Musical chairs on the Crime Commission

The Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday reshuffled the membership of the Virginia State Crime Comission. The odd man out is Republican Sen. Tommy Norment of James City County.

Norment, an attorney, has served on the commission for a number of years. He was replaced by a senior Democrat, Sen. Henry Marsh of Richmond.

Marsh became chairman of the Courts of Justice Committee after Democrats took over the Senate this year. Now, the Democratically-controlled committee says it makes sense to have Marsh also serve on the crime commission.

Norment said it also made sense to have long-time members with institutional knowledge remain there.

Norment was disappointed, but displomatic. He reminded Sen. Mary Marget Whipple, who chairs the Rules Committee, that he wrote her a letter last month specifically requesting to be kept on. Norment said he had no problem with Marsh's appointment, but he didn't want to leave.

A couple of senior Democrats agreed. They wanted to see Marsh and Norment on the same panel.

This is tough," said Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax.

But Whipple spoke of the value in bringing new perspectives to the commission. If you want to do that, "changes get made," she said.

Comments

[Ghost of Alexander Hamilton]

The leader of the Senate Democrats is Mary M. Whipple......Saslaw just keeps the lights turned on.