Driving in today, I heard on WMAL that Governor Timmy! vetoed two bills which would have expanded Virginia's death penalty to include those who plan premeditated murders.
I support these bills. I support (with appropriate procedural protections) the death penalty generally, and its expansion particularly. I would expand it to include those who serially molest children, among the vilest of crimes, and serial, violent rapists.
However, I can't bring myself to criticize the eminently critiquable Governor Timmy! on this one. He's a devout Catholic, and has long opposed the death penalty. It was an issue in his campaign for Governor. Virginians knew what they would get when they unwisely chose to elect him. And while I expect him, as Governor, to carry out the death penalty when it is imposed --- my recollection is that he has --- he is certainly within whatever "mandate" he has to exercise his authority as Governor to oppose its expansion.
So you won't read a word of criticism here over his decision to veto bills like this.
It remains to be seen whether the Virginia legislature will override his veto.
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