RICHMOND
Legislators had not reached a deal to fill judicial openings on courts across the state as The Virginian-Pilot went to press Wednesday night.
A simmering feud between two lawmakers from South Hampton Roads was the cause of much of the delay.
The beef between Sen. Yvonne Miller, D-Norfolk, and Sen. Kenneth Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, over judicial candidates was on display Wednesday night.
Without naming Miller, who left early Wednesday, Stolle and other Republicans criticized her for continuing to insist that General District Court Judge Gene Woolard be named to Virginia Beach Circuit Court.
Stolle and other Republicans from Virginia Beach prefer City Attorney Les Lilley for the position.
"What we have here is the senior senator from Norfolk, who represents three precincts in the city of Virginia Beach, has decided she wants someone else," Stolle said.
Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw said Miller left early Wednesday evening so she could prepare for a trip to a legislative conference.
In a surprise move, Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk, broke ranks with his party to support Virginia Beach legislators.
Because they hold a two-seat majority in the Senate, Democrats have been able to prevent Republicans from approving Lilley.
In retaliation, Senate Republicans have blocked legislators from naming judges to three open seats on Norfolk Circuit Court.
Northam said he supported the move to fill the Virginia Beach vacancy because failing to do so harms courts there and in his home district of Norfolk.
"In a bi partisan collective effort, we did the best we could to fill the positions and we failed," said Northam, who had worked behind the scenes to broker a deal. "I will continue to do everything I can to fill these positions as soon as possible because I understand the importance of having good judges on the bench."
J udicial vacancies remain in Portsmouth, Hampton and several other Virginia localities. Also vacant are seats on the Virginia Supreme Court and the State Corporation Commission.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564 julian.walker@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
"lawmakers fail to reach"
He hear that a lot these days.
I suppose the democrats are
I suppose the democrats are better at doing something. Like blocking the drilling and exploration of oil and natural gas?
Stoll
Stoll is doing the very same thing.
Yvonne Miller
As a Senator, Yvonne Miller is a disgrace. She continues to hold the Juducial System hostage for her personal agenda.
judgeships in virginia
How can citizens of Norfolk & surroinding locales even begin to think that behaviors by the senate majority leaders regarding judgical vacancies was anything other than unethical, unexplainable and damaging to their own judicial representation? What were they thinking when they let the candidates who were highly qualified and endorsed by several processes be disrespected? There should be debate & attention drawn to the activities that occurred into the early morning hours on Tuesday/Wednesday (July 9th & 10th)& the Governor should be thoroughly disgusted that his own political party led to NO appointments! How can Senator Y. Miller, a democrat senior senator from Norfolk, leave her own judicial appointments "high & dry" for support of her hand-picked candidate who is a known republican and already a lower court judge (in Virginia Beach) .... how can that even be justified and rationale? What about the other highly qualified judicial candidate such as Virginia Beach's City Attorney whose excellent reputation, high work ethic and extreme professionalism was ignored and disrespected? The public should be outraged as should other democrats in the senate. I have to consider changing po
State law makers fail....
State law makers fail at almost everything. Every Republican in office needs to be voted out. They are of no use and DO NOTHING!