FMS gives back

Chris Graham

Fishburne Military School senior J.P. Gonzalez was among a large group of cadets at the Waynesboro school to donate blood during a drive held in conjunction with Virginia Blood Services on Wednesday. “This is my first time,” said Gonzalez, of Washington, D.C. Asked if he’d had any trepidation about pain, Gonzalez said, “Not really.” He…

The Valley’s maverick Republican: Hanger gears up for State Senate re-election run

Chris Graham

It hasn’t been that long since the word “maverick” triggered the next drink in the drinking game. John McCain, the original GOP maverick, has since made a hard turn to the far right, judging his political survival to be of more import than his political legacy. The maverick is a dying breed in the Republican…

Bennett: Still 'a ways to go'

Chris Graham

It’s supposed to be a rebuilding year in Charlottesville, and it looked as much at the start of the 11,500-mile road trip that took the Cavs out west. Virginia was blown out at Stanford and then embarrassed in the first round of the Maui Classic against Washington. Three wins in their next four, including back-to-back…

The AFP on WREL: McDonnell for president?

Chris Graham

Editor Chris Graham joins WREL’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan” for their weekly look at the latest news in Virginia politics. The segment begins with a discussion of an interview done by the Washington Post of Gov. Bob McDonnell in which McDonnell sidestepped a question on whatever interest he might have in a spot on the…

Dem leader pushes McDonnell on interest in WH run

Chris Graham

Virginia Democrats are seizing upon an apparent attempt at hedging by Gov. Bob McDonnell in an interview with The Washington Post about whatever interest he might have in running for president in 2012. “Either he intends to serve his full term as Governor or he doesn’t,” Democratic Party of Virginia Chairman Dick Cranwell said,

David Reynolds: Think Virginia

David Reynolds

This column is not for wine lovers. Rather, it is directed to my conservative friends who have no love for government, who think that all governments are nothing more than intrusions into our private lives, who never met a tax they liked and who believe that all public budgets should be filed under fiction. Sorry,…

Cline: ‘Skins suite seats misused by Lottery staff

Chris Graham

State Del. Ben Cline, R-24th District, announced today that he had received confirmation of recent actions by Virginia Lottery employees in which luxury skybox suite seats reserved for winners of the Redskins Legacy game were misused by Lottery staff. Cline also announced that he would be asking for an independent audit of the Virginia Lottery…

Obama offshore drilling ban draws bipartisan criticism

Chris Graham

A bipartisan group of Virginia leaders will work to get the Obama administration to reverse its move to block drilling off the coast of Virginia until at least 2017. “As a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, we learned a number of lessons, most importantly that we need to proceed with caution and focus…

Chris Graham: Repealing 50 years of advances in basic civil rights

Chris Graham

“The federal government,” says Bill Howell, the speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, “has long ago usurped the power reserved to the states and the people via our Constitution.” Here we go again. Looks like we’re about to refight the Civil War. Howell is in Washington today to talk up something called the Repeal…