Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin delivers the VCU commencement address in Richmond, Va., May 11, 2024. (Parker Michels-Boyce for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to numerous Virginia Democrats, including the Democratic chairman of the committee that voted to block Youngkin's appointments, Aaron Rouse, and Democratic candidate for governor, Abigail Spanberger, but did not hear back.
The blockade was initiated and approved by the Democrat-led Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections, chaired by Rouse. Youngkin and other Virginia Republicans argue the committee's unilateral move to block the board appointees violated state law requiring the full legislative body to approve the removal of gubernatorial appointees, as opposed to a single committee.
A circuit court judge ultimately sided with Democrats, allowing the appointees to be temporarily blocked by the committee. But Republicans subsequently appealed the matter, and it is currently awaiting a ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court.
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"We have a job to do as this committee, not only to protect our colleges and universities, but make sure that appointees and potential appointees are upholding the values and principles set forth by the Commonwealth," Rouse said during last week's hearing where 14 more Youngkin appointees were blocked. Meanwhile, in a letter sent to Youngkin last week, Democrat leaders in Virginia acknowledged that the rejections were "unprecedented," but declined that they were at all "partisan."
"This unprecedented level of rejection reflects not partisan obstruction, but genuine concerns about the qualifications, backgrounds, and intentions of your appointees," the letter stated, according to the Virginia Mercury. "The pattern of inappropriate nominations and acquiescence to outside political influence has created significant uncertainty and instability within our higher education system at a time when these institutions need steady, qualified leadership."
Democrats stated that the governor should suspend further appointments until they can confer with him further on the matter.
Image of the main lawn at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville. (Will Pryce/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images)
At GMU, the Board of Visitors lacks enough members required to constitute a quorum to conduct official business, the Washington Post reported.
Meanwhile, the school is facing multiple federal civil rights investigations related to alleged racial hiring quotas and the implementation of other DEI initiatives.
Additionally, last month, GMU's board voted to both retain and give a 1.5% raise to President Gregory Washington, who has reportedly refused to comply with Trump administration directives pertaining to DEI.
The University of Virginia has also faced federal scrutiny under the Trump administration for its implementation of DEI initiatives.
Fox News Digital reached out to the UVA, GMU and VMI boards for comment but did not immediately hear back.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/virginia-supreme-court-weigh-legality-democrats-efforts-block-gop-nominations-university-boards