Speak Out: Marshall Upset Over Appointment of Gay Judge
Manassas Park Del. Bob Marshall worked to successfully block the judgeship appointment of Richmond's openly gay prosecutor Tracy Thorne-Begland.
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Manassas Park Del. Bob Marshall said in an email to Gov. Bob McDonnell that he and others are “stunned” about McDonnell's endorsement of Virginia’s first openly gay judge, according to Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.
Marshall, who also represents parts of Manassas in the Virginia House of Delegates, said he led the charge to block the judgeship appointment of Richmond Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland in May.
“I’d do it again,” Marshall said of his actions in a June 11 interview with Patch.
Marshall could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Though the House of Delegates voted against Thorne-Begland’s appointment in May, Richmond Circuit Court judges appointed him to the position on Thursday, several media outlets reported.
McDonnell congratulated Thorne-Begland on the appointment, a spokesman for the governor told the Richmond Times Dispatch on Thursday.
In an email to the governor, Marshall said that McDonnell’s support of the Circuit Court judges’ decision means he holds that branch of government to be superior to the branch elected by the people.
The Times-Dispatch reports Marshall wrote, “However, I and others are stunned by your open embrace of the judicial activists on the Richmond Circuit Court who have effectively usurped a constitutional power belonging to the General Assembly by selecting a nominee after he was rejected by the assembly."
In May, Marshall said Thorne-Begland is nationally known for his advocacy of homosexual rights and he has been quoted as being critical of the judicial system because of its alleged “hostility” to gay rights.
Marshall told the Times-Dispatch that he will introduce legislation next session that will prevent people from getting paid for their employment if they were appointed to positions for which the general assembly had rejected them.
Sean Evans
12:03 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Just old bigoted white guy with too much time on his hands inserting his personal or religious belief into a straightforward political process.
Rev Donald Spitz
8:13 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Sodomites like Thorne-Begland belong in prison not on the bench. Homosexuals commit crimes against God, against nature, against the Holy Bible and against the human race.
After reading this story I now know why God wrote:
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Romans 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Diane Johnson-Quinn
9:53 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Oh please. People like Bob Marshall and the writer above "Rev" try to cram their version of "christianity or Catholicism" down the throats of Virginians and Americans. I was raised in the Catholic church and I learned to love others, and to be accepting of others. We weren't advised to read the Bible because then you get ridiculous interpretations taken out of context. More importantly, how can a person consider himself a "fine Christian" when spouting such venom towards other human beings who promote the rights of other people? We need less of the likes of Bob Marshall. Everytime I see his name in the new I'm reminded of the Hugh Finn debacle and his efforts to insert the government where it doesn't belong. Shame on him and all those who support him.
Jamie M. Rogers
10:34 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Just wanted to drop in really quickly and say 84 percent of the people who took the poll in this story don't agree with Marshall's opposition of Thorne-Bagland's appointment.
About 11 percent do agree with Marshall. Keep the comments and votes coming everyone, I think the different points of views are interesting.