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Editorials
Ethics Probe of Legislator Is Essential
Del. Phil Hamilton, of Virginia Beach, was one of the most powerful legislators in the General Assembly.
He was chairman of the powerful Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee in the House of Delegates. He was the No. 2 Republican on the omniponent Appropriations Committee, chaired by Del. Lacey Putney, of Bedford. He also was a House budget conferee who, each year, played a key role in developing the state’s budget.
Behind Speaker of the House Bill Howell, of Stafford County, and Putney, he was arguably the third-most powerful person in the Assembly.
The operative word in all this is “was,” for Hamilton resigned the House seat he held for 21 years. Nov. 3, he lost his re-election race to a political…
