Metro Weekly

Robert McDonnell runs from own record: Virginia’s Republican candidate calls anti-gay statements from 2003 irrelevent

”It is 100 percent irrelevant in this race. What’s relevant in this race is what the records of the candidates are on issues that the voters care about and, number two, who’s got the best ideas to be able to create jobs and build infrastructure and build a better Virginia. That’s what’s relevant.’

Robert McDonnell, the current Republican candidate for Governor, who brought into question a black, female judge’s sexual orientation a few years ago. According to the Washington Post, Verbena Askew, a Circuit Court judge, was up for reappointment, but became entangled in allegations of sexual harassment from ”a female colleague.” During hearings on the matter, McDonnell alone made the argument that ”certain homosexual conduct” was against Virginia laws, and that conduct would disqualify someone from being a judge for violating Virginia law. Askew, who has continually denied being gay, was not reelected in January of 2003 to her position. In June of 2003, the US Supreme Court declared that states’ sodomy laws, like Virginia’s, were unconstitutional. (Washington Post)

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