ASSOL PROF SUES GMU OVER VACCINE MANDATE
Calling George Mason University’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate “unnecessarily coercive and unconstitutional,” the nonprofit New Civil Liberties Alliance has brought suit against the school on behalf of one of its law professors. The lawsuit argues that the public university has no compelling interest in overriding the individual’s personal autonomy and that because none of the vaccines approved for use in the United States has received full FDA approval, the school’s policy is in conflict with federal law.
Universities nationwide are struggling with how best to protect students and faculty, with some mandating vaccines and others leaving it up to personal discretion. Pushback has been noted against both positions.
The plaintiff explained that he would have gotten the shot had he not already had the virus, saying “I would rather rely on the advice of my doctor than mid-level bureaucrats at Mason who are designing a one-size-fits-all solution.” He added, “It’s hard to teach with a mask on, and I couldn’t meet with students the way I normally would.”
Further, it turns out that one Jeffrey Clark, late of DOJ, worked with Trump to fire the then acting attorney general to be replaced with himself; thence to declare the 2020 elections in some states invalid. Clark leads the New Civil Liberties Alliance, is an ASSOL faculty member, and his organization represents the GMU plaintiff.
It’s a small (conservative) world seeking to rule the law at ASSOL.
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FOX NEWS CONSPIRACY
There’s more than one way to break DC liberals of their Washington Post habit: steal it. Or pee on it.
Yup, foxes have been known recently to run away with early morning-delivered copies of The Post, or sometimes to just urinate on them, likely an editorial comment from the Fox Den. The fox tales (tails?) stretch from Bethesda to Fairfax.
Apparently foxes are curious, as interested in playing with toys as are dogs or cats. They may like the mouthfeel of a newspaper (or its plastic wrapping). They may want to adorn their den with something soft. One way a mother fox teaches its young to hunt is by bringing it bits of food, along with stuff that isn’t food. Dragging a newspaper around is good practice for dragging a squirrel around.
We bring you all the news . . . but you’ll have to get your own fox.
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RECALL DRIVES THREATEN FAIRFAX ELECTED OFFICIALS
Virginians for Safe Communities, powered by longtime GOP activists, announced last week an effort to recall three Northern Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorneys (CAs) “to hold accountable the prosecutors who have taken office under a writ of reform but have gone too far,” said a board member of the group. They argue that the three have failed to uphold the law and their policies have made their counties less safe. They hope to collect, by October, the thousands of signatures necessary to begin the process of unseating Parisa Dehghani-Tafti in Arlington, Steve Descano in Fairfax, and Buta Biberaj in Loudoun, all Democrats. They must collect 10% of the votes cast for the incumbents in 2019; this would mean roughly 29,000 signatures in Fairfax, 11,500 in Loudoun, and 5,500 in Arlington.
The three Commonwealth’s Attorneys were elected on platforms of refashioning the criminal justice system by dropping prosecutions for marijuana possession, moving away from cash bail, and promising not to seek the death penalty, among other changes.
The three CAs maintain that they are building a fairer, more just legal system, with the support of their communities. Said Descano, “It’s no surprise that far-right ideologues seek to obstruct the reforms my team is implementing by engaging in a Trump-style effort to undermine the will of Fairfax County voters.” Added Dehghani-Tafti, “They couldn’t (and can’t) win at the ballot box so are trying to impose their own will through a political end run around the democratic process.” And Loudoun’s Biberaj said, “Virginians for Safe Communities’ lack of transparency about its donors and donations suggests it is not a grass-roots effort. Our office is more diverse (in practices, experiences and demographics) than ever; we have built a victim-centric policy and practice; we have increased the services directed at victims of sexual assault and domestic violence; and we have reduced the rate of incarceration for persons who do not present a safety risk to our community — providing millions of dollars in savings to our county.”
Separately, local Republicans are attempting to recall school board members in Fairfax and Loudoun counties, alleging that they plan to introduce critical race theory into the school curricula. No evidence to demonstrate the allegation has been offered. Beyond obtaining the requisite number of petition signatures, the recall must be approved by a circuit court judge, agreeing that each official has neglected his or her duty, misused the office, or acted incompetently.
The timing of these recall efforts is expected to culminate in October before the general statewide elections. Isn’t that coincidental?
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Categories: AROUND THE NOVAHOOD, democrats, elections, Issues, Local, political discourse, political parties, politics, prosecutors, republicans, RULE OF LAW, State, VOTING RIGHTS
Tags: foxes threaten washington post in nova, gmu law prof sues, recall effortsin fairfax
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