Freshman Delegate A.C. Cordoza (R-Hampton) said in a Thursday speech in the House of Delegates that the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus (VLBC) wouldn’t allow him to join due to political differences, but VLBC Chair Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico) told The Virginia Star that it was due to concern over Cordoza’s motives.
“When I came to this assembly, I expected to be welcomed with open arms by my brothers and sisters in the Legislative Black Caucus. Instead, I was rejected by a vote. While I’m sure a few of my brothers and sisters voted for me to join them, the majority did not,” Cordoza said in his speech. “This was disheartening but not shocking. The questionnaire for entry had little to do with being black and had more to do with being leftist.”
Cordoza said he was given a questionnaire focused on the VLBC agenda, including questions about school choice, environmental justice, reforming the elected official recall process, criminal justice reform, and collective bargaining.
“And most disheartening: protect gun safety legislation such as one handgun a month, the locality’s ability to ban firearms at public buildings, and banning firearms at polling places. These questions particularly are spitting in the face of our ancestors who fought to have all of our rights guaranteed,” Cordoza said. “As many of you know, Martin Luther King, Jr. applied for a permit to carry a gun to protect himself. He was denied and he was killed without the ability to protect himself.”
“I asked myself what any of those things mentioned has to do with being black? The answer is, it has nothing to do with being black. It’s about being leftist. And that means that the caucus is not about being black, it’s about being leftist. Yesterday, one of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle said that we want black voices at the table. Well, my black voice came to the table and it was rejected,” Cordoza said. “Maybe I need to start my own caucus, the Virginia Non-Leftist Black Caucus. Right now, it’ll be a caucus of one, but that’s okay.”
“As Thoreau said, ‘Any man more right than his neighbors constitutes a majority of one already.’ I’m proud to be a majority of one,” he said.
In response, Delegate Luke Torian (D-Prince William) hinted to the delegates that Cordoza wasn’t providing all the facts.
On Friday, Bagby told The Star “It’s discouraging. One of the things I’ve told him, and Torian was in the room, was that there was an opportunity for another vote. And I told him that even before he gave the speech, even though I know he had been in communication with Fox News and was trying to make this a story all along,” Bagby said. “As I told him, when I was sharing with him about the vote, there’s a desire on my part for him to have been a member. There’s also a desire of the full body that there’s a level of trust, that he’s coming in with good intentions, not just to distract from our agenda.”
Bagby said he still thinks there’s a path for Cordoza to join the caucus.
“We don’t expect him at all – matter of fact, I would think less of him if he changes his viewpoints to be a member of any body, whether that’s being a Republican, or being a Democrat, or being a part of the black caucus. It’s less about him agreeing with us on everything and more about him being honest with us about his intentions,” he said.
Bagby highlighted Kay Coles James, Governor Glenn Youngkin’s nominee for Secretary of the Commonwealth.
“She’s the model of a black Republican, or black Democrat, being able to work on both sides of the aisle, but not just work on the agenda, but be someone that you can look at the content of their character, whether you agree with them or disagree with them. That somebody can respect why they’re here,” Bagby said.
He cited a debate between Delegate Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) and Delegate Sally Hudson (D-Charlottesville) as an example.
“I love it when both sides of the aisle have a debate,” he said. “They gave a one-on-one of what it should look like: being prepared, being honest, being passionate, and being respectful.”
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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
