Democrats ‘stunned’ as Youngkin vetoes 25 bipartisan bills — including 3 from Hampton Roads lawmakers

Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed 25 bills this week — all from Democrats — that received bipartisan support in the General Assembly, a move some lawmakers viewed as an act of retaliation.

State Sen. Creigh Deeds told The Virginian-Pilot he believes the governor wanted to get back at certain Democrats for rejecting his picks for the state parole board, as well as for secretary of natural and historic resources.

“It’s tit for tat and he wants to continue that war with us,” Deeds said. “He doesn’t want to talk and have conversations and figure out how to govern or move forward.”

A Youngkin spokesperson declined to comment directly on Deed’s allegations Tuesday, instead directing The Pilot to Youngkin’s list of veto explanations.

“My goal as Governor is to make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family and the bills I vetoed today reaffirm that commitment,” Youngkin wrote in a Monday night news release.

Youngkin’s relationship with Democrats took a hit during the recent legislative session when they opposed appointing Andrew Wheeler to serve as Virginia’s top environmental officer. Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, led the Environmental Protection Agency for two years under former President Donald Trump and created controversy by rolling back numerous environmental regulations.

Nine of the 25 bills vetoed were introduced by Sen. Adam Ebbin, who chairs the Senate committee that shot down Youngkin’s nominations, leading Deeds to conclude the governor was targeting certain legislators. Ebbin, however, did have one bill that was signed into law.

“It just doesn’t make sense, if you look at the bills themselves ... they are bills that went through without negative votes,” Deeds said. “They were totally innocuous.”

Ebbin wrote on Twitter that he was “stunned” by Youngkin’s decision to veto “noncontroversial” legislation.

Deeds also chalked up Youngkin’s vetoes to his political inexperience. Youngkin, a businessman, had not previously served as an elected official.

“His idea is that he can take the Senate back in 2023, so that’s what he’s focused on,” said Deeds. “Let him focus on that, but we were elected to govern.”

Three of the rejected bills were from legislators in Hampton Roads, including a housing bill from Newport News Democrat Cia Price that would have given localities the authority to sue negligent landlords over matters that endanger tenants’ health.

In Youngkin’s explanation, he wrote that the bill included “unnecessary and duplicative provisions” that were already established under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.

Price said she was confused by his explanation, as judges and lawyers she’s spoken to say that isn’t the case.

“I’m trying to get to the bottom of that,” she said.

Noting that she’s been outspoken on civil rights issues, Price said it was “very possible” the governor targeted her bill. But she said she couldn’t be sure.

“I’m not in the position where I would have benefited from this, I am in the position where I represent a ton of people who could have,” she said. “... So (he) still didn’t succeed, if it was a personal attack.”

Portsmouth Democrat Louise Lucas, one of the governor’s most outspoken critics, took to Twitter on Wednesday to share a bit of advice.

“I always taught my kids that bullies don’t like it if you punch back — they go away and pick on someone else,” she wrote. “Saying this for my fellow Democrats because not a single one of my bills got vetoed today by Governor Youngkin. They only respect us when we fight back!”

Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com, 757-835-1487