Best regards from Dulles.  The General Assembly recently adjourned the 2012 Special Session. Monday was the last and longest day of this year – the House came to order at 1:00 p.m. and the Session closed at 1:54 a.m. on Tuesday morning. During the 13-hour marathon, we considered 107 budget amendments submitted by the Governor. We passed 79 of those amendments for Senate consideration. The Senate, in turn, passed 74. The Governor is set to complete action on all amendments by the end of the week and thus state agencies, counties and cities can move forward on their budgets. Although the media concentrated on those few amendments that didn’t pass, the good news is that we passed 72% of Governor McDonnell’s amendments in both Chambers. I am honored to have supported key amendments that grow Virginia’s economy and add jobs. I am committed to continue advocating for additional transportation solutions, better and more effective government, and economic prosperity.

Further, the House considered 40 candidates for judgeship positions in the Commonwealth, 39 of which were confirmed. I am proud to have voted in support of Mrs. Deborah C. Welsh of Loudoun who was elected to the 20th Judicial District, serving Loudoun, Fauquier and Rappahannock counties for a six-year term beginning July 1. Judge-elect Welsh will replace Judge Julia Cannon, who retired on April 30.

Mrs. Welsh, 57, is a Leesburg native and graduate of Loudoun County High School. She earned a B.A. at the University of Richmond, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and earned her J.D. from the T.C. Williams School of Law, where she was a member of the Law Review. In 1980, she was admitted to the Virginia State Bar, Virginia Bar Association and Loudoun County Bar Association. She formerly served for about 15 years as Deputy Town Attorney for Leesburg, and also served as Purcellville’s Town Attorney. She has had a private law practice in Leesburg for many years. Mrs. Welsh and her husband Dennis live in Leesburg. They have two grown children. “I consider it an honor to be able to serve Loudoun, Fauquier and Rappahannock counties,” Judge-elect Welsh said. “I’m glad that I can give back to the Loudoun community.”

Unfortunately, the media barely covered the 39 approved judgeships; instead, the media mostly concentrated on the one nominee who was not elected and created a controversy. We in Virginia do not elect activist judges as a rule. Mr. Tracy Thorne-Begland has a proven history of putting his personal agenda and activism ahead of his sworn oath. He broke military rules, laws and protocols by going on national television while still a Navy Officer to complain about military policy – thus breaking the oath he willingly took and violating the United Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) – that is, military law. He then sued the US Military because he disagreed with the law. While I commend him for exercising his First Amendment right, I do not see activism as a qualifying trait for judges regardless of ‘the cause.’ An activist who disregards the law due to a cause is, in my opinion, unfit to be a judge. I voted against appointing Mr. Thorne-Begland to the bench not because he is an open gay man, but because he is an activist who has repeatedly defied the law in the past and exhibited poor judgment. The subject matter of his agenda is not the issue; his willingness to put his agenda ahead of his duty and oath certainly is.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your representative in the Virginia House of Delegates.  Please let me know if I can be of any help or service to you and your family. Our district telephone number is 703-348-7015.  Christine Aubrey served as my legislative assistant during Session and will be working as my assistant full-time in our District. She can be reached at the same telephone number and via e-mail at Christine@DavidRamadan.com.

Please take advantage of the “Forward E-Mail” link at the bottom of this message, and forward it along to your family and friends here in the District. Encourage them to sign up to receive these e-mail updates automatically so they may stay up-to-date on their representation in Richmond.

Sincerely,

David Ramadan
Member, House of Delegates
Eighty-Seventh District
DelDRamadan@house.virginia.gov

David Ramadan
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