Dear <first name>,
Our opponents in Richmond just took away your right to know
where the state gets lethal injection drugs. Here’s how they did
it -- and how, with your help, we’ll fight back.
First, pro-death penalty legislators browbeat their
colleagues into voting to make the electric chair the default
execution method if the scarce drugs are not available.
They had one powerful weapon —- public outrage over the
Harvey Family murderers -- and they used that to pressure
colleagues into passing their bill.
Then, rather than vetoing it outright, Governor Terry_
McAuliffe introduced a substitute to let the state carry out
executions using unreliable drugs of unknown origin.
The quality of compounded drugs varies significantly and
presents a very real risk of horrific botched executions.
Cloaking the source of those drugs is an unacceptable
exception from Virginia’s proud tradition of open government.
Your grassroots action and our lobbying efforts killed a
similar bill last year. Even many conservatives who support the
death penalty voted against keeping Virginians in the dark.
This year, the Republican-dominated House of Delegates
again rejected the Governor’s execution secrecy scheme ...
. only for Governor McAuliffe and pro-death penalty
politicians to cajole and threaten thirteen Republicans into
changing their vote and approving execution secrecy.
So suddenly, all executions are back on track.
This set our mission back a year, but I am confident that,
with your help, we will continue making progress to abolish the
death penalty in Virginia. Here’s why...
During the fight over execution secrecy, hundreds of you
responded to VADP action alerts, sending e-mails or calling
Delegates’ and Senators’ offices.
Not only that, our lobbying -- made possible by your past
support -- has identified many more legislators who struggle
with the death penalty. Torn by conscience, they supported
these ugly bills only after intense pressure from colleagues.
At this new stage in the debate, I ask you to return a
generous VADP contribution using the form and envelope provided.
Your most generous donation today will help us hire a full-
time grassroots field worker and build political support in
districts where Delegates and Senators struggle with the death
penalty, and can be moved to our side as we provide the
grassroots “political cover” they need back home.
Even one or two could be decisive in upcoming battles.
That’s why I urge you to renew -- and even increase --
your financial support today.
To abolish the death penalty in Virginia, we need your
generous tax-deductible gift returned in the envelope provided
as soon as you can. (You can also give with your credit or
debit card at our secure web site: www.vadp.org “Donate”. )
With urgent thanks,
Michael Stone
Executive Director
P.S. After arm-twisting by their pro-death penalty colleaques
Many Virginia legislators switched their votes to let the state
carry out executions using drugs of unknown origin and quality.
Your support today will help us convince just two or three to
switch back to positions they already know, in their hearts, are
right. So please -— right now -- return your generous VADP
donation using the form and envelope provided.
