Toscano Comments on Supreme Court’s Decision in Bethune-Hill Redistricting Case

June 17, 2019 by David Toscano

Toscano on U.S. Supreme Court Decision Dismissing House Republicans’ Attempted Appeal in Virginia House of Delegates, et al. v. Bethune-Hill

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Upon this morning’s release by the Supreme Court of the United States of its decision rejecting an appeal filed by the House of Delegates’ Republican leadership in the long-running lawsuit Virginia House of Delegates, et al. v. Bethune-Hill, et al., Delegate David J. Toscano (D-57th District) released the following statement:

“I have been fighting against this racially discriminatory redistricting plan since 2011, first by voting against it in the House of Delegates, and then as the Democratic leader in the House. It is very gratifying to see this lawsuit, brought by affected voters and supported by those who oppose unconstitutional redistricting based on race, finally decided and the wrongful composition of the affected House of Delegates districts corrected before I leave office. Despite spending millions of taxpayer dollars in their quest to keep racially-gerrymandered districts in place, Republicans must now face the November elections in districts that were drawn to respect voters’ rights and constitutional requirements. Because of this, Democratic candidates have a fairer chance to win, and hopefully we will see a more representative House of Delegates as a result.”

Delegate Toscano is available today to the media for further comment.

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In a timely book, David Toscano has focused us on the path forward in this divided, polarized country—the states, where within a federal framework the laboratories of democracy can experiment with ideas and solutions. He shows us how the states can tackle a wide range of problems with perhaps more success than one-size-fits-all proposals from Washington, D.C.

– Larry Sabato, Director of the Center for Politics, University of Virginia

Toscano Statement on House and Senate Republicans’ Votes to Adjourn the Special Session

July 9, 2019

Toscano Statement on House and Senate Republicans’ Votes to Adjourn the Special Session on Gun Violence Prevention until November 18

RICHMOND –Following this afternoon’s surprise party-line votes which adjourned the Virginia General Assembly’s special session until November 18, 2019, Delegate David J. Toscano (D-57th District) released the following statement:

“House and Senate Republicans today showed Virginia that the only vote they are willing to take regarding gun violence protection is a vote to delay, delay, delay. In the face of clear support for action now, captured by multiple polls and embodied by the energetic activists who rallied at the Capitol today, they abdicated their responsibility to serve their constituents and the Commonwealth of Virginia in an appallingly cynical political move to push any votes off until after the November general election.

“I am disappointed but not surprised. Time and time again, whether it is about passing universal background checks for all gun purchases, or enacting measures that would permit a judge, after a hearing, to remove a gun from a person in a mental health crisis to prevent injury to self or others, the Republican leadership continues to stonewall and not even debate, much less pass, reasonable measures designed to reduce gun violence in the Commonwealth.”

Delegate Toscano is available today to the media for further comment.

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