So in addition to the short-term impact of Republican control of the State Senate, there would likely be a long-term impact.

Damn

and the budget impasse will now be over - probably. I didn't know the why but now from this article I see why. He becomes a state employee and his daughter becomes a judge.

WOW!!

were both convicted for a similar type of scheme where Terrill got Leftwich to not run again in exchange for a job. Governor McAuliffe should explore bribery charges against Puckett and everybody else behind the job deals.

http://newsok.com/former-oklahoma-rep.-randy-terrill-sentenced-in-bribery-trial/article/3916386

http://morelaw.com/verdicts/case.asp?n=CF-2010-8067&s=OK&d=63635

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/courts/ex-sen-debbe-leftwich-gets-year-probation-in-bribery-case/article_e0da98f0-ea3a-54ca-a547-93b888e2e70b.html

So disgusted. This affects so much more than Medicaid expansion, which is vitally important in and of itself. AAARGH.

Thanks for the links.

I would be too embarrassed and ashamed to accept this. That is the difference between them and us.

not the public.

immediately after getting resignation?

and the 10th is already set - too late to redo ballots.

I thought that was normally the executive, ie the governor.

The legislature can appoint judges!

Those jobs the GOP promised will disappear quickly but your shame will live forever. You have a good job NOW. Do your job.

WTF?

And should be investigated as such.

but I do hope that there will be an investigation.

The whole situation is profoundly unethical, even if it may not be illegal.

Waldo Jaquith has more on this in his blog today -- an excellent post on the convergence of ethics, tobacco and politics in Virginia (with further details and updates on Star Scientific, the tobacco "pharmaceutical" company behind the downfall of former governor Bob McDonnell):

http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2014/06/puckett-tobacco-commission/

Sarcasm.

In any area of society where rich white men can benefit from bribery - it's now legal.

It's accept bribes or lose elections, pretty much.

I hope the GOP screws them just like this deal screwed the people of Virginia.

No honor among thieves should apply here.

proves he has no integrity.

Under Virginia’s bribery law, it is a felony for a state lawmaker to “accept{ } or agree{ } to accept from another … any pecuniary benefit offered, conferred or agreed to be conferred as consideration for or to obtain or influence the recipient’s decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a public servant or party official.”

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/06/08/3446357/a-lawmaker-may-have-just-accepted-an-illegal-bribe-in-order-to-flip-the-virginia-senate-to-the-gop/

No word though on the state judgeship job for his daughter.

What an unbelievable series of events (that's my kind interpretation).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/amid-firestorm-of-criticism-virginia-democrats-resignation-becomes-official/2014/06/09/b04d6760-efd3-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html?hpid=z1

This is such sad news for the people of Virgina, who like the people here in Indiana, that will continue to go without healthcare because of political maneuvering on the part of the Republican Party- Shame On Them & Shame on Senator Puckett!!!