia Meola
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