Two Virginia Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are seeking to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in the U.S. Capitol and replace it with an African-American leader, the Washington Post reports.
The big picture: Reps. A. Donald McEachin and Jennifer Wexton urged Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam in a letter Monday to push legislation to remove the statue. The move would fit Northam's racial reconciliation goals for the state and would need approval from the General Assembly. Democrats are also set to take control of the assembly in January and would presumably approve the measure.
- Wexton argues: "Having Robert E. Lee represent us in the Capitol is not an accurate depiction of the commonwealth of Virginia today."
- A statement from a Northam spokesperson said: "This is something the governor has long wanted to do — he is looking forward to working with the congressional delegation and members of the General Assembly to get it done this year."
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