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Prominent Richmond lawyers back gay prosecutor’s judgeship
Former Attorney General Richard Cullen is among the five lawyers who signed the letter
Five prominent Richmond lawyers on Tuesday backed a gay prosecutor's nomination to the city's General District Court. (Photo via Wikimedia)
“We understand that the court is considering appointing Tracy Thorne-Begland to the District Court for the city of Richmond,” they wrote in a two sentence letter to Richmond Circuit Court Judge Richard D. Taylor, Jr., that the Blade obtained. “We believe he would be an outstanding jurist and support his appointment.”
Former Attorney General Richard Cullen, chair of McGuire Woods, and former Virginia Bar Association President James Meath, who heads Williams Mullen, both signed the letter that comes nearly a month after the Republican-controlled House of Delegates rejected Thorne-Begland’s nomination. Thurston R. Moore, chair emeritus of Hunton and Williams; John S. West, managing partner of Troutman Sanders and Thomas M. Wolf of LeClair Ryan are the three other signatories.
“In the course of talking about this, we all just felt that this was the wrong decision and believe the right thing to do was to write to the court who was considering apparently an interim appointment just as individuals and member of the legal community to let them know we support the judgeship,” Meath told the Blade earlier on Wednesday. “Judgeships should be based on merit—it’s a meritocracy system. We believe that he’s qualified and it’s pretty much as simple as that.”
Delegate Bob Marshall (R-Prince William County) stressed before the May 15 vote that the former Navy pilot “misrepresented” himself by failing to disclose his sexual orientation when he enlisted in 1992.
Marshall did not immediately respond to the Blade’s request for comment. State Sen. A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico,) who sponsored Thorne-Begland’s nomination in the state Senate, welcomed the lawyers’ support.
“It affirms what we in the Richmond area delegation have said: Tracy Thorne-Begland will be a fantastic jurist should he be given the opportunity,” he told the Blade.
The six Richmond Circuit Court judges could appoint Thorne-Begland on an interim basis because lawmakers did not fill the vacancy. McEachin told the Washington Post that the prosecutor is “definitely interested” in the judgeship, but neither he nor Meath would provide a potential timeline.
Thorne-Begland continues to decline comment.
WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Celebrating the transgender community, Baltimore Safe Haven, an organization committed to empowering LGBTQ individuals in Baltimore City, plans to host their fourth annual Baltimore Trans Pride on Saturday.
Instead of the usual parade and march, this year’s Trans Pride will be a block party on Charles Street and between 21st and 22nd Streets. The event will start at 1 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and last until 10 p.m.
Community members can go on guided tours, enjoy refreshments by local vendors, listen to presenters, and watch performances by special guests.
Sukihana, the event’s headliner, plans to take to the stage to entertain the crowd, along with a variety of local performers, according to Melissa Deveraux, Baltimore Safe Haven’s executive assistant to Executive Director Iya Dammons.
“Some (are) prominently known, some (are) just making a name for themselves,” Deveraux said. Iya is always making sure that community talent is showcased at all of our functions.”
In company with Pride on Saturday, Baltimore Safe Haven will be opening its new building on Friday from 1-4 p.m.
“That is sort of going to be the prelude to pride,” Lau said. “Thanks to Sen. Mary Washington and the Weinberg Foundation, we were able to purchase the building outright, and it’s going to be a community hub of administrative buildings and 12-bedroom apartments.”
Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said the planning process for Baltimore Trans Pride began in January, and putting it all together was a collaboration of multiple city agencies and organizations.
“Safe Haven is an LGBT community organization, but we service the entire community, and that’s the message we try to spread,” Lau said. “We’re not just here for the LGBT community. We’re here to spread goodwill and offer harm reduction and housing to the entire community.”
Lau said the organization’s biggest goal for the event is to gain exposure.
“(We want) to let and let people know who we are and what our community is about,” she said. “Right now, because of what’s happening in DC, there’s a lot of bad untruths going on, and the total thing is bringing out the truth.”
Deveraux said having a place of inclusivity, acceptance, and togetherness is important in today’s political climate and the current administration.
“This event will have people seeing the strength and resilience of the transgender community, showing that no matter what we are going through, we still show up,” Deveraux said. “We are here, we will not be erased.”
The 2025 WorldPride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 7. Laverne Cox and Renée Rapp were the grand marshals.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Robert Rapanut)
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