THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 15, 1996 TAG: 9603150488
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Prosecutor Ramona Baldwin was the darling of Virginia Beach Republicans when a judgeship came open a few years ago.
But Baldwin was low on the GOP list this year because of a change in the political climate.
Beach Republicans floated Baldwin's name a few years ago in hopes of putting pressure on Democrats, who at the time had exclusive control of the judicial appointment process.
Republicans figured that Democrats would have no choice but to accept Baldwin, a Democrat who would have been the city's first African-American judge.
``They tried to embarrass us,'' said Del. William P. Robinson Jr., a Norfolk Democrat whose district includes two Beach precincts.
But the Democrats had another black lawyer in mind. They elected Woodrow Lewis Jr. as a judge in the city's Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
Baldwin put her name forward again this year, but Republicans used their newfound power in the Senate to promote one of their own, former state Sen. A. Joseph Canada Jr.
To their credit, Republicans did not completely abandon Baldwin. Del. Robert F. McDonnell of Virginia Beach gave her a glowing introduction last week when she was interviewed by the House Courts of Justice Committee.
Later in the week, Baldwin came within one vote of winning the endorsement of the House Democratic Caucus, which selected Canada.
``Politically,'' said Robinson, who backed Baldwin, ``I think Joe's election will go a long way toward silencing the objection that these things are done in a back room.''
Referring to Baldwin, he said, ``We'll get her on one of these days.''
Lawmakers sought to make light of Suffolk Del. Robert E. Nelms' legal problems last week during annual speeches lampooning the General Assembly.
In the House of Delegates, Del. Vincent F. Callahan Jr. quipped that Nelms was moonlighting as a chauffeur who carried an ``extra bladder'' in case nature calls.
Callahan alluded to Nelms' arrest last month in Richmond on a charge of indecent exposure. Nelms has said he was taking a hike in Byrd Park when he stepped off the trail to relieve himself.
The Republican also said he did not realize he was in a section of Byrd Park with a reputation for illicit sexual activity.
In the Senate, Sen. Warren E. Barry alluded to Nelms when he declared, ``Extensive search finds no senators in Byrd Park.''
Turnabout is fair play, but don't tell that to House Democrats.
Robinson complained that one of his bills was killed on a party-line vote in a Senate Committee controlled by Republicans.
When asked if that is exactly what Democrats had done to Republicans for years, Robinson replied, ``Yes, and I don't like it.''
House Republicans, however, were delighted that their Senate brethren shared a piece of the action.
Salem Del. H. Morgan Griffith recalled that he nearly got choked up the first time he appeared before a Senate committee chaired by a Republican.
``I got chill bumps up and down my spine,'' Griffith said.
The House Democratic Caucus got a little silly Saturday night as they waited for word on a budget breakthrough.
Roanoke Del. C.A. ``Chip'' Woodrum entertained the troops with an impersonation of Republican Attorney General James S. Gilmore III, a get-tough-on-crime kind of guy.
Woodrum fielded questions from Del. Glenn R. Croshaw of Virginia Beach, playing the role of news anchor Tom Brokaw.
Brokaw: ``What do you think of the weather?''
Gilmore: ``Build more prisons.''
Brokaw: ``What about Bosnia?''
Gilmore: ``Get tough on crime.''
Brokaw: ``What about the budget?''
Gilmore: ``Get tough on juveniles.''
Woodrum brought the House down with a final flourish in which he impersonated Gilmore, praising a bill that cracks down on juvenile offenders.
``Our Lord knew what he meant when he said, `Suffer the little children.' ''
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