One of Youngkin’s new Board of Visitors appointees opposes UVA’s ‘wokeness’
Last month, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced four new appointees to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors: Dr. Stephen Long, Amanda Pillion, Doug Wetmore, and Bert Ellis Jr.
Unlike the other appointees, Ellis, CEO of Ellis Capital, has been vocal online in his support of Youngkin and his disapproval of UVA. In a blog post penned last December, Ellis wrote that replacing BOV members was Youngkin’s “only opportunity to change/reverse the path to Wokeness that has overtaken our entire University.”
Ellis has already taken his own steps against supposed “wokeness” at the university—in 2020, he confronted Lawn resident Hira Azher in front of her room about a sign she had put on her door, reading: “Fuck UVA. UVA Operating Costs: KKKops, Genocide, Slavery, Disability, Black and Brown Life.” Ellis brought a razor blade to cut down the sign, but UVA ambassadors told him not to, according to a message Ellis addressed to “Friends of UVA.”
Azher describes Ellis’ appointment as “disappointing, but unfortunately, not surprising.”
“Although it is typically inappropriate for a man who has unapologetically threatened a student to be appointed to a leadership position,” she says, “this news is in line with UVA’s blatant disregard for BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, & People of Color] students, faculty, and community members.”
Although UVA President Jim Ryan called the sign “disappointing,” the administration said the sign was protected under free speech.
Referencing his blog post, Azher notes that “as Ellis works to ‘reverse the path of Wokeness that has overtaken our entire University,’ it is vital that we continue to organize, build community, and be bold in our response.”
When asked about Ellis’ controversial rhetoric and actions, the university referred C-VILLE to Ryan’s statement on the new appointees, in which he said he is “looking forward to collaborating with our newest board members as we continue to work to make the University the absolute best version of itself.”
President Biden issues executive order on abortion protections
Two weeks after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, President Joe Biden signed an executive order aiming to mitigate the current—and upcoming—state-by-state restrictions on abortion last week. The order directs the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a report outlining how it will protect and expand access to abortion pills, emergency contraception, and IUDs, as well as ramp up public education on abortion within 30 days. It also instructs the Federal Trade Commission to protect the privacy of consumers seeking information about reproductive health care.
The White House will put together a team of pro bono lawyers to provide legal representation to people seeking abortions, which “could include protecting the right to travel out of state” for the procedure, according to a White House statement. The order also vows to ensure the security of abortion patients and providers, including mobile clinics deployed to state borders.
Acknowledging the severe limits of the executive order, Biden called on Congress to enshrine abortion rights into federal law, and on voters to support pro-choice candidates in November.
During an interview with CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Governor Glenn Youngkin said he is working to ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions only made in cases of rape or incest, or when the mother’s life is “truly” at risk. When asked if he would ever pursue a complete ban on abortion in the state, the governor refused to give a direct answer.
“As a pro-life governor in a state like Virginia where I have a Senate that’s controlled by Democrats and a House that’s controlled by Republicans, we have to find a way to get things done,” said Youngkin.
In brief
Help wanted
The Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center is searching for a new lead instructor for its Building Trades program, which teaches various aspects of residential construction. The ideal candidate has at least five years of experience in the construction industry and is licensed in a construction trade, reports The Daily Progress.
Big red bucks
Between April 1 and June 30, Governor Glenn Youngkin’s PAC, Spirit of Virginia, received more than $1.5 million in donations, beating former governor Terry McAulliffe’s fundraising record—in 2014, the Democrat’s PAC raised around $600,000 during the second quarter of his first year in office. Youngkin’s top donors include wealthy oil executive William Holtzman, former coal executive Marvin Gilliam Jr., and VAMAC CEO J. Christopher Perry, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Crack down
A federal court has ruled that the Farmville Detention Center, privately run by Immigration Centers for America, can detain no more than 180 people—25 percent of its capacity—for the next two years, reports the Associated Press. In 2020, a judge prohibited the center from detaining more people after most of the individuals at the facility tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in the death of a 72-year-old Canadian man. According to a lawsuit filed by advocacy groups, only two people are currently detained at the facility.