McAuliffe likely to submit bill to remove Richmond's Lee Monument
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Gov. Terry McAuliffe says he will likely submit a bill before leaving office that would enable the removal of the Robert E. Lee Monument on Monument Avenue in Richmond.
After the deadly violence at a protest over the plan to remove the Robert E. Lee Confederate statue in Charlottesville, McAuliffe, Lt. Gov. Northam, and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney called for the monuments to come down.
But a state law protects monuments to war veterans that are state-owned from being removed or altered. Richmond's Lee Monument is owned by the state. The other four Confederate monuments on Monument Avenue were built on private property and given to the City of Richmond.
McAuliffe said removing the Lee Monument would require the General Assembly, and he is "most likely" to submit a bill to change the law.
House Majority Leader Kirk Cox (R - Colonial Heights) responded to the idea on Monday.
"I disagree with that. We've been pretty clear about that obviously last year. I feel personally, that the monuments should stay. But having said that, nothing wrong with a dialog, especially with localities. But I really felt like those three or four days, it was time to mourn those folks. I thought it was unfortunate when Mayor Stoney reversed his position," said Cox.
Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signor urged the governor to call a special session to deal with this issue. A special session has not been planned at this point.
McAuliffe leaves office in January. His bill would have to pass the General Assembly and be signed by the next governor to take effect.
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