VIRGINIA: Catholic Bishops Angry That Pro-Gay Gov Will Lead St. Patrick's Parade

The Catholic bishops of Virgina have issued a joint statement denouncing (of all groups) the Knights of Columbus over their invitation for Gov. Terry McAuliffe to lead this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade.

We are aware that the Knights of Columbus Council #3548 has extended an invitation to Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe to serve as Grand Marshal of the 2015 Norfolk Saint Patrick's Day Parade which the Governor has accepted. Council #3548, a regional, not parish council, has sponsored and organized this parade since its inception in 1967. The invitation was issued without the advice or consent of the local parish priest, the local bishop, or the Knights state council. Together with our brother bishops, we have been clear, consistent and firm in upholding the truths reflected in the fundamental doctrine and moral principles of our faith. It is an erroneous and serious mistake in judgment for any Catholic organization to grant awards, honors and platforms to any public person who clearly acts in defiance to Catholic teaching. While one must always respect the Office of the Governor and the person holding that office, and dialogue should be fostered, one cannot deny that the Governor has made public statements in opposition to the moral teaching of the Catholic Church on issues pertaining to the dignity of human life and marriage.

Wingnut infighting. Never not funny.

Virginia Goes For LGBT Tourists

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe yesterday announced that his state has formed a task force to pursue LGBT tourism.

Speaking to a crowd of 400 tourism industry professionals, McAuliffe said the creation of the task force continues upon his campaign theme of openness and equality for all Virginians. “I've been very vocal on the topic,” McAuliffe told the Times-Mirror. “As I mentioned, I came right out on day one and did an executive order on adoption, and I'm really promoting the causes to make sure that Virginia is open and welcoming.” The LGBT community spends as much as $100 billion annually on travel, McAuliffe said. The governor's 20-minute address focused on the broad impact the $21.5 billion tourism industry has on Virginia's economy, employing more than 213,000 people and returning $5 in revenue for every $1 in investment, according to the Virginia Tourism Corp. “Tourism plays an important role in attaining that goal, building communities, and helping drive the new Virginia economy,” McAuliffe said. “We have an opportunity to build upon the progress Virginia made this year in achieving marriage equality and ensure that visitors across the globe know that the commonwealth is open and welcoming to all.”

(Tipped by JMG reader Alan)

Quote Of The Day - Terry McAuliffe

"I share your view that the effective administration of our legal system requires zealous advocacy on all matters before the courts. In the present case, Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban is being vigorously and appropriately defended by the Clerk of Court for the City of Norfolk and the Clerk of Court for Prince William County. Accordingly, I respectfully decline to appoint special counsel in this matter." - Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, in a response to crackpot state Del. Bob Marshall, who sent him a letter also signed by other state GOP legislators. Virginia AG Mark Herring has joined the lawsuit brought by AFER and opening arguments begin on Thursday.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG:  In September, Marshall petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn Virginia's legalization of sodomy. In 2011 Del. Bob Marshall claimed it is a felony for a state office to fly the rainbow flag. Marshall has also called on Virginia to issue its own currency, and has claimed that God punishes women who have abortions by giving them deformed children. After the DADT repeal bill passed, Marshall tried to have gays banned from the Virginia National Guard.  More recently, Marshall attempted to block the appointment of an openly gay state judge because the nominee has "an illegal husband."

NOTE: The first draft of this post wrongly attributed the quote above to Herring. My apologies for switching the names.

VIRGINIA: In First Official Act, Gov. Terry McAuliffe Signs Executive Order Protecting LGBT Employees

In his first official act following today's inauguration, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed an executive order protecting LGBT state employees from discrimination. Shortly after taking office in 2010, GOP former Gov. Bob McDonnell stripped such protections from the traditional order, claiming that there was no evidence that gay people are discriminated against.

McAuliffe: "My administration is committed to keeping Virginia open and welcoming to all who call our Commonwealth home. Executive Order Number 1 sets the tone for an administration that will not accept discrimination in any form, and one that will work tirelessly to ensure all Virginians have equal opportunity in the workplace, no matter their backgrounds, race, religion, or whom they love."

The Washington Blade notes that today's order includes gender identity and expression for the first time. Let's hope Eugene Delgaudio's head was exploding during his protest today. (Tipped by JMG reader Dwight)

Eugene Delguadio: Let's Crash The Inauguration Of VA Gov. Terry McAuliffe

Eugene Delgaudio is calling on his supporters to crash tomorrow's inauguration for Virginia Gov.-Elect Terry McAuliffe. Via his press release published today by Christian Newswire:

The conservative Public Advocate group is distributing thousands of commemorative badges marking the inauguration of a liberal governor Saturday, January 11 in Richmond. The group is opposing Governor-elect McAuliffe's anti-family legislation or any so-called pro-homosexual executive orders. Public Advocate's signs and commemorative badges will have the following message on them: "Preserve Traditional Marriage, Inauguration Day January 11, 2014 Richmond, Virginia." "We are here at the Inauguration of Governor Terry McAuliffe to express demands from a majority of Virginians and Americans that traditional marriage and religious liberty be preserved not attacked. We urge the Governor, and all the delegates and state senators to defend Virginia's families," said Eugene Delgaudio, president of Public Advocate.

And there a typically lame video.

VIRGINIA: Gov-Elect's First Act Will Be To Protect LGBT State Employees

Via the Human Rights Campaign:

Signaling a new day for LGBT equality in Virginia, Democrat Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe said in his first press conference that his first executive order will be to ban discrimination against LGBT state employees. “In his first day as Governor-elect, Terry McAuliffe has declared a new day for LGBT equality in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse. “Inclusion and equality won in yesterday’s election, while the politics of hate and discrimination were soundly defeated. We look forward to working with the governor-elect on moving Virginia forward.”

RELATED: Shortly after he took office in 2010, outgoing Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell refused to renew an executive order that protected LGBT state employees from discrimination. Because he could find no evidence that such discrimination even existed.

VIRGINIA: Democrats Yank Anti-Cuccinelli "Oral Sex" Posters From College Campus

The Washington Post reports:

Both posters say at the bottom that they were paid for by “Education Votes, a project of the Democratic Party of Virginia.” They were distributed to other campuses around the state, too, but DPV spokesman Brian Coy said the party has had a change of heart. “While we feel Virginians deserve to know the truth about Ken Cuccinelli’s extreme social agenda, we apologize to those who were offended,” Coy said. “We’re working to remove these posters from the campuses in question and they will not be used again.”

Garren Shipley, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Virginia, called the posters “par for the course” for Virginia Democrats. “Not only does it repeat this thoroughly-debunked Terry McAuliffe falsehood,” Shipley said, “but it manages to do it in an even more crass and tasteless way than before. Mailers and posters like this are what you get when your candidates have no record to run on. The Democratic Party of Virginia should be ashamed. But they’re probably not.”

I would love to have one of these posters.

VA Poll: Cooch Slips To 9 Points Behind

The same day that the US Supreme Court slapped down his appeal to reinstate a ban on sodomy, a new poll was released showing that Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has slipped to 9 points behind Democratic challenger Terry McAuliffe. As you can see, Libertarian Party candidate Robert Sarvis is continuing to Naderize the result.

VIRGINIA: Attorney General Ken "Sodomy" Cuccinelli Slips In Latest Poll

Virginia Attorney General Ken "Sodomy" Cuccinelli has slipped to five points behind Democrat Terry McAuliffe in that state's gubernatorial race. The latest result is nearly a reversal of the positions the two candidates held at the launch of the campaign. Right wing sites are wailing that Libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis may be Nader-ing the election.

Sarvis is the wild card in the race and presents a potential threat to Cuccinelli. Sarvis' 8 percent is in line with a Quinnipiac poll out last week that had him at 7 percent. Sarvis gets 15 percent of independents, 5 percent of Republicans, and just 2 percent of Democrats. (McAuliffe and Cuccinelli split independents, with McAuliffe holding a statistically insignificant 36-34 percent edge.) "If this ends up very close, there is a factor there," Miringoff said. Sarvis may be something of an outlet for disaffected Republican voters who are calling themselves independents.

Cuccinelli is reportedly mulling airing a 30-minute campaign ad close to election day. Both Cuccinelli and McAuliffe are seeing soaring "unfavorable" numbers due to a deluge of mud-slinging ads. Cuccinelli's unfavorable number climbed 20 points over the summer.