Albo Proposes Smoking AND Non-Smoking Sections

Last year, Virginia came tantalizingly close to banning smoking from restaurants. However, Delegate Dave Albo fought it the entire way arguing that regulation of smoke in restaurants was "unamerican."

AMG: Albo & Big Tobacco Run with Jim Crow & Joe McCarthy (Jan. 2, 2008)
AMG, Albo: Leveraging Booze and Smokes for $$$ (Feb. 21, 2008).

This year, Delegate Albo is s back to the same tricks. He says that he plans to introduce bills to make it ok to limit smoke in restaurants so long as they have a smoking section (this is not a joke).

But Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax), who voted against the restaurant smoking ban last year, said Kaine does not appear to be seeking compromise. “They had a big election win and they want to run around shoving their bills down people’s throats without compromise,” Albo said. “It’s just purely political.” Albo said he plans to submit a narrower bill. It would ban smoking in some restaurants with key exceptions. It would exclude private clubs and restaurants that have designated smoking areas set apart from nonsmoking areas. It would also exclude cigar bars and establishments restricted to customers 18 and older, Albo said. Momentum Seen For Smoke Free Restaurants, Washington Post (Jan. 7, 2008).

Well, now THAT will be a big change from the way things are now - we'll have smoking sections AND non-smoking sections. Revolutionary.

One delegate said that kind of solution would make Northern Virginia the D.C. region's "ashtray."

It's interesting, because Delegate Albo did introduce a bill to regulate fireplace smoke - (Note: In Albo-logic it's American to regulate fireplace smoke, but it's Unamerican to regulate tobacco smoke).

AMG: Albo: Just Don't Light Up In Your Fireplace (Feb. 15, 2008)

You would think he'd budge after all the criticism. During the 2008 session, he was criticized by a Southwest Virginia newspaper and several other bloggers for his behavior:

AMG, Albo + Tobacco + $$$ = A Legislative Coward (Feb. 17, 2008)
Not Larry Sabato, Dave "Atria" Albo (Apr. 22, 2007)

In 2007, the Virginian Pilot pointed out that our own Delegate Dave Albo was #2 in tobacco contributions on the committee that had repeatedly killed smoking legislation. AMG: Doin the People's Bidness Albo-Style (Jan. 30, 2007). Even back in 2005, The Washington Post was asking questions and we got this gem:

Del. Dave Albo (R-Fairfax) went to Wolf Trap and took in a Redskins game courtesy of Dominion, and to a NASCAR event and two dinners on Altria. "These are two of the largest corporations in Virginia," he said, adding that it's to be expected that firms with large interests "would be more involved." "Nobody expects anything in return. It's a chance to talk. That's what we do," he said.
"Lobbies Treated Va. Lawmakers to $211,000 in Gifts, Food, Trips," Washington Post, B05 (Feb. 4, 2005).

When will Delegate Albo listen to his constituents? Maybe once people from the 42nd match the $164,000 that Delegate Albo has taken from the alcohol, restaurant, and tobacco industries. AMG, It's Miller Time: Leveraging Booze and Smokes for $$$ (Feb. 21, 2008).