Pod Virginia Jackleg Media

IN THE NEWS:

The end of fossil fuels is blowing in the wind. The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind proposal would be a massive new wind farm off the coast of Virginia Beach. But only if state regulators approve it. That decision is expected in the next month or so, even the membership of the three-member commission is in flux.

Do a better fracking job: That’s the message from the Government Accountability Office, which says the federal agency responsible for regulating pipelines needs to do a better job with availability of data and consistency of enforcement. Opponents of pipelines say a lack of transparency and inconsistency of enforcement go way beyond the problems outlined in the GAO report.

The Golden Goose. Virginia is sitting on one of the largest uranium deposits in the world in. Plus the recent discovery of gold in Buckingham County is reopening old discussions about commercial mining operations. Lawmakers are about to considering a ban on gold mining in Virginia that would be similar to the longstanding ban on uranium mining in Virginia, which dates back to the early 1980s.

At the Watercooler: Former Congressman Tom Garrett is seeking a return to the House of Delegates, while Delegate Sally Hudson is running for the state Senate against Senator Creigh Deeds.

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia

No full episode this week, but Thomas and Michael want to wish you a happy Thanksgiving—and a quick discussion on the origins of the tradition.

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia

IN THE NEWS:

Republicans are having an identity crisis. Is Donald Trump the leader of the Republican Party? Several prominent Virginians don’t think so. Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears says it’s time to dump Trump--and she's not the only one who seems to be getting off a sinking ship.

Virginia has two special elections on the horizon next January for seats in the General Assembly. In Northern Virginia, voters will fill a seat vacated by former Delegate Mark Keam, who stepped down to take a position in the Biden administration. Voters in Virginia Beach will also fill the vacancy in the state Senate created by Jen Kiggans, who was recently elected to Congress.

Indexing the Income Tax. Virginia is one of 13 states that does not currently index income tax brackets for inflation, and advocates for this reform have been pushing the idea for decades. Some scholars say that's easier said than done.

At the Watercooler: The Virginia Department of Elections delayed approval of new social science education standards provided by the Youngkin administration last week--which had several clear missteps including referring to Virginia Indians as "America's first immigrants" and omitting mention of President Barack Obama while mentioning President Ronald Reagan five times.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/11/17/virginia-history-standards-review/

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia

Prospectors hope to strike it rich in rural Buckingham County, about 60 miles west of Richmond. Residents are worried the mining process will contaminate fundamental things like air, soil, and even drinking water. Buckingham County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jordan Miles joins Thomas and Michael to discuss why he thinks a ban on gold mining would be a good idea to protect his constituents--and where such proposals might stand in the General Assembly.

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia

With a midterm election that saw incumbent Congresswoman Elaine Luria unseated for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, we thought it'd be a good time to look back at a strange moment in the history of that seat--the election fraud scandal of former Congressman Scott Taylor just a few years ago.

After an investigation found hundreds of falsified signatures on a 3rd-party candidate's ballot petition, one former Republican Congressman's entire campaign staff has been indicted or convicted on dozens of counts related to election fraud. Fmr. Congressman Scott Taylor (VA-02) also remains under investigation.

Originally Aired: Nov. 26, 2021.

SOURCE MATERIALS:
- DCCC's Opposition Research Book: https://bit.ly/32lBQK6
- Initial investigation and court ruling: https://bit.ly/3nNA2So
- Most Recent Development: https://bit.ly/3FP0xxd

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia

On this episode, Thomas and Michael are joined by Dr. Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington to discuss the Virginia races in the 2022 midterms--including takeaways for Republicans and Democrats, as well as the landscape moving forward.

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia