GOP, Democrats compete in Virginia on nominations blocked with university councils

The Republican leaders of Virginia explode the State Democrats for having played politics and usurping the courts after having blocked 14 of the appointments of the Board of Directors of the University Glenn Glenn Youngkin last week, bringing the total to 22 nominations blocked since June.

The latest blockade occurs only a few months before the state Élises a new governor and in the mid -development of the Trump administration so that the universities of Virginia are disturbing their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DEI). Last month, the Board of Directors of the George Mason University (GMU) voted both to preserve and give an increase to its president, who defended the University’s dei policies against the Trump administration.

“Last week, eight Democratic senators continued their partisan campaign to irreparably harm higher education in Virginia by voting to withdraw highly qualified Virginians who have made visitors’ boards of directors for UVA, VMI and George Mason productively,” said Youngkin in a declaration to Fox News Digital.

“In my opinion, only one senatorial committee does not have the legal power to exercise duties that the Constitution and the Code explicitly attribute to the full general meeting … I am confident in our position.”

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Youngkin added that “even more worrying” was that the Democrats who block his appointments apparently provided no explanation for their actions. However, the Democrats said they believed that Youngkin’s candidates have too extreme opinions.

The governor of Virginie Glenn Youngkin pronounces the start VCU start in Richmond, Virginia, May 11, 2024. (Parker Michels-Boyce for the Washington Post via Getty Images)

Fox News Digital has contacted many democrats from Virginia, including the Democratic President of the Committee who voted to block the appointments of Youngkin, Aaron Rouse, and a Democratic candidate for governor, Abigail Spanberger, but did not hear.

The blockade was launched and approved by the senatorial committee led by democrats on privileges and elections, chaired by Rouse. Youngkin and other Virginia Republicans argue that the unilateral decision of the committee to block the appointments of the board of directors has violated the law of the State requiring that the full legislative body approves the abolition of the government’s appointments, as opposed to a single committee.

A short circuit judge was finally taken on the side of the Democrats, allowing people appointed to be temporarily blocked by the Committee. But the Republicans subsequently called on the case, and he is currently expecting a decision from the Supreme Court of Virginia.

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“We have a job to do as a committee, not only to protect our colleges and universities, but make sure that the people named potential maintain the values ​​and the principles set out by the Commonwealth,” said Rouse at last week’s hearing where 14 other people named for young people were blocked.

Meanwhile, in a letter sent to Youngkin last week, the Democratic leaders of Virginia admitted that the refusals were “unprecedented” but denied that they were at all “supporters”.

“This unprecedented level of rejection does not reflect a partisan obstruction, but real concerns concerning the qualifications, history and intentions of your named people,” said the letter, according to the Virginia Mercury. “The model of inappropriate appointments and acquiescence to foreign political influence has created an important uncertainty and instability within our higher education system at a time when these institutions need stable and qualified leadership.”

Democrats said the governor should suspend other appointments until they can give more about the issue.

The Virginia Senate is seen here on the first day of the 2024 legislative session at Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond, Virginia. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot / Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

But the Republicans fear that the Democrats will throw talents and create a precedent which will prevent the best and the brightest from wanting to serve the higher education establishments of the State. Some of the members who have been blocked by the Democrats include the former president of Mastercard, who served as both Republican and Democrats, and the former president of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, according to the Senator of the State Glen Sturtevant.

Ken Cuccinelli, a former Virginia General Prosecutor and Deputy Secretary for Internal Security under Donald Trump, was also one of the people named blocked.

“What is the intention of making such a large lines and eliminating so much?” The senator from Virginia State Tara during the meeting of around 10 minutes last week which led to the rejecting of 14 people named from Youngkin. “It is really unprecedented. We have a long list of people who have a richness of experience, and I think that the broader question poses is what will happen in the future to dissuade those who are ready to serve the Commonwealth as such.”

The Republicans, like the state senator, Bill Deeeph, also stressed that the Supreme Court of the State ruled on the question of whether the appointments of governors to the university councils can be blocked by legislative committees, instead of requiring the approval of the whole of the General Assembly.

“Calling this meeting while the Supreme Court of Virginia actively plans that this case was inappropriate and irresponsible,” said Desteph.

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During the committee’s vote to block 14 other appointed people, said the Virginia Republican, the Democrats seemed to try to influence the Supreme Court or usurp the authority of the Court.

“Before voting on this subject, we must allow the Supreme Court the possibility of reigning on this subject. It is actively before them,” he said.

The democrats’ blockade would have led to disturbances for at least one of the universities involved.

The main lawn of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (Will Pryce / Construction Photography / Avalon / Getty Images)

In GMU, the visitors’ council is lacking enough members needed to build a quorum to lead official affairs, the Washington Post reported.

Meanwhile, the school is faced with multiple federal surveys on civil rights linked to alleged racial hiring quotas and the implementation of other DEI initiatives.

In addition, last month, the GMU board of directors voted both to keep and give a 1.5% increase to President Gregory Washington, who would have refused to comply with the Trump administration directives concerning Dei.

The University of Virginia was also faced with a federal examination under the Trump administration for its implementation of Dei’s initiatives.

Fox News Digital contacted UVA, GMU and VMI cards to comment but did not immediately hear.