Virginia Democrats lost monumentally in November 2021, when now Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) ran on and was elected on education and protecting parental rights. While the governor looks to make good on his promises, state Democrats keep getting in the way.
As Fox News reported on Wednesday, state Sen. Monty Mason and state Del. Shelly Simonds, both Democrats, can be heard on recordings shared by the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) criticizing Republicans over S.B. 1515, which requires pornography websites to verify a user's age to be at least 18 before content can be accessed. Mason also mocked an amendment from the governor--which failed--that would have required children to get parents' permission to set up social media accounts and use websites that collect user data.
Speaking about bills that were "of consequences," Mason pointed out that Youngkin "slapped that online parental garbage pornography bill." He also mocked extra steps to require verification for making online purchases as "stupid."
HOT MIC:
— RSLC Rapid Response (@RSLC_Rapid) April 24, 2023
VA Democrat Sen. Monty Mason was caught saying Virginia parents protecting their children's online data was "parental garbage" and "stupid". pic.twitter.com/wWx6y7wCqD
The recordings come from a meet-and-greet event held at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia.
In another recording, Mason also mocks the governor for lamenting that "the Senate Democrats are playing politics with children's lives." While Republicans also took back control of the House of Delegates when Youngkin was elected, the state Senate is still under Democratic control and is considered a major target for the 2023 election.
"It's just all a part of this parental crap that they're selling," Mason said, as Del. Simonds chimed in to remind the senator "you guys killed it, right," as he proudly boasts "oh yeah, we killed it again!"
With an audible sigh, Simonds reminded "this is why we have to keep the Senate," as Mason can be heard chuckling. "It's because the House is in the hands of the Republicans, and they can push through all kinds of stupid things, and we rely on the Senate to kill it all."
Virginia Democrats think having a say is "parental crap" and "stupid"
— RSLC Rapid Response (@RSLC_Rapid) April 24, 2023
Sen. Monty Mason: "It's all a part of this parental crap that they are selling."
Rep. Shelly Simonds: We must keep the Senate because "the Republicans...can push through all kinds of stupid things." pic.twitter.com/dQvwk5I6DS
Speaking of a concern in the subject matters being taught in schools, the Fox News report closed in part with an apt observation, which is that it "led to a revolt against Democrats by suburban parents in Northern Virginia and around Richmond, despite trending towards the party in recent elections" and it's thus "unclear why Democrats would continue down the same course on such issues despite that election's outcome."
In response to the hot mic recordings, Dave Rexrode, Spirit of Virginia’s Chairman and a senior advisor to Gov. Youngkin, told Townhall that "Virginia Democrats have repeatedly told us parents do not matter." He also warned about the role American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten plays. "Their brick wall gives Randi Weingarten complete control over our schools rather than hardworking Virginia parents getting a say in their kids education. No wonder they’re in complete disarray fighting over who is more extreme," Rexrode continued.
Spirit of Virginia also retweeted a Fox News segment that the RSLC shared discussing the hot mic moment. Many others did as well, expressing their outrage over such tone deaf Democrats, and seeing it as motivation to vote them out of their majority in the Senate.
Virginia Democrats are a disgrace.
— ROOZ (@ROOZVA) April 27, 2023
Calling parental concerns over their children’s education “crap” is unacceptable.
We need a pro-parent state legislature in Richmond.
The only way to make that happen is by electing Republicans to support Governor @GlennYoungkin in November! https://t.co/91rgzvrXzz
This you, @SenMMason, and @shelly_simonds? Virginia parents, this is what Democrats think of us.
— The🐰FOO (@PolitiBunny) April 27, 2023
Pay attention and vote accordingly. https://t.co/z73aDyzbuT
They really do hate us. https://t.co/kieViCdcJS
— Seán Fhirnuin Óg Coinnigh (@svkenney) April 27, 2023
While Del. Simonds appears to regard keeping the state Senate in Democrats' hands such an urgent matter, not only are she and Sen. Mason not doing themselves any favors, but it looks like Democrats may be in overall disarray at the state Senate level.
L. Louise Lucas, the President Pro tempore in the Senate who has made it her mission to be a thorn in Gov. Youngkin's side, is now publicly airing her grievances in a Twitter thread from April 24 that is 15 tweets long, as she even acknowledges this is not something she normally does, using expletives to make her point.
👀
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 25, 2023
Some serious Dems in disarray building in Virginia. https://t.co/X22yaVFAg3
I usually stand by and don’t call out bullshit publicly. But to have colleagues working to raise money to try to defeat me because they don’t want communities like mine to have the kind of influence and power I have accumulated meant that I had to speak up. Enough is enough.
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) April 25, 2023
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