Political Quotes

“I rise today in honor of Law Day earlier this week, May 1. Law Day is an annual tradition that is celebrated around the United States, usually at local bar association luncheons. It has been a tradition for over 40 years as a day to recognize the rule of law. The 2017 theme for Law Day was the 14th Amendment--a post- Civil War amendment, which for the first time in the Constitution defined what an American citizen was, the definition of citizenship, but it also provided a protection for all citizens as an entitlement to the privileges and immunities of all the laws in all the States, and all persons were entitled to equal protection of the laws, as well as no deprivation of life, liberty, and property without due process. It is a powerful and important amendment to the Constitution. I want to talk about Law Day because there is a matter that is soon to be pending before the body: a proposal in President Trump's fiscal year 2018 budget to eliminate funding for the Legal Services Corporation, the effort that was begun more than four decades ago to try to provide free legal services for indigent people on matters in the civil courts that could affect their lives, liberty or property. I will say, I am standing here as an attorney who practiced for 17 years and practiced with Central Virginia Legal Aid and saw the value of their work.…”