Scandal brewing over VA DEM and a GOP bribe

[Statistikhengst]

State Senator Phillip Puckett (D)​

GOP Straight Up Bribes Democratic Senator In Effort To Block Obamacare

The Republican Party in Virginia has resorted to what appears to be outright bribery in its ongoing effort to deny low-income residents in the state access to the Medicaid expansion authorized by Obamacare.

The Washington Post is reporting that Republicans offered to move Democratic state Sen. Phillip P. Puckett and his daughter into prestigious jobs in exchange for Puckett's resignation, which will flip the chamber into Republican hands. Pucket will officially accept the offer on Monday, the paper reported.

The Senate was on course to pass an expansion of Medicaid, as the law allows, while the House of Delegates, in GOP hands, aimed to block it. In such a scenario, Democrats hoped that Republicans would be blamed for the resulting government shutdown. With Republicans in control of both chambers, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) must now veto the GOP budget in order to force a showdown over Medicaid.

The apparent quid pro quo has sent Democrats railing.

“It’s astounding to me. The House Republican caucus will do anything and everything to prevent low-income Virginians from getting healthcare… They figure the only way they could win was to give a job to a state senator,” Del. Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax) told the Washington Post. “At least they can’t offer Terry McAuliffe a job. I hope Terry continues to stand up to these bullies.”

Virginia Democratic senator Puckett to resign, possibly dooming push to expand Medicaid - The Washington Post

RICHMOND — Republicans appear to have outmaneuvered Gov. Terry McAuliffe in a state budget standoff by persuading a Democratic senator to resign his seat, at least temporarily giving the GOP control of the chamber and possibly dooming the governor’s push to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Phillip P. Puckett (D-Russell) will announce his resignation Monday, effective immediately, paving the way to appoint his daughter to a judgeship and Puckett to the job of deputy director of the state tobacco commission, three people familiar with the plan said Sunday. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

The news prompted outrage among Democrats — and accusations that Republicans were trying to buy the Senate with job offers in order to thwart McAuliffe’s proposal to expand health coverage to 400,000 low-income Virginians...


..Puckett, a senator since 1998, did not respond to calls seeking comment. Other Republicans denied that Puckett was offered the jobs in exchange for his resignation.

In a statement, McAuliffe (D) acknowledged that Puckett’s resignation had created “uncertainty” for his plan to expand the federal-state health program for the poor to 400,000 uninsured Virginians. But he contended that he still had a majority of the Senate on his side.

Phillip Puckett Resigns Amid VA Medicaid Expansion Fight - Business Insider

A Virginia state senator is set to resign on Monday after cutting a deal with Republicans, a stunning move that gives the state GOP the upper hand in an ongoing fight over the state's budget and an expansion of the Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act.

Democratic state Sen. Phillip Puckett will step down on Monday, news first reported by The Washington Post. According to the report, Puckett's resignation leads the way for him to get a job as deputy director of the state tobacco commission and for his daughter to be confirmed for a state judgeship.

It also means Republicans now have a 20-19 majority in the state Senate, something that could stall an expansion of the Medicaid program in the middle of an increasingly tenuous, partisan fight over the state budget.

Puckett's office confirmed he will make the announcement on Monday but declined to discuss specifics of the deal that reportedly led to his resignation — a deal some characterized as "bribery."

A furious Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, called the situation "unacceptable."

publichealthwatch | Illegal Bribery

Either way, the circumstances of Puckett’s resignation — in which a Democratic senator hands over control of the state legislature to the GOP, and then immediately receives a job from a commission controlled by a Republican chair and vice-chair — are suspicious. It also could have very serious consequences for Virginia’s least fortunate residents.

Report: Republicans bribe Democrat Senator to resign, block Medicaid expansion - Orlando liberal | Examiner.com

In a move that reeks of political games, Republicans have apparently bought off a Democrat lawmaker in order to block Medicaid expansion.

The nation's lawmakers are split across political and ideological lines when it comes the idea of expanding Medicaid. Originally a mandate in President Obama's new health care law, the Medicaid expansion was made voluntary after the Supreme Court ruled on the law in 2012. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has been trying to maneuver around Republicans in the state legislature, but the GOP have put up a huge roadblock.

According to a report by the Washington Post on Sunday, Democratic state Sen. Phillip P. Puckett (D-Russell) has announced his resignation after state Republicans offered to move his daughter into a judgeship and appoint himself the new deputy director of the state tobacco commission. Puckett's resignation will now give Republicans the advantage in the chamber and put a serious halt on Gov. McAuliffe's attempt of expanding Medicaid.

Here is Virginia's bribery law:

https://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-447

§ 18.2-447. When person guilty of bribery.

A person shall be guilty of bribery under the provisions of this article:

(1) If he offers, confers or agrees to confer upon another (a) any pecuniary benefit as consideration for or to obtain or influence the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a public servant or party official, or (b) any benefit as consideration for or to obtain or influence either the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of official discretion in a judicial or administrative proceeding or the recipient's violation of a known legal duty as a public servant or party official; or

(2) If he accepts or agrees to accept from another (a) any pecuniary benefit offered, conferred or agreed to be conferred as consideration for or to obtain or influence the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a public servant or party official, or (b) any benefit offered, conferred or agreed to be conferred as consideration for or to obtain or influence either the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of official discretion in a judicial or administrative proceeding or the recipient's violation of a known legal duty as a public servant or party official; or

(3) If he solicits from another (a) any pecuniary benefit or promise of pecuniary benefit as consideration for or in exchange for his decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a public servant or party official, or (b) any benefit or promise of benefit as consideration for or in exchange for his decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of official discretion in a judicial or administrative proceeding or his violation of a known legal duty as a public servant or party official.

(Code 1950, § 18.1-282.2; 1968, c. 552; 1975, cc. 14, 15.)

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I will leave this up to the Virginia judicial system, but this sure as hell looks like bribery - and a very transparent example of it, to boot.

And I hope this "Democrat" gets thrown out of the Party forever. The Democratic Party deserves better than this.


It should also be pointed out that this man's resignment means that the Senate only temporarily flips to the GOP, for then there will be a replacement election for Puckett's SD, which is a solid DEM SD, so, in just a few short months, the Virginia Senate is likely to be right back where it was. And the Obamacare Medicaid extension debate will continue.

But this kind of stuff is truly disgusting, regardless whether which side does it. I am just suprised that this man was stupid enough to allow such a transparent move to go public. He must be a very, very ignorant person when he can't read VA law. The sad part is that he may find a loophole to get around this.


Updates as this story develops.

 

[Dot Com]

this is why the two parties are shit. They're morphed from public service to being a jobs program to do the bidding of Big $$$

 

[blastoff]

The lack of outrage from dimocrats about one of theirs accepting the offers is duly noted.

 

[Two Thumbs]

That's awesome

When do all involved get arrested?

what, no charges?

quell surprise

 

[Statistikhengst]

The lack of outrage from dimocrats about one of theirs accepting the offers is duly noted.

Uhmmm, a Democrat wrote the OP. Hiya, that would be: me.

And the thread is not very old yet, you might want to give it some time.

 

[Statistikhengst]

That's awesome

When do all involved get arrested?

what, no charges?

quell surprise

Well, you might want to let the VA judicial system do it's thing first, I mean, the story just broke.

But I liked your french. Merveilleux!!!

 

[bendog]

I don't know anything about VA, but generally getting a judgeship via a bribe is contrary to judicial ethics and subject to discipline. Now Tobacco Commissioner .... who knows.

 

[Two Thumbs]

That's awesome

When do all involved get arrested?

what, no charges?

quell surprise

Well, you might want to let the VA judicial system do it's thing first, I mean, the story just broke.

But I liked your french. Merveilleux!!!

dont hold your breath waiting for charges let alone arrests

 

[Dot Com]

That's awesome

When do all involved get arrested?

what, no charges?

quell surprise

Well, you might want to let the VA judicial system do it's thing first, I mean, the story just broke.

But I liked your french. Merveilleux!!!

except that dragonboi (Two Thumbs) misspelled it lol

He was prolly trying to copy my style because I use that all the time & dragonboi knows it

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=quelle surprise

 

[ogibillm]

wow. this is absolutely disgusting.

 

[WelfareQueen]

Massive butthurt!!!!!


This is so sweet. The democrats would have done exactly the same thing if they could. It is entirely legal and a huge blow to Democrats and Obamacare. The Republicans are finally learning to pay dirty like the Dems. Let the butthurt flow.


This is a great quote from Larry Sabato. "Republicans I've talked to are chortling," Larry Sabato, founder and director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told Business Insider. "They think it's one of the cleverest things they've done."

"And yet," he added, "one of them asked me, 'Do you think Democrats would not have done the same thing if they had the opportunity?' And of course they would have."

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Obama Rezko Bribe

 

[CrusaderFrank]

All those dead people that voted for McAuliffe are thinking of starting a class action lawsuit

 

[Ravi]

I don't know who the bigger shits are in this story. They all should be put out of jobs and shunned.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Republicans are acting...like...Democrats...

WoW

 

[bendog]

I don't think you can get bribery over changing jobs, but apparently the guy has even pulled out of the tobac thing.

Further, my comment on the daughter was illadvised. It seems the opposition to her being a judge was based on an ethical problem of the guy being an elected official. I'm not sure why that's so, or even if it's a real objection or a smokescreen. But, in any event, her nomination had been pending for months. There's noting illeagle, or even wrong, with a father quitting a post, so political opposition to his daughter in another post will dry up.

The dems revenge will be targeting gopers in districts where they could lose for opposing Medicaid expansion. And, this does play into the VA narrative of the gop's lack of ethics.

 

[emilynghiem]

Wow I wish someone had enough money to pay off all Districts.

We need to invest more resources directly into community-based business
and educational solutions, and quit wasting money fighting political campaigns!