Judge made citizens afraid to exercise rights

Wed, Jan 21 2009 — Source: Newport News Daily Press

In the next few weeks and if sanity prevails, the General Assembly will teach the judge that here in America, you can’t blast citizens for exercising their constitutional rights ”” then thwack them with a bill on top of it.

Because of Parker, two local Republican delegates ”” Tom Gear of Hampton and Harvey B. Morgan of Middlesex ”” have filed measures in Richmond to protect citizens against being forced to pay removal costs, attorney fees or other sanctions, should those citizens have the audacity to petition to remove an elected official.