Legislature elects 1st openly gay judge to Richmond court

"I want to thank the members of the General Assembly for their thoughtful deliberation concerning my nomination," Thorne-Begland told The Times-Dispatch. "I also want to thank my family for their support throughout this process, and I look forward to continuing my service on behalf of this great commonwealth."

The respected ex-Richmond prosecutor is a decorated former Naval aviator who in 1992 challenged the military's now defunct "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy prohibiting gays from serving in the armed forces.

The House roll call was taken without floor speeches or debate, and cleared the way for the expected approval in the Senate of Thorne-Begland's election to a full six-year term.

On Monday, leadership in the Virginia Senate all but guaranteed Thorne-Begland would be approved by the 40-member chamber. A majority in the House and Senate must agree to elect a judge in Virginia.  

The House vote was a dramatic turnaround from May, when Thorne-Begland's nomination was derailed in a contentious, late-hour debate that arose over questions of his military service and concerns voiced by social conservatives that he would be an advocate for gay issues from the bench.

The judges of the Richmond Circuit Court subsequently appointed Thorne-Begland to the vacant Manchester Court post, where he has served on an interim basis since July, handing a full docket of criminal and traffic cases in South Richmond.

On Monday, Thorne-Begland appeared before the joint judicial appointment panel of the House and Senate Courts of Justice committees, and spent 45 minutes answering questions surrounding his military service and his views on the role of a judge.

The public appearance was procedural, but underscored what had been a months-long process during which Thorne-Begland met with numerous lawmakers who had expressed concerns and attempted to clarify misinformation and misconceptions about his candidacy.

In the House, Thorne-Begland received the votes of 29 Democrats and 37 Republicans, including House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford; Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights; and House Courts chairman Dave Albo, R-Fairfax.

His nomination was also supported by the entire Richmond House delegation of Democrats and Republicans.

"The vote today confirmed that irrespective of your race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, the only crucial and paramount quality is judicial fairness and open mindedness," said Del. Joe Morrissey, D-Henrico.

"I'm extremely excited -- it's been a long time coming and I think it's the correct result," said Del. G. Manoli Loupassi, R-Richmond, who was Thorne-Begland's sponsor in the House. "He's qualified, well thought of, and he's going to do a great job."  

Loupassi attributed the difference in support for Thorne-Begland a second time around to lawmakers having the time to gather more information and understand the issues and the circumstances of Thorne-Begland's career in the military and his views as a judge. He said it all pointed to the same conclusion -- that he was qualified to serve on the bench.

All 28 of the votes against Thorne-Begland were cast by Republicans, including a contingent of military veterans who had earlier raised objection to Thorne-Begland's decision to publicly come out as gay while serving in the U.S. Navy.

Asked if Thorne-Begland's sexuality played a role in the vote that elected him, Loupassi responded: "Not today."

“This is a big step forward after last year’s actions made embarrassing national headlines,” added James Parrish, executive director of the gay rights group, Equality Virginia.

“Equality Virginia is pleased that the House of Delegates could see that Thorne-Begland is a qualified candidate with integrity and a long history of public service,” Parrish said.  “Thorne-Begland has served his country and his city with honor and unquestioned competence first as a Navy pilot and then as a prosecutor.”

“We’re glad the House of Delegates took a second look at his candidacy and this time the decision was based on his qualifications and not on who he is or who he loves.”