With North Carolina facing intense national backlash over their anti-LGBT law, members of the Virginia press corps have drawn parallels to Governor McAuliffe avoiding a similar fate in Virginia with his veto of SB41.
North Carolina's Republican Governor and Republican-controlled legislature are facing real economic and social consequences from their anti-LGBT law. It begs the question: would Republican gubernatorial candidates Ed Gillespie and Rob Wittman veto SB41, or would Virginia face the same fate as North Carolina? Gillespie and Wittman have refused to say where they stand.
See highlights from the press here:
McAuliffe wields veto pen with vigor, striking most bills in nearly two decades: "As other Southern states face national attention over legislation seen as hostile to LGBT people, McAuliffe supporters have said his vetoes show the importance of having a Democratic governor as a check on the Republican legislature."[Richmond Times-Dispatch, Graham Moomaw, 4/13/2016]
Editorial: The five stages of HB2: "McCrory and his GOP cohorts now face the consequences. [...] Depression should set in soon, as McCrory watches his work on the state economy come undone. His order will do little to change the perception in the national business community that North Carolina is unfriendly to industry and to employees." [Virginian-Pilot, Editorial Board,4/14/2016]
Editorial: N.C. shows consequences of extremism."Virginia lawmakers have yet to entirely learn that lesson, as the legislature’s passage of its “religious freedom” bill makes clear. But divided government served its purpose with McAuliffe’s veto. North Carolina has not been so lucky." [Virginian-Pilot, Editorial Board, 4/3/2016]
McAuliffe vetoes ‘religious freedom’ bill, to chagrin of conservatives: "The veto comes the same week that similar legislation drew attention to Georgia, where Gov. Nathan Deal (R) rejected a “religious freedom” bill, and North Carolina, where Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a bill that stops municipalities from passing laws to protect lesbian, gay and transgender people." [Washington Post, Jenna Portnoy, 3/30/2016]
McAuliffe vetoes bill designed to protect opponents of gay marriage: "He [McAuliffe] was asked on the radio whether the legislation would have put Virginia in a situation like the one in North Carolina, where Gov. Pat McCrory signed a law stopping protections for gays, lesbians and bisexuals and requiring transgender people to use bathrooms of the gender they were born with. 'If I were to sign this bill, you bet,' McAuliffe said." [Virginian-Pilot, Patrick Wilson,3/30/2016]
Gov. McAuliffe vetoes ‘religious exemption’ bill. "Republican-backed measures related to LGBT rights recently have attracted fierce national push back from large corporations in Georgia and North Carolina. Georgia GOP Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed a bill similar to Virginia’s earlier this week." [Associated Press, Alan Suderman, 3/30/2016]
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