RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – If your head is spinning from the details of Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling’s tie-breaking vote Wednesday to give Republicans control of the Virginia Senate, don’t feel bad.
Many people not familiar with the nuances and technicalities of Senate procedure, and even some legislators, grappled with the same thing.
Members of the Senate had to call two hour-long recesses Wednesday just to go over some of the rules and focus their plan of attack.
Ultimately, Bolling rejected a power-sharing proposal offered by Senator Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, and cast the tie-breaking vote on a 20-20 split to adopt the Republican-sponsored rules of procedure.
The move gave Republicans majority status in the Senate, and discretion over who chairs and sits in powerful Senate committees.
Democrats accused Republicans of tailoring the rules to fit their needs, and alleged that Bolling has no constitutional right to cast a vote in organizational matters.
CBS 6 Anchor/Reporter Sam Brock sat down with the Bolling Thursday to try and sort the complicated scenario out. Watch his uncut interview in the video player above.
