Pod Virginia

State Senator John Bell of Loudon County joins Thomas and Michael to discuss the complex topic of casinos--Virginia is set to develop its fifth casino in the state, but the details are still up in the air. Richmond voters rejected the casino, but Petersburg may want it. Senator Bell explains the economic and social thinking behind the state's casino legislation as well as his pragmatic approach to...

IN THE NEWS: Return of the Payday Lenders: A new app allows users to get quick cash based on hours they've already worked, and the emergence of this new financial technology is leading lawmakers in Richmond to start thinking about state regulations for this growing market. But some worry that earned wage access looks a lot like a loan, and may get consumers caught in a debt trap. Ending Solitary C...

Harry Godfrey of Advanced Energy United--and Pod Virginia's favorite energy guy--joins the show this week to break down the energy and utility regulation bills working their way through the General Assembly this session. The first: the Affordable Energy Act, which would restore utility oversight and regulation abilities to the State Corporation Commission. The second, and more controversial: the P...

IN THE NEWS: During the pandemic, election officials started making ballot drop boxes available to make voting easier. Now those drop boxes are an object of suspicion. Voting advocates say the recent updates to election laws make Virginia a leader in easy and convenient voting, despite its past history of voter restriction. The cost of maintaining a line of communication to people behind bars in V...

If you're in Richmond TONIGHT--Thursday, January 19th, 2023--, check out Michael's speech on the Byrd Machine in Virginia--6 PM at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. And pick up a copy of The Byrd Machine in Virginia . Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg joins the show this week to discuss what he knows best--history and government. In this case, the histoy of machine politics in Virginia fro...

If you're in Richmond this Thursday, check out Michael's speech on the Byrd Machine--6 PM at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. IN THE NEWS: The Manchurian Candidate: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin used his State of the Commonwealth speech as an opportunity to take aim at China, saying he wants to see lawmakers to prohibit foreign entities tied to the Chinese Communist Party from purcha...

As the 2023 General Assembly kicks off, Senator Scott Surovell joins Thomas and Michael to discuss Governor Glenn Youngkin's State of the Commonwealth address--covering his comments on a range of topics including inflation, education, energy, taxes, and even foreign policy. Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia

FLASHBACK: Thomas and Michael take a look back at the 1998 standoff in the Virginia House of Delegates to elect a new Speaker--involving shouted objections, day-long voice votes, and the occasional quote from The Wizard of Oz. IN THE NEWS: "Make Virginia Home" -- That's the message from Governor Glenn Youngkin, who says he's concerned that Virginia is adding half as many residential units as were...

Sarah Taylor, Assistant City Manager and Legislative Director for the City of Alexandria, joins the show once more to break down what we can expect from the upcoming General Assembly session that starts next week. What's going on with Governor Youngkin's mental health funding and affordable housing promises? Why is Alexandria advocating for local control of its health department? And how will a di...

IN THE NEWS: Governor Youngkin's campaign promise to end the 1.5% state grocery task has been fulfilled; Thomas and Michael discuss the merits of the policy and how it relates to Holly Siebold's six-year struggle to end the tampon tax. Treating Substance Use Disorder: Back in the 1850s, the campus that now houses the Catawba Hospital was the Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs Resort. Now it could be addi...

In this year-end retrospective, Thomas and Michael discuss some clips from the top ten episodes of Pod Virginia aired in 2022--everything from elections to lawmaking to education policy and campaign finance. Here's to another great year of Pod Virginia! #10: David Toscano: A Tell-All on Virginia Politics #9: Brian Moran: what's a caucus leadership coup? #8: Lauren Burke: Election Day Special: Guns...

IN THE NEWS: Automatic, Asymmetric Abentee Voting: Some, but not all, Virginia voters get an absentee ballot in the mail every election. That has completely changed the dynamic in special elections, where one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is making sure people know that the election is happening. Friend of the podcast David Ramadan says this is a trend that is harming Republicans. The Great R...

As we await results from Tuesday's snap election for Virginia's 4th Congressional District, Michael is joined by fan-favorite guest Chaz Nuttycombe of CNalysis and longtime Democratic consultant Ben Tribbett to discuss the various special elections happening in Virginia this coming year: from filling the late Congressman Don McEachin's seat to replacing Congresswoman-elect Jen Kiggans and former D...

IN THE NEWS: Balacing the Books: Governor Glenn Youngkin does not get to write Virginia's budget, he does get to kick off the process by making the first pass, sending his suggestion to members of the General Assembly. Outlining his proposal to the House and Senate money committees. As Thomas and Michael discuss, the Governor's controversial proposal prioritizes tax cuts for businesses and the wea...

This week, Thomas and Michael are joined by an unusual duo--Shawn Weneta of the ACLU of Virginia and Ben Knotts, Legislative Director of Americans for Prosperity. They discuss the lack of transparency in Virginia's prison system--including the exorbitant prices for phone calls and emails, the perverse incentives of the for-profit prison system, and the burden placed on poor families. This all come...

IN THE NEWS: A recent report from Virginia's Commission to Combat Antisemitism made several recommendations to aid in its mission, including increasing police training and improving data collection on hate crimes. One of its recommendations has come under scrutiny, following a theme of the Youngkin administration: a recommendation to "prohibit indoctrination in public education." Thomas and Michae...

This week, Thomas and Michael are joined by Tarina Keene and Lexi White, the executive director and policy director of REPRO Rising Virginia, a pro-abortion organization fighting to protect reproductive rights in the state. They discuss their efforts to fight Republican attempts restrict abortion and contraceptives, as well as policy goals going into next month's General Assembly session. Learn mo...

IN THE NEWS: The death of Aston Donald McEachin. The late congressman served four terms in the House of Delegates, two terms in the state Senate and three terms in Congress. He was just elected last month to what would have been his fourth term. Now people across Virginia are remembering a man who was a lawyer who also had a master of divinity from Virginia Union University. Teenage Voters: Back i...

Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA 3rd) returns to the show to discuss his time spent as chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, his work on the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act helping to protect worker pensions and reduce drug costs, as well as investments in historically Black colleges and school meal plans. Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia Sponsored by th...

IN THE NEWS: The end of fossil fuels is blowing in the wind. The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind proposal would be a massive new wind farm off the coast of Virginia Beach. But only if state regulators approve it. That decision is expected in the next month or so, even the membership of the three-member commission is in flux. Do a better fracking job: That’s the message from the Government Accountab...

No full episode this week, but Thomas and Michael want to wish you a happy Thanksgiving—and a quick discussion on the origins of the tradition. Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia

IN THE NEWS: Republicans are having an identity crisis. Is Donald Trump the leader of the Republican Party? Several prominent Virginians don’t think so. Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears says it’s time to dump Trump--and she's not the only one who seems to be getting off a sinking ship. Virginia has two special elections on the horizon next January for seats in the General Assembly. In Northern Vi...

Prospectors hope to strike it rich in rural Buckingham County, about 60 miles west of Richmond. Residents are worried the mining process will contaminate fundamental things like air, soil, and even drinking water. Buckingham County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jordan Miles joins Thomas and Michael to discuss why he thinks a ban on gold mining would be a good idea to protect his constituents--and...

With a midterm election that saw incumbent Congresswoman Elaine Luria unseated for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, we thought it'd be a good time to look back at a strange moment in the history of that seat--the election fraud scandal of former Congressman Scott Taylor just a few years ago. After an investigation found hundreds of falsified signatures on a 3rd-party candidate's ballot petit...

On this episode, Thomas and Michael are joined by Dr. Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington to discuss the Virginia races in the 2022 midterms--including takeaways for Republicans and Democrats, as well as the landscape moving forward. Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia