Northam Addresses Protests, Steps To Tackle Racial Injustice

VIRGINIA — On Thursday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam addressed continuing protests against racial injustice and said he is extending and expanding the work of the Commission to Examine Racial Inequity in Virginia Law.

The governor had established the commission in June 2019 to examine and identify racially discriminatory language in the Acts of Assembly and the Code of Virginia. An interim report in December identified nearly 100 instances of language in Virginia’s Acts of Assembly and the Code of Virginia that could promote or enable racial discrimination, according to the governor's news release.

Northam said this language largely came from the Jim Crow era, which sought to keep blacks separate from whites in schools and public facilities, and imposed obstacles to voting. Although many laws were overturned, he said there were cases of discriminatory language in the Acts of Assembly. Legislation Northam signed after the 2020 Virginia General Assembly session included laws striking discriminatory language from the Acts of Assembly.

With an extension of the commission's term, Northam is directing members to look at laws and regulations that involve inequities with a focus on criminal justice, public safety, education, health, housing and voting. The commission is asked to propose changes to increase protections for minority and marginalized residents, and make policy recommendations for state agencies and institutions. A report is expected by Nov. 15.

"The Commission is ready to act with the same determination it applied in the first phase of its work," said Cynthia Hudson, chair of the commission. "Setting in motion the critical reforms we need to answer the demand and eliminate the shameful disparity between the treatment of people of color and the treatment of whites in our criminal justice system, access to education, housing, healthcare, and more. We all need to work together to undo the damage of our history, and we welcome input and support from others as we set about to do this important work."

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The nine-member commission consists of: Andrew Block, an attorney and former director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice; Henry L. Chambers, professor of law at the University of Richmond; Jill Hanken, health attorney at the Virginia Poverty Law Center; Mike Herring, partner at McGuire Woods and former commonwealth's attorney for Richmond; Cynthia Hudson, chief deputy attorney general of Virginia; Carla Jackson, assistant commissioner for legal affairs at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles; Birdie Hairston Jamison, retired judge of Richmond General District Court; Jerrauld Jones, chief judge of Norfolk Circuit Court; and Leslie Chambers Mehta, chief of staff and counsel to the CEO at the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Racial justice protests and Confederate statues

Protests in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis have led to Confederate statues being toppled and covered in graffiti in Virginia. Northam addressed an incident in Portsmouth Wednesday night, when a protester was seriously injured as a Confederate statue fell. According to the Virginian-Pilot, the injured person had been unconscious and went to the hospital.

"I know these statues are causing a lot of pain, but pulling them down is not worth risking someone's life," Northam said at a Thursday news conference. "So let the local governments take the responsibility for taking these statues down safely."

Last week, Northam ordered the removal of the state-owned Lee Monument on Richmond's Monument Avenue. The administration faces a 10-day removal delay from a Richmond judge amid a lawsuit contesting the governor's decision.

The Virginia Department of General Services is tasked with the Lee Monument removal and said planning is needed due to the statue's size and weight. The Richmond City Council has indicated the city-owned Confederate monuments on Monument Avenue will be removed, according to Northam.

Amid the continuing protests and ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the governor urged participants to follow public health guidelines.

"I strongly encourage protesters to wear face coverings and social distance as much as possible, and I would urge protesters to get tested," said Northam.

Northam said he had received a nasal swab test last week in Chesapeake. On Wednesday, he announced the result was negative.

Policing reform discussions

Northam also expressed support for police reform conversations but said he is against defunding the police entirely. He met with the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police Tuesday to discuss steps forward.

Northam believes starting points for discussions could involve diversity of police staffing, community outreach, de-escalation strategies, "co-responding" when dealing with a mentally ill individual, and body-worn cameras. On the latter topic, he noted charges were brought against a Fairfax County Police officer because a use-of-force incident against a civilian was recorded on a body-worn camera.

"Our police officers provide a much-needed resource to our community," he said. "When we talk about funding, I think we really needed to talk about reform and the priorities of how we spend the funding."

SEE ALSO:

• Time Is Right For 'Serious Reform' Of Police Departments: Northam
• KKK Leader Accused Of Driving Car Through Virginia Protesters