Virginia passes bill to limit legal claims on one firm

[Blue_Tires]

RICHMOND -- The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill that would help protect a single Fortune 500 company from asbestos lawsuits -- a proposal that House Speaker William J. Howell has been quietly maneuvering to have his chamber support for weeks.

The powerful Republican leader took the unusual step of pleading his case to his caucus behind closed doors, said several delegates, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions. Howell also personally visited individual delegates, including Democrats, and encouraged them to back the measure as a "personal favor," according to several sources. And he reshuffled the committee that was considering the bill -- which it approved last week after it was unexpectedly killed in committee two years in a row.

As he presided over the debate on the House floor this week, an unusually curt Howell told one Democratic delegate who stood to speak on the bill to sit down, and ignored a question from another.

The measure passed an initial vote on Monday, but was defeated unexpectedly Tuesday on a tie vote after some Republicans switched positions and others, who were absent from the earlier vote because of snow, sided against it. Under House rules, the measure was able to be heard again and, on its final try, it passed 49 to 48.

Three lawmakers, including Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax), switched their votes to support. Albo said several House leaders, including Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem), persuaded him to back the bill in order to win approval of his own priorities, including funding for Northern Virginia schools, later in the legislative session.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/09/AR2010020903797.html

[libreb]

1. Populism?

Don't you just love it when conservatives fight for the "little" guy?