Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin promised when elected he would change the state’s parole board, which had come under heavy criticism for its actions or in most cases lack of.
This included appointing a whole new board makeup that included Montgomery County Sheriff Hank Partin.
Thursday, Democrat members of the Virginia General Assembly rejected all of the appointments including Partin. In a Facebook post, Partin said the move is political.
“I understand they are still disappointed that Governor Youngkin delivered on his promise to fire the McAulliffe-Northam parole board on day one.
“The vote out of the Senate (Thursday), along (Democrat) party lines is exactly what Virginians are sick and tired of,” Partin said. “They are tired of division simply due to one’s political
affiliation. Since my appointment to the parole board this January, I have not been contacted
by a single democratic member of the state senate that voted against my confirmation.”.
The sheriff is hopeful Democrats on the Senate side will reverse the House decision.
Democrat leaders admitted Thursday’s vote was partly in retaliation for House Republicans’
earlier defeat of appointments to other boards.
Democrat Sen. Adam Ebbin said during an unusually heated debate that the House needed to
be “taught a lesson.” Republican senators expressed outrage.
