VIRGIL GOODE

'Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr.' (surname rhymes with ''mood'', not ''would''), born October 17, 1946, is an American politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He represents the 5th congressional district of Virginia (map), which takes in the Southside region and extends north to Charlottesville.
In late 2006, he elicited widespread criticism from some, and praise from others, because of comments he made about Congressman-elect Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Islam, the Bible, and immigration.

Contents

Early life

State politics

Congressional career

Political positions

Controversies

MZM

2006 Qur'an controversy

References

External links

Early life

Goode was born in Richmond, Virginia; but has spent most of his life in Rocky Mount, a small town outside Roanoke. Goode graduated with a B.A. from the University of Richmond (Phi Beta Kappa) and with a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. He also served in the National Guard from 1969 to 1975.

State politics

Goode grew up as a Democrat.^[1] He entered politics soon after graduating from law school. At the age of 27 he won a special election to the state Senate from a Southside district as an Independent after the death of the Democratic incumbent. One of his major campaign focuses at the time was advocacy for the Equal Rights Amendment.^[2] Soon after being elected, he joined the Democrats.
Goode wore his party ties very loosely. He became famous for his support of the tobacco industry, where he spoke about his fear that "his elderly mother would be denied 'the one last pleasure' of smoking a cigarette on her hospital deathbed." He was an ardent defender of gun rights while being an enthusiastic supporter of L. Douglas Wilder, who would become the first elected black governor in the history of the United States. At the Democratic Party's political convention, it was Goode who nominated Wilder for lieutenant governor in 1985. However, while governor, Wilder cracked down on the sale of guns in the state. Goode ran for the U.S. Senate in 1982 and 1994 and was defeated in the Democratic primary both times. He angered much of the leadership of the Virginia Democratic Party during his second run, when he challenged incumbent Chuck Robb.^[2]
After the 1995 elections resulted in a 20-20 split between Democrats and Republicans, Goode seriously considered voting with the Republicans on organizing the chamber. Had he done so, the State Senate would have been under Republican control for the first time since Reconstruction (the Republicans ultimately won control outright in 1999). Goode's actions at the time "forced his party to share power with Republican lawmakers in the state legislature," which further upset the Democratic party.
Del. Bob Hull, who served with Goode in the Virginia House of Delegates, says “Virgil can best be described as a Populist. He has more in common with William Jennings Bryan, whose father was a Virginian, who supported ‘the laboring masses and the toilers everywhere.’ He supports the underdog and fights hard for the people of his district, which has been hard hit by the loss of manufacturing and textile jobs. ...Regardless of his political party, I am sure that his views are representative of those of his district."

Congressional career

When Congressman L.F. Payne retired in 1996, Goode won the Democratic nomination to succeed him. He won election easily, as his state senate district was virtually coextensive with the southern portion of the congressional district. During his first term, Goode compiled a very conservative voting record, even by Southern Democratic standards. Like many Southern Democrats, Goode strongly opposed abortion and gun control and vigorously supported the tobacco industry. He is also a long-time opponent of same-sex marriage and gay civil unions. His contrarian streak resulted in him being isolated within the Democratic caucus, which later led to his subsequent party switches.
Goode came under considerable fire shortly after being unopposed for a second term in 1998, when he voted for three of the four articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton. In January 2000, he declared himself an independent and began caucusing with the Republicans, who gave him a seat on the Appropriations Committee. He was handily re-elected that November, touting himself as a congressman who was "as independent as the people he serves." He officially became a Republican in August 2002 before the primary election, making him the first Republican to represent this district since Reconstruction. Republicans had been lobbying him to switch parties since 1998. Reflecting on Goode’s record at the time, David Brown, the mayor of Charlottesville and a former chairman of the city's Democratic Party said "It was obvious he didn't really fit in the Democratic Party anymore."
For the 2001 congressional redistricting, Goode allied with Republican Bob Goodlatte and Democrat Rick Boucher to ensure that none of them would be put in the same district. Goode's home in Franklin County is only about 20 miles (32 km) south of Goodlatte's home in Roanoke, which is in the . The counties to the west of Franklin County are in Boucher's 9th District, which had to expand due to lack of population growth. He won his first full term as a Republican in November, 2002, with 63.47% of the vote,^[4] and was elected to a fifth term, and his second full term as a Republican, with 63.68% in 2004.^[5] In 2006 Goode won 59% of the vote, with challenger Al Weed garnering 40% of the vote.
He also serves on the Liberty Caucus (sometimes called the Liberty Committee), a group of liberty-minded congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle.^[6] Congressman Ron Paul hosts a luncheon for the Liberty Caucus every Thursday. Other members include Jimmy Duncan of Tennessee, Walter B. Jones of North Carolina, Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Zach Wamp of Tennessee and Jeff Flake of Arizona.^[7]

Political positions

His primary policy initiatives are anti-amnesty immigration reform, veterans' healthcare, and the enactment in 2004 of a $9.6 billion buyout for tobacco farmers. Goode has sponsored legislation to permit deployment of the U.S. Armed Forces to the U.S.-Mexico border. He voted in 2002 to authorize the Iraq War and in support of an $87 billion Iraq War supplemental spending bill.
Goode voted in 2007 against a resolution opposing the increase in troop numbers in Iraq,^[8] saying that he didn't want to "aid and assist the Islamic jihadists who want the green flag of the crescent and star to wave over the Capitol of the United States and over the White House of this country" and that "radical Muslims" wanted to control the world and put "In Muhammad We Trust" on American currency.^[9]

Controversies

MZM

In 2005, Goode faced questions when a major corporate campaign donor, defense contractor MZM, Inc., was implicated in a bribery scandal that resulted in the criminal conviction and resignation of California congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham.^[10] Although Goode insisted that his relations with MZM were motivated solely by his interest in bringing high-paying skilled jobs to his district, in December of that year he donated the $88,000 received in MZM contributions to regional charities.
On July 21, 2006 Richard Berglund, a former supervisor of the Martinsville, Va. office of MZM Inc., pleaded guilty to making illegal donations to Goode's campaign. Court papers indicated that Berglund and MZM owner Mitchell Wade (who previously pleaded guilty) engaged in a scheme to reimburse MZM employees for campaign donations.^[11] There was no allegation of wrong-doing on the part of Goode's campaign.

2006 Qur'an controversy

Main articles: Virgil Goode and the Qur'an oath controversy of the 110th United States Congress

In 2006, Keith Ellison was elected as the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Some have criticized Ellison's intended use of the Qur'an for his unofficial swearing-in ceremony. Goode has been vocal in his opposition to Ellison's plan. One of Goode's constituents recently posted a letter online from the congressman regarding Ellison. The letter says in part:

When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way. The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran.

Ellison has criticized Goode for this letter, stating that he is not an immigrant and that Goode does not understand Islam. He has also offered to meet with Goode to discuss the matter.^[12] The copy of the Qur'an used by Ellison in his private swearing-in ceremony was once owned by Thomas Jefferson, the nation's third president and author of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.^[13] Monticello, Jefferson's home, is located in the congressional district that Goode represents.
In recent interviews, Goode has also stated that he is in favor of decreasing legal immigration to the United States and that he wants to do away with Diversity Immigrant Visas. Goode argues that these visas may allow people "not from European countries" or from "some terrorist states" to enter America.^[14] Goode also repeated his views on a January 1, 2007 post to the ''USA Today'' blog.^[15]
On his first day in office, Ellison sought out Goode and initiated a cordial exchange on the House floor.^[16]

References

1. Delegate Hull's Richmond Report Retrieved on Dec. 28, 2006
2. Goode Has Often Inspired Political Ire Retrieved on Dec. 29, 2006
3. Goode Has Often Inspired Political Ire Retrieved on Dec. 29, 2006
4. [1]
5. Commonwealth of Virginia — General Election 2004; Vote totals US House District 5 Retrieved on Dec. 28, 2006
6. The Liberty Committee
7. The Antiwar, Anti-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul Christopher Caldwell
8. [2]
9. [3]
10. Goode's liability in scandal unclear Retrieved on Dec. 28, 2006
11. Goode’s war chest turns up new MZM donor Retrieved on Dec. 28, 2006
12. Congressman Criticizes Election of Muslim Retrieved on Dec. 22, 2006
13. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/03/AR2007010300075.html
14. Ellison: Lawmaker has 'a lot to learn about Islam' Retrieved on Dec. 22, 2006
15. Oppossing view: Save Judeo-Christian Values Retrieved on Jan. 4, 2007
16. Muslim congressman shakes critic's hand' Retrieved on Jan. 5, 2007

External links

★ U.S. Congressman Virgil Goode 'official House site'

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★ Federal Election Commission — Virgil H. Goode Jr. campaign finance reports and data

★ On the Issues — Virgil Goode issue positions and quotes

★ OpenSecrets.org — Virgil H. Goode Jr. campaign contributions

★ Project Vote Smart — Representative Virgil H. Goode Jr. (VA) profile

★ SourceWatch Congresspedia — Virgil Goode profile

★ Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Virgil Goode voting record

★ Audio from Goode's August 9, 2006 debate with Al Weed