In last night’s final Virginia gubernatorial debate, Democrat Ralph Northam’s troubles with Virginia law enforcement got even worse. When Northam was asked about Governor Terry McAuliffe’s decision to cancel a meeting with the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association – political retribution that was enacted after a majority of its members decided to endorse Republican Ed Gillespie over McAuliffe’s lieutenant governor – Northam failed to call out McAuliffe and instead made no attempt to deny that it was political payback.
Northam then threw his former running mate under the bus, claiming that he “had absolutely nothing to do with the cancellation of that meeting” while giving no defense or explanation for the Democrat governor’s decision that will “put sheriffs at ‘a tremendous disadvantage’ in the 2018 General Assembly session.”
The Washington Examiner published a piece describing Northam’s refusal refusal to defend McAuliffe, noting that he didn’t “so much dump him under the bus as he jacked the vehicle up on stilts, dragged him under, and dropped it on him.”
Here's more, from the Washington Examiner:
Asked by Republican Ed Gillespie why McAuliffe refused to meet with the Virginia Sherriff’s Association — after a number of those police endorsed the GOP candidate for governor — Northam responded that he ‘had absolutely nothing to do with the cancellation of that meeting.’
That’s tantamount to a confession that McAuliffe snubbed the police because of petty politics and it could haunt the McAuliffe long after this race is over. Here’s why:
A non-partisan police organization, the Virginia Sherriff’s Association planned to meet with the Democrat governor earlier in September. But according to that organization’s executive director “the governor canceled the meeting because a majority of sheriffs have endorsed Ed Gillespie.” Rather than hem or haw, the Richmond Times Dispatch reports, McAuliffe “did not dispute” the claim.
On stage Monday night Northam didn’t even bother defending his boss. He just jumped clear and gave Gillespie a clear shot at both men.
"The fact is that you just made clear law enforcement is not a priority for you, Gillespie rebutted. "You’re not going to urge the governor to have that meeting. I will do it right now: Gov. McAuliffe please reschedule that meeting with the sheriff’s association."
Previously: