By Rand Paul
Obama acts as though we no longer have a Constitution
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
A review of state records shows grocery costs at Virginia's Executive Mansion hit the highest levels in years in late 2011 and early 2012, the months leading up to the mansion's chef dismissal and the start of a criminal investigation into operations of the mansion's kitchen.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed off on permanent regulations that will hold abortion clinics to the same building standards as hospitals, joining Arizona and Michigan as states looking to tighten their abortion-facility standards to among the most stringent in the nation.

Virginia state government agencies have sent Gov. Bob McDonnell suggestions for cutting their spending by more than $132 million over the next 18 months should spending reductions be needed to balance the state budget.

Virginia. Gov. Bob McDonnell, citing the looming "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts set to kick in at the start of next year, a sluggish economy and other budget pressures, is ordering state agency heads to outline potential cuts of 4 percent to their departments.

Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling has asked Gov. Bob McDonnell to reject the federal health care overhaul's Medicaid expansion, days after Mr. McDonnell said there were too many unanswered questions to make a decision yet.

Though Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has fallen out of the top tier in some pundits' rankings for potential vice-presidential picks, he signaled recently that he might be getting a fresh look from the one person who ultimately matters — Mitt Romney.

President Obama has declined Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's request to stop in Louisa, the site of a 5.8-magnitude earthquake, when he swings through the state next week in an effort to boost support for his jobs package.

Security has tightened around Gov. Bob McDonnell after Saturday's shooting of an Arizona congresswoman in an attack that killed six people.
RICHMOND - A state law banning a type of late-term abortion is still unconstitutional, even though a similar federal ban was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, a federal appeals court ruled yesterday.
RICHMOND (AP) — A state law banning a type of late-term abortion is still unconstitutional, even though a similar federal ban was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, a federal appeals court ruled yesterday.
Mr. McDonnell's chief spokesman, J. Tucker Martin, said "as these issues relate to the embezzlement trial of the former Mansion chef it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time."
Food costs spiked at Virginia governor's mansion in fiscal '12 →
Spokesman J. Tucker Martin said the proposed spending cuts, released to reporters late Friday, are only advisory, submitted for the governor's information, and that Mr. McDonnell has requested similar spending-reduction contingency plans in each of his three years in office.