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Virgil Goode
United States Representative from Virginia's 5th district
In office 1997 - present
Preceded by	Lewis F. Payne, Jr.
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	October 17, 1946 Richmond, Virginia
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Lucy Dodson
Religion	Baptist (convert from Presbyterian)

Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr. (surname rhymes with mood, not would), born October 17, 1946, is an American politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He represents the Fifth Congressional District of Virginia (map), which takes in the Southside region and extends north to Charlottesville. He has been recently involved in a controversy regarding comments he made about incoming Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN), Islam, and immigration. Image File history File links Current_event_marker. ... Image File history File links Virgil_goode. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... This article is about the U.S. Commonwealth. ... Virginias fifth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the state of Virginia. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lewis Franklin Payne, Jr. ... October 17 is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Nickname: River City, Cap City, R-V-A Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: Country United States State Virginia County Independent City Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (D) Area    - City 62. ... For other uses, see Republican Party (disambiguation) or GOP (disambiguation). ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church or any follower of Jesus Christ who believes that baptism is administered by the full immersion of a confessing Christian. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... October 17 is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... This article is about the U.S. Commonwealth. ... Southside is the colloquial name given to a broad swath of southeastern and/or south-central Virginia. ... Charlottesville is an independent city located within the confines of Albemarle County in the state of Virginia. ... Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who became the first Muslim[1][2] to be elected to the United States Congress when he won the vacant seat for Minnesotas 5th congressional district in the House of Representatives, one of eight congressional districts... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (مسلم), believe God (Arabic: الله ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ...

Early life

Born in Richmond, Virginia, he graduated with a B.A. from the University of Richmond (Phi Beta Kappa) and with a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. He also served in the National Guard from 1969 to 1975. Nickname: River City, Cap City, R-V-A Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: Country United States State Virginia County Independent City Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (D) Area    - City 62. ... The University of Richmond is a private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located in Richmond, Virginia. ... The University of Virginia (also called U.Va. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

State politics

Goode, “coming from a long line of Democrats”,^[1] entered politics soon after graduating from law school. At the age of 27 he won a special election to the state Senate as an Independent. One of his major campaign focuses at the time was advocacy for the Equal Rights Amendment.^[2] In the state senate he represented much of Southside, Goode's hometown being Rocky Mount in Franklin County. While a state senator, Goode switched parties to become a conservative Democrat. Goode was an ardent defender of gun rights while being an enthusiastic supporter of L. Douglas Wilder, who would become the first black governor in the history of Virginia and of the United States (and was known for "cracking down on the sale of guns in Virginia.")^[2] At the Democratic Party's political convention, it was Goode who nominated Wilder for lieutenant governor in 1985.^[2] In Virginia's Senate Goode became famous for his support of the tobacco industry, where he spoke about his fear that "his elderly mother would be denied 'the one last pleasure' of smoking a cigarette on her hospital deathbed."^[2] Goode ran for the U.S. Senate in 1982 and 1994 and was defeated in the Democratic primary both times. He angered much of the leadership of the Virginia Democratic Party when he challenged incumbent Democrat Chuck Robb in the 1994 U.S. Senate primary.^[2] After the 1994 elections resulted in a 20-20 split between Democrats and Republicans, Goode seriously considered voting with the Republicans on organizing the chamber. Had he done so, the State Senate would have been under Republican control for the first time since Reconstruction (the Republicans ultimately won control outright in 1998). Goode's actions at the time "forced his party to share power with Republican lawmakers in the state legislature" which further upset the Democratic party.^[2] In the Virginia State Congress “his Democratic colleagues did not appreciate his contrarian views" which later caused him to become "an Independent again and then a Republican.”^[1] (see below). The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that was intended to guarantee equal rights under the law for Americans regardless of sex. ... Rocky Mount is a town located in Franklin County, Virginia. ... Franklin County is a county located in the United States state of Virginia. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... Lawrence Douglas Wilder (born January 17, 1931) is an American politician. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Charles Spittal Chuck Robb (born June 26, 1939) is an American politician. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... // Reconstruction was a period in United States history, 1863–1877, that resolved the issues of the American Civil War when both the Confederacy and its system of slavery were destroyed. ...

Del. Bob Hull who served with Good in the Virginia House of Delegates says “Virgil can best be described as a Populist. He has more in common with William Jennings Bryan, whose father was a Virginian, who supported ‘the laboring masses and the toilers everywhere.’ He supports the underdog and fights hard for the people of his district, which has been hard hit by the loss of manufacturing and textile jobs. ...Regardless of his political party, I am sure that his views are representative of those of his district."^[1] Populism is a political philosophy or rhetorical style that holds that the common persons interests are oppressed or hindered by the elite in society, and that the instruments of the state need to be grasped from this self-serving elite and used for the benefit and advancement of the... William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, statesman, and politician. ...

Congressional career

When Congressman Lewis F. Payne, Jr. retired in 1996, Goode won the Democratic nomination to succeed him. He won election easily, as his state senate district was virtually coextensive with the southern portion of the congressional district. During his first term, Goode compiled a conservative voting record by Democratic standards. Like many Southern Democrats, Goode strongly opposed abortion and gun control and vigorously supported the tobacco industry. He is also a long-time opponent of same-sex marriage and gay civil unions. Lewis Franklin Payne, Jr. ...

Goode came under considerable fire shortly after being unopposed for a second term in 1998, when he voted for three of the four articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton. In January 2000, he declared himself an independent and caucused with Republicans, who gave him a seat on the Appropriations Committee. He was handily reelected that November, touting himself as a congressman who was "as independent as the people he serves." He officially became a Republican in August 2002 before the primary election, making him the first Republican to represent this district since Reconstruction. Republicans had been lobbying him to switch parties since 1998 and reportedly promised him a seat on the Appropriations Committee. Reflecting on Goode’s record at the time David Brown, the mayor of Charlottesville and a former chairman of the city's Democratic Party said "It was obvious he didn't really fit in the Democratic Party anymore."^[2] 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The Committee on Appropriations, or Appropriations Committee (often referred to as simply Appropriations, as in Hes on Appropriations) is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... // Reconstruction was a period in United States history, 1863–1877, that resolved the issues of the American Civil War when both the Confederacy and its system of slavery were destroyed. ...

For the 2001 Congressional redistricting, Goode allied with Republican Bob Goodlatte and Democrat Rick Boucher to ensure that none of them would be put in the same district. Goode's residence in Franklin County is only about 32 km (20 miles) south of Goodlatte's residence in Roanoke. The counties to the west of Franklin County are in Boucher's 9th district, which had to expand geographically due to lack of population growth. He won his first full term as a Republican in November with 63.47% of the vote [1], and was elected to a fifth term, and his second full term as a Republican, with 63.68% in 2004.^[3] In 2006 Goode won 59% of the vote, with challenger Al Weed garnering 40% of the vote. Robert William Bob Goodlatte (born September 22, 1952) is a Republican U.S. Representative from Virginia. ... Rick Boucher Frederick Carlyle Rick Boucher (born August 1, 1946) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing Virginias 9th Congressional District (map). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Albert Charles Weed II is a Virginia winemaker, businessman, military expert and progressive Democrat. ...

His primary policy initiatives are anti-amnesty immigration reform, veterans' healthcare, and the enactment in 2004 of a $9.6 billion buyout for tobacco farmers. Goode has sponsored legislation to permit deployment of the U.S. Armed Forces to the U.S.-Mexico border. He voted in 2002 to authorize the Iraq War and in support of an $87 billion Iraq War supplemental spending bill.

MZM controversy

In 2005, Goode faced questions when a major corporate campaign donor, defense contractor MZM, Inc., was implicated in a bribery scandal that resulted in the criminal conviction and resignation of California congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham.^[4] Although Goode insisted that his relations with MZM were motivated solely by his interest in bringing high-paying skilled jobs to his district, in December of that year he donated the $88,000 received in MZM contributions to regional charities. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Randy Duke Cunningham speaking January 2005 Randall Harold Cunningham (born December 8, 1941), usually known as Randy or Duck, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Californias 50th Congressional District. ...

On July 21, 2006 Richard Berglund, a former supervisor of the Martinsville, Va. office of MZM Inc., pleaded guilty to making illegal donations to Goode's campaign. Court papers indicated that he and MZM owner Mitchell Wade (who previously pleaded guilty) engaged in a scheme to reimburse MZM employees for campaign donations.^[5] There was no allegation of wrong-doing on the part of Goode's campaign. July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Martinsville is an independent city located within the confines of Henry County, Virginia. ... Mitchell J. Mitch Wade (c. ...

2006 Quran controversy

Main article: Virgil Goode and the Quran Oath Controversy of the 110th United States Congress

In 2006, Keith Ellison was elected as the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Some have criticized Ellison's intended use of the Koran for his unofficial swearing-in ceremony. Goode has been vocal in his opposition to Ellison's plan. One of Goode's constituents recently posted a letter online from the congressman regarding Ellison. The letter says in part: After American conservative pundit Dennis Pragers column questioning the decision of the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress, Rep-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), to use the Quran during his swearing in ceremonies. ... Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who became the first Muslim[1][2] to be elected to the United States Congress when he won the vacant seat for Minnesotas 5th congressional district in the House of Representatives, one of eight congressional districts... The Quran (Arabic al-qurʾān أَلْقُرآن; also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and less commonly Alcoran) is the holy book of Islam. ...

When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way. The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran.

Ellison has criticized Goode for this letter, stating that he is not an immigrant and that Goode does not understand Islam. He has also offered to meet with Goode to discuss the matter.^[6]

Ellison states that he will use the Koran owned by Jefferon. Although Jefferson owned a Koran, he did not agree with Islam. He was known to openly complain of the Barbary Pirates (muslims) of North Africa as a menace to to the United States. Jefferson owned many books to better understand the people and religions of the world. This does not mean that he agreed with the books (Koran) at all. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/jefferson_papers/mtjprece.html

In recent interviews, Goode has also stated that he is in favor of decreasing legal immigration to the United States and that he wants to do away with Diversity Immigrant Visas. Goode argues that these visas may allow people "not from European countries" or from "some terrorist states" to enter America.^[7] The Diversity Immigrant Visa program is a United States congressionally mandated lottery program for receiving a Green Card. ...

External links

• Official website
• Voting record from OnTheIssues.org
• Voting record maintained by the Washington Post
• Audio from Goode's August 9, 2006 debate with Al Weed

Sources