Democrats charge GOP with bigotry in Thorne-Begland vote

UPDATE: 11:40 a.m.

Virginia Democrats this morning charged House Republicans with "bigotry" for rejecting the judicial nomination of Richmond prosecutor Tracy Thorne-Begland, who is gay.

"In the final hours of a legislative session defined by right-wing reactionaries attempting to remake Virginia in their own radical image, Republicans in the General Assembly set a new and unthinkable standard for their backward agenda," said Brian Moran, chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia.

"As chief deputy commonwealth's attorney for Richmond and a decorated veteran, Tracy Thorne-Begland is qualified to serve as a General District Court judge by any conventional measure. By rejecting him after a debate that centered almost exclusively on Mr. Thorne-Begland's sexual orientation, Virginia Republicans proved that a person's experience and qualifications are irrelevant to them if they object to whom that person is.

"It is difficult to consider last night's vote without using the word 'bigoted,' just as it's difficult to consider this period of unified Republican government without using the word 'disaster.' "

Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, charged that House Republicans rejected Thorne-Begland because he is gay.

"Tracy Thorne-Begland is a highly qualified and exceptionally competent prosecutor, who also served our country with honor as a Navy pilot," McEachin said. "The blatant prejudice that Republicans displayed last night should have no place in our government. The GOP took Virginia back to the bigotry and mean-spirited prejudice of the 1960s. I thought we had made more progress toward a just society than this.

"The only criteria legislators should apply when selecting judges are that person's ability to fairly and impartially weigh the law. Mr. Thorne-Begland's qualifications for appointment to the bench were unimpeachable, but Republicans cynically voted against his appointment just because he was gay."

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(This has been a breaking news update.)

Equality Virginia this morning blasted lawmakers for rejecting Richmond prosecutor Tracy Thorne-Begland for a judgeship because he is gay, calling it "another unfortunate marker on the forced march to the past" by the General Assembly.

The legislature "allowed fear mongering and shrill personal attacks by the Family Foundation and Delegate Bob Marshall to derail Richmond lawyer Tracy Thorne-Begland?s election to the bench simply because he is an out gay man," the rights organization said in a news release.

Equality Virginia disagreed with those critical of Thorne-Begland's decision, while in the military, to acknowledge his sexual orientation and challenge the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. That drew national attention to the decorated officer and fighter pilot.

"Mr. Thorne-Begland should be seen as a hero, like others whose celebrated civil disobedience helped bring change to unjust laws, rather than vilified as a law breaker," Equality Virginia said.

Thorne-Begland formerly served on Equality Virginia's board. He is chief deputy commonwealth's attorney for the city of Richmond.

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