The Washington Post:

“The bill, approved 20 to 19, concentrates minority voters in a new Southside district and changes most district lines. Democrats said the new map would make eight districts, six of them held by Democrats, more heavily Republican. The map, which now goes before the Republican-controlled House, also puts senators R. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath) and Emmett W. Hanger Jr. (R-Augusta) into one district. It also adds more Democrats to three already deeply blue districts. . . .

Sen. John C. Watkins (R-Powhatan) said the changes would give Virginia a sixth majority-black district and protect the commonwealth from possible litigation under the Voting Rights Act. He also said the map would improve on the lines that Democrats had drawn to benefit their party when they controlled Richmond’s upper chamber.”

Au contraire.

This looks like it might be the same old race game (aka “black max”) saga.  It might be that the an intentional effort to redistrict on the basis of race was made.  If so, the call for plaintiffs may commence shortly. 

Wash Post roundup.

The wailing and gnashing of teeth of Virginia Democrats.

Another reason not to enact vote-by-mail: slow results.

 SilenceDoGoodBlog has more.

UPDATE: Courtesy of some excellent folks with data – these two registrations are different people – one born in 1963 and one born in 1990.

“The chamber approved the bill, which would require that openings in most statewide offices be filled through special elections, in a 115-45 vote, making it the first major piece of legislation to successfully pass a chamber this session. The bill must also be approved by the Senate and signed by the governor.

While the legislation isn’t directly tied to Missouri’s 8th District Congressional vacancy and would not change how former U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson is replaced, the special election has motivated lawmakers to move quickly on the bill.”

Jim Treacher has this piece on the infamous DOJ leftist lawyer at the Daily Caller. “Meet Daniel J. Freeman, the Justice Dept. lawyer who booed Paul Ryan at the Inauguration.”

“Back in the old days, when you did something stupid, it probably never went beyond your friends who thought your stupid actions were somehow awesome. Then came Facebook. . . . ‘Civil Rights Lawyer. Wandering Jew. Failed aspirant to hipsterdom.’ Oh, I’m sure there are plenty of hipsters who are very pleased with Dan this week. Let’s take a closer look at this American hero.”

Details tonight.

The Drudge Report is again on the Dan Freeman story about the DOJ lawyer leading the boos against Paul Ryan:

Here is the scheduling order.  Apparently lawyers at Arnold and Porter have time on their hands and the ACLU has money to waste.  This will likely not turn out favorably for the plaintiffs.  From the Arnold and Porter website:

In addition to David Gersch, the Arnold & Porter LLP legal team included Michael Rubin, Dorian Hurley, Rosie Smith, Dana Peterson, Stanton Jones, Whitney Moore, Joseph Schlingbaum, Dan Bernstein, Rachel Frankel, Dawn Yamane Hewett, Bassel Korkor, Marissa Styne, Susan Rabinowitz, Christine Lao, Cathy Hoffman, John Freedman, Donna Patterson, Mark Colley and Kelby Ballena.

Michael R. Marshall, a “longtime Jennings County Democratic Party worker” indicted on 48 charges related to illegal absentee ballot handling during the 2010 election, will plead guilty to three counts of vote fraud, Class D felonies that could earn Marshall prison time.