Tag: virginia

Judge: Virginia Democrats’ Gerrymandering Ploy Is Illegal And Voided

AVirginia judge has shot down efforts by state Democrats to gerrymander the commonwealth in their party’s favor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

In his Tuesday decision, Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack Hurley ruled that Democrat lawmakers unlawfully rushed a constitutional amendment proposal — which would allow them to redraw the state’s congressional map — through the General Assembly. As The Federalist’s Breccan Thies recently reported, Democrats’ proposed map “could nuke up to four Republican-held seats” and create “a potential [congressional] delegation of 10 Democrats and one Republican.”

Under the Virginia Constitution, proposed amendments must first be passed by both chambers of the General Assembly in two consecutive legislative sessions. Should they receive such approval, these measures are then submitted to voters for consideration “not sooner than ninety days after final passage by the General Assembly,” and must receive majority support from the electorate to ratify the state’s founding document.

The Democrat-run General Assembly passed the proposed redistricting amendment in October 2025 and again earlier this month, with the hopes of sending it to voters for approval in an April special election so that the gerrymandered map could be used for the midterms later this year. Critics — which include the lawsuit’s Republican plaintiffs and former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares — argued that the General Assembly’s October passage of the amendment was illegitimate because it occurred during early voting, and therefore, did not comport with the Virginia Constitution’s requirement that there be an intervening general election between the legislature’s twice approval of the resolution.

“Under current Virginia law, the election voting process in Virginia spans 45 days. The closing of the polls on November 4, 2025 will be the culmination of the ongoing election process, which commenced September 19, 2025,” Miyares wrote last year. “Accordingly, because a general election of delegates is already underway, the November 4th culmination of this 2025 election cannot be deemed to be the ‘next general election.’ It is the current general election.”

Hurley agreed with such arguments in his Tuesday ruling. While acknowledging the constitutional requirement raised by plaintiffs and Miyares, the circuit judge noted that in order for him to “find that the election was only on November 4, 2025, those one million Virginia voters” who cast their ballots in the early voting process “would be completely disenfranchised.”

“There is no rational conclusion except that the ELECTION began on the first day of voting (September 19, 2025) and ended on November 4, 2025. Therefore, the Court FINDS that following the October 31, 2025 vote and passage of House Joint Resolution 6007 there HAS NOT BEEN an ensuing election of the House of Delegates, and such ensuing general election CANNOT occur until 2027,” Hurley wrote. “Thus, the action of the General Assembly during its Regular Session 2026 CANNOT meet the second passage required of Article XII, Section 1 of the Virginia Constitution, which second passage must occur before the same can be submitted to the voters of Virginia for adoption.”

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Virginia Democrats Now Seeking to Double Their Own Pay as They Raise Taxes, After Running on ‘Affordability’

Democrats in Virginia ran on affordability, but everything they have done since retaking power there says the exact opposite.

The tax rate in Virginia is poised to become the highest in the nation, beating even California, and they are trying to create a slew of new taxes.

Now, they are trying to give themselves a pay raise that is basically double what they already make.

NewsBusters reports:

Va. Dems Seek to More than Double Their Pay – While Rushing to Impose Flurry of New Taxes

After campaigning on “affordability,” Virginia state Democrats have introduced a measure to more than double their salaries, now that fellow Democrat Abigail Spanberger is in the Governor’s Mansion, giving them control of all three branches of their state’s government.

“Virginia Democrats are now trying to give themselves a PAY RAISE after proposing thousands of dollars in new taxes hammering working families, the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus warned in a X.com post highlighting how the legislators’ pay raise would hurt taxpayers:

“They ran on ‘affordability,’ but all they’ve done is introduce insane left-wing policies and take from your pocket to line their own. TOTAL CON JOB!”

Indeed, an amendment to the Virginia state budget (SB30), introduced by Democrats L. Louise Lucas in the state Senate and Vivian Edna Watts in the House of Delegates, would more than double their salaries, raising the pay in both chambers by about 150%.

What have these people done to earn a pay raise? They’ve been in power for like ten minutes.

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WHAT HAPPENED TO AFFORDABILITY? Tax Rate in Virginia Poised to Become Highest in the Nation After Democrats Take Over

For months now, Democrats in various locations have been running on talking points about ‘affordability’ but it is just talking points, nothing more.

Case in point, Virginia. Democrats took control of Virginia just days ago and the state is already poised to have the highest tax rate in the country, beating even California.

Does that sound like affordability to you?

From Liberty Unyielding, via the Fairfax GOP:

Virginia State Tax Rate Could Rise From 5.75% to 13.8%, Highest In The Nation

Bills pending in the Virginia state legislature could raise the state income tax a lot. The most likely to pass bill would increase the state income tax rate from 5.75% to 8% on incomes over $600,000 and 10% on incomes over $1,000,000. Another bill would impose an additional 3.8% tax (a “net investment income tax”) on most income above $500,000. If both bills pass, Virginia would have an 13.8% tax rate. That would be higher than what is currently the highest state tax rate in America, the 13.3% rate in California for households with million-dollar incomes. It would be far higher than the top tax rates in the region around Virginia, such as the 3.99% tax rate in North Carolina, the 4.82% rate in West Virginia, and the zero percent tax rate in Tennessee, which has no state income tax.

The most likely to pass bill is HB 979, introduced by Delegate Vivian Watts, the powerful chair of the Finance Committee in Virginia’s House of Delegates. HB 979 “establishes two new tax brackets beginning on and after January 1, 2027, that tax income in excess of $600,000 but not in excess of $1,000,000 at a rate of eight percent and income in excess of $1,000,000 at a rate of 10 percent.”

But wait, there’s more!

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Virginia Democrat Moves to Squash Oversight of Nonprofits After Somali Fraud Scandal

A Virginia state Democrat introduced a bill that would bar the state from verifying eligibility to receive federal taxpayer benefits.

“No state agency responsible for the administration of federal funds shall impose a requirement on a nonprofit charitable organization providing a federal public benefit to determine, verify, or otherwise require proof of eligibility of any applicant for such benefits,” the one-page bill stated, which was proposed by state Delegate Jessica Anderson.

The Dominion State Democrat’s bill was introduced as the nation has increasingly scrutinized the misuse of taxpayer funds. The Trump administration has moved to clamp down on fraud across many federal benefit programs.

Billions of dollars of taxpayer funds have been lost due to fraud related to Minnesota’s Somali community.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged at least 78 people as part of the “Feeding our Future” scandal, named for a Somali-linked nonprofit that bilked taxpayers of $250 million.

Those accused reportedly faked invoices, attendance records, and the distribution of meals in low-income and other areas in Minnesota.

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Taxing Lawnmowers, Gym Passes, And DoorDash Proves Dems Actually Hate ‘Affordability’

“Affordability” was the word of the year in Virginia politics in 2025.

“Affordability takes center stage in New Jersey, Virginia governor races,” ABC News‘ Benjamin Siegel wrote on November 2, 2025.

“Spanberger turns Virginia governor’s race into a test of Trump’s economy,” Politico’s Erin Doherty and Brakkton Booker wrote on October 29, 2025. “Spangberger has stuck to a message on the economy, specifically the cost of life for Virginians.”

“It’s not about inflation or the economy — the election instead delivered a ‘wake-up call’ on affordability politics, top pollster says,” Fortune’s Jason Ma wrote on November 8, 2025.

And Democrats won on this message.

Abigail Spanberger beat incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears while Democrats picked up seats in the state legislature. A post-election poll conducted by CBS News found that “‘economy’ voters voted for Abigail Spanberger over Winsome Earle-Sears by more than 20 points.”

Affordability carried the day — until Democrats actually got into office. Within weeks of Election Day, Virginia Democrats have made clear that “affordability” was never more than a campaign slogan.

House Bill 978 would dramatically expand Virginia’s sales and use tax to cover a ton of everyday services. Under the bill, taxes would be applied to gym memberships and fitness classes, dry cleaning, laundry services, pet care, home repairs and cleaning services, car repairs, delivery and shipping services, digital services and event planning.

In other words, the things that normal Virginians pay for to live their lives may soon cost more.

The revenue, meanwhile, is earmarked for transit authorities while another portion would be distributed on the “basis of the high-need student population in the locality.” The formula for “high-need student” includes students in social programs, special education, or English language learners.

Then comes Democrats’ anti-lawn crusade.

House Bill 881 would “Provide[s] that any locality with a population density of at least 2,500 persons per square mile may by ordinance prohibit or regulate the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.”

Yet at the same time, House Bill 557 would establish “a separate classification of tangible personal property for electric-powered landscaping equipment in a trade or business and used to maintain commercial, public, or private gardens, lawns, trees, shrubs, or other plants, including lawn mowers, edgers, trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws.”

In other words, Virginia Democrats are trying to ban gas-powered leaf blowers while raising the tax on electric landscaping equipment.

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Virginia Democrats Pass Amendment for Abortions Up to Birth

Virginia Democrats have pushed through a radical constitutional amendment to enshrine abortions up to birth in the state constitution, sending the measure to voters in a November referendum after party-line votes in the General Assembly.

The amendment, which would establish a so-called “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” advanced quickly in the Democrat-controlled legislature. It cleared the House on party-line votes after committee action on January 14, and the Senate followed suit.

Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, a key sponsor, framed the amendment as protecting health care and contraception, even though it would allow killing babies up to birth for any reason.

Republicans opposed the amendment unanimously. Some attempted amendments to preserve parental consent laws or ensure care for babies born alive, but these were rejected by extreme Democrats who want no limits on killing babies before birth.

From a pro-life perspective, the amendment represents a grave threat.

Virginia’s Catholic bishops, Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington and Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond, condemned it as “extreme and deadly,” warning it would enshrine virtually unlimited abortion at any stage of pregnancy.

In their joint statement following the passage, the bishops called the fast-tracked approval “truly shocking to the conscience” and said the measure “would go far beyond even what Roe v. Wade previously allowed” by providing “no protections whatsoever for preborn children.”

They highlighted risks to Virginia’s parental consent law for minors, health and safety standards for women, conscience protections for healthcare providers, and restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortions.

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Virginia Dem Goes Nuclear on Kaine, Warner With Sexually Profane Tirade

A Democratic leader in Virginia launched a public and profane attack on two of her party’s most prominent figures over redistricting plans, as intraparty tensions flare ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, as reported by The Independent Journal Review.

Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas blasted U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner in a series of social media posts Saturday, accusing them of meddling in state-level redistricting and dismissing their input in crude terms.

The outburst followed action by Virginia Senate Democrats, who on Friday approved a proposed constitutional amendment allowing the General Assembly to redraw congressional district maps mid-decade.

The move comes as both parties nationally are positioning themselves for the 2026 midterms, with redistricting increasingly used as a tool to gain or protect control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

After the amendment advanced, Lucas posted an image of a McDonald’s worker asking, “Would you like fries with that?” before turning her attention to Kaine and Warner in a follow-up post.

“I have the utmost respect for Senator Kaine and Senator Warner but we do not need ‘coaching’ on redistricting coming from a cuck chair in the corner,” Lucas wrote.

“How about you all stay focused on the fascist in the White House and let us handle redistricting in Virginia. 10-1.”

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Jay Jones Sworn in as Virginia Attorney General, Despite Leaked Texts Fantasizing About Children of Conservatives Being Murdered

Jay Jones was sworn in as Virginia’s new attorney general on Saturday at the state Capitol in Richmond after winning the race despite leaked texts in which he fantasized about the children of conservatives being murdered.

Jones was sworn in at the inauguration of Democrat Governor Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA agent.

President Donald Trump had called for Jones to drop out of the race after the texts were made public, but Democrats rallied behind him.

In one shocking exchange, Jones fantasized about putting “two bullets to the head” of then-Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert in a hypothetical scenario comparing him to dictators like Hitler and Pol Pot.

Jones didn’t stop there; he went even further, expressing a twisted wish that one of Gilbert’s children would die in a school shooting to change Gilbert’s stance on gun control.

“I wish one of his kids would get shot up at school and die. Then maybe he’d change his mind,” Jones wrote, adding grotesque details about imagining the child “lying lifeless in their mother’s arms.”

Vice President JD Vance also called for Jones to step aside.

“The Democrat candidate for AG in Virginia has been fantasizing about murdering his political opponents in private messages,” Vance wrote in a post on X during the election season. “I’m sure the people hyperventilating about sombrero memes will join me in calling for this very deranged person to drop out of the race.”

At the inauguration ceremony, the judge asked, “You ready?”

“Yeah, baby,” Jones responded, before being sworn in.

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Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger IMMEDIATELY Repeals Youngkin Order Requiring Local Law Enforcement to Comply with ICE After Swearing in Ceremony

Newly sworn-in Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, as one of her first actions in the governor’s office on Saturday, implemented a sanctuary state policy, ending local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. 

Spanberger was sworn in as the 75th Governor of Virginia on Saturday.

Later in the afternoon, Spanberger signed ten executive orders, including one that ended Virginia’s cooperation with federal law enforcement. Her new executive order rescinded an order by her predecessor, Glenn Youngkin, that required state police to participate in the federal 287(g) program and enforce ICE detainer requests for illegal aliens in custody. The order further gave police the authority to assist ICE with apprehensions and created a “State Police Task Force of federally deputized troopers to assist in the identification and apprehension of criminal illegal immigrants who pose a risk to public safety throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Now, Virginia will just release illegal aliens who are convicted of crimes back onto the streets.

“State and local law enforcement should not be required to divert their limited resources to enforce federal civil immigration laws. It is a responsibility of federal law enforcement,” Spanberger said before signing the order. “Virginia state and local law enforcement officers must be able to focus on their rapport, responsibilities, investigating crime, and community policing.”

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Virginia Democrats Move To Establish Limitless Abortion, Ban Guns, And Gerrymander Districts

The Republican-run government of Virginia has four days left in office, and Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., along with Democrat majorities in the Commonwealth’s legislature, are going to start the ball rolling with expanding abortion, making sure felons can vote, and implementing gun restrictions.

Responsible political leadership in Virginia might be focused on answering things like the housing affordability crisis, which has been made much more acute with the importation of foreigners to the most populous areas of the state.

Democrats coming into power in Virginia will hold a 21-19 majority in the state Senate and a 64-36 majority in the House of Delegates. Their top priorities include four proposed constitutional amendments: To expand abortion even later in the pregnancy and make it impossible to restrict (Virginia already allows most abortion up to 26 weeks — the most permissive in the entire South); to enshrine homosexual unions as a right; to automatically restore voting to felons who have completed their sentences; and to allow for mid-decade congressional redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterms, where Democrats could nuke up to four Republican-held seats through gerrymandering.

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