By NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
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Humane Society Puts Cantor, Webb in Doghouse
By NEIL H. SIMON
WASHINGTON-A leading animal protection group has put a pair of Virginia lawmakers in the doghouse.
Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat, and Rep. Eric Cantor, a Republican, were the only two members of Virginia's congressional delegation to receive a zero this month on the Humane Society's legislative scorecard for their failure to support key animal protection bills in 2007.
"(They) certainly had plenty of opportunities to weigh in on these issues," said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. "(Their) colleagues in Virginia did much better."
The group looked at a handful of key animal rights bills, ranging from protection for horses and polar bears to increased penalties for animal fighting in the wake of the Michael Vick dog fighting case.
In the Senate, Republican John Warner scored a 50 for cosponsoring the animal fighting bill and cosigning a letter seeking funding to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. Thirty-one senators received zeros - almost a full third of the body.
In the House, Democrat Jim Moran got a perfect score.
Cantor declined to comment and Webb's spokeswoman called the scorecard "misleading."
Because the Senate did not actually vote on the issues the Humane Society analyzed, the group instead graded lawmakers on whether they chose to co-sponsor the legislation.
"I appreciate what the Humane Society is attempting to do, but I'm not sure how the organization can offer a fair assessment of a legislator's record when no relevant votes have been cast," Webb's spokeswoman Jessica Smith said in an e-mail.
Markanian defended the group's methodology. He called the scorecard a "snapshot" of the year, reflecting only animal protection issues that had reached a "critical mass" of support.
"We don't think a zero is a black mark," Markarian said. "There is sometimes a theme when lawmakers are new to the issues. It takes a while before they start signing on to bills and taking other meaningful actions," he said.
By NEIL H. SIMON
WASHINGTON-A leading animal protection group has put a pair of Virginia lawmakers in the doghouse.
Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat, and Rep. Eric Cantor, a Republican, were the only two members of Virginia's congressional delegation to receive a zero this month on the Humane Society's legislative scorecard for their failure to support key animal protection bills in 2007.
"(They) certainly had plenty of opportunities to weigh in on these issues," said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. "(Their) colleagues in Virginia did much better."
The group looked at a handful of key animal rights bills, ranging from protection for horses and polar bears to increased penalties for animal fighting in the wake of the Michael Vick dog fighting case.
In the Senate, Republican John Warner scored a 50 for cosponsoring the animal fighting bill and cosigning a letter seeking funding to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. Thirty-one senators received zeros - almost a full third of the body.
In the House, Democrat Jim Moran got a perfect score.
Cantor declined to comment and Webb's spokeswoman called the scorecard "misleading."
Because the Senate did not actually vote on the issues the Humane Society analyzed, the group instead graded lawmakers on whether they chose to co-sponsor the legislation.
"I appreciate what the Humane Society is attempting to do, but I'm not sure how the organization can offer a fair assessment of a legislator's record when no relevant votes have been cast," Webb's spokeswoman Jessica Smith said in an e-mail.
Markanian defended the group's methodology. He called the scorecard a "snapshot" of the year, reflecting only animal protection issues that had reached a "critical mass" of support.
"We don't think a zero is a black mark," Markarian said. "There is sometimes a theme when lawmakers are new to the issues. It takes a while before they start signing on to bills and taking other meaningful actions," he said.