State senator stays on panel as his sister interviews for pending Virginia Supreme Court vacancy

The House Courts of Justice committees earlier Wednesday interviewed four candidates including Judge Teresa Chafin, who has served on the Virginia Court of Appeals since 2012. She’s the sister and former law partner of state Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell.

Ben Chafin is a member of Senate Courts of Justice Committee, which interviewed the same four candidates late Wednesday afternoon.

He remained in the room, seated with the rest of the committee, to listen to his sister’s interview as well as those of the other three candidates. Chafin nodded at his sister while she spoke to the legislators. He didn’t ask questions of any of the candidates.

When asked if he considered whether it was appropriate for Ben Chafin to be participating in the interviews, Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, the chairman of the committee, waved his hand at a reporter and turned away.

https://www.roanoke.com/news/politics/general_assembly/state-senator-stays-on-panel-as-his-sister-interviews-for/article_a438c89f-26fa-54aa-baf5-e14740c3fb95.html