Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 11, 1992 TAG: 9201110231
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG SCHNEIDER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
SENIORITY HELPS GET PLUM POSTS
The General Assembly may be tilting toward the urban east because of sheer numbers, but seniority has snared the leadership of four committees for Western Virginia."We're outnumbered now, so the only card we have left is the seniority card," said Sen. Frank Nolen, D-Augusta. "I think we've done quite well."
Nolen gained chairmanship of the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee this week, and two other senators from the western half of the state also grabbed top spots: Sen. Elliot Schewel, D-Lynchburg, took over Education and Health, and Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, heads General Laws.
In the House of Delegates, Clifton Woodrum, D-Roanoke, has become chairman of the Claims Committee.
It has been 15 years or more, Nolen said, since a lawmaker from the Shenandoah Valley headed a committee in either House. "I think we'll be able to hold our own, now," he said.
Committee assignments also provided plums for the freshman legislators from Western Virginia. Sen. Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo, R-Fincastle, landed on the Courts of Justice Committee, which selects judges and handles crime bills.
And Sen. Brandon Bell, R-Roanoke, drew an assignment to the Education and Health Committee, which otherwise is weighted heavily with Democrats.
Whatever ground those new Republican lawmakers might have gained, GOP leaders maintained Thursday that Democrats kept all the real power for themselves.
"The Democrats are maintaining their iron grip on the throats of Virginia taxpayers," said Del. Frank Hargrove of Hanover County, chairman of the Joint Republican Caucus.
Hargrove issued a statement Thursday condemning Democrats for blocking Republicans from the Senate Finance and House Appropriations committees, which decide how tax money is spent.
The GOP landed only three seats on Senate Finance and five on House Appropriations.
For the new legislators from Southwest Virginia, committee assignments were:
Trumbo - Courts of Justice; Rehabilitation and Social Services; and Transportation.
Bell - Commerce and Labor; Education and Health; and Local Government.
Del. Ward Armstrong, D-Martinsville - General Laws; Agriculture; and Labor and Commerce.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.