Tag: virginia

These Are The Six States Celebrating America 250 By Raising Your Gas Tax

The final countdown for America’s 250th birthday is on. Families will be planning road trips, parades, vacations, reunions, and cookouts to celebrate the greatest nation in history. But in six states, politicians have a different idea for the party: raise taxes.

Beginning July 1, drivers in California, Washington, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and Mississippi are scheduled to see higher state gas taxes. In other words, as the country prepares to celebrate casting aside a tax-heavy king in favor of freedom, these states will use the occasion to fatten government coffers one gallon at a time.

The worst offenders will be no surprise. California, Washington and Illinois  — we’ll call them the Axis of Glut.

Their governors are often the first to fake outrage when gas prices rise. They blame oil companies. They blame “price gouging.” They blame world events. They blame everyone except the politicians who keep piling taxes, mandates, and regulations onto every gallon drivers buy.

Yet these same states already have some of the worst gas prices in the nation, some of the highest gas taxes in America, and now they are getting ready to raise those taxes again.

California’s gas tax is already the highest in the country and is scheduled to climb again on July 1, from 61.2 cents to 63.4 cents per gallon, under the state’s annual inflation adjustment. The same report noted California’s average price for regular gasoline was nearly $6 per gallon in early June.

Illinois is no better. The state says its motor fuel tax will rise on July 1 because the law requires an annual inflation adjustment. Washington joined the club with a gas tax increase last year and then baked in automatic increases going forward. Starting July 1, 2026, the state’s fuel tax rises by 2% every year unless lawmakers change the law.

This is the dirty hustle behind inflation-indexed taxes. Politicians get to raise taxes without holding a press conference to admitting it. They pass the law once, then every year drivers get mugged by a formula.

As of June 8, the national average for regular gas was $4.164, down 38.2 cents in a single month. That is welcome relief for families, workers, small businesses and anyone trying to get through summer. But the national average would look even better if it were not being anchored down by tax-heavy states that treat drivers like a rolling ATM.

The problem is not limited to the six July 1 tax-hike states. Seven of the ten most expensive states for gas are run by Democratic governors. That is not a coincidence.

Taxes play a major role in the high-price reputation of many of these states. So do their regulatory regimes, special fuel rules, anti-energy policies and climate mandates that make fuel harder to produce, refine, transport and sell.

The result is predictable.

Families, small businesses, truckers, and farmers all pay more. Then the same politicians who helped drive up the cost pretend they are shocked by the bill.

That is not compassion. That is government gluttony.

Supporters claim the money goes to roads and infrastructure. But that excuse only goes so far. Every tax increase is sold as necessary. Yet somehow the burden always lands in the same place: on the people who drive to work, school, church, the grocery store or a summer vacation.

That is what makes the timing so perfect, and so insulting.

America’s 250th birthday should be a celebration of freedom, independence and the rejection of government overreach. The American Revolution was born from the idea that people should not be treated as endless revenue sources for rulers who never seem to have enough.

Nearly 250 years later, millions of drivers will pull into gas stations in California, Washington, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and Mississippi and get a reminder that some politicians still have not learned the lesson.

The country is moving toward a better energy future: lower prices, more production, more reliability and less punishment for the people who keep America moving. But these six states are choosing a different path.

America 250 should remind us why this country was born: because free people eventually get tired of being treated like revenue.

Keep reading

Citizen Sues Virginia Military Institute And Its Board, Alleging Secret “Group Text” Meetings, Withheld And Altered Public Records

A new lawsuit accuses the governing board of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) — one of the nation’s last state military colleges and a primary commissioning source for the armed forces — of conducting the public’s business in the shadows.

The verified petition, filed June 1, 2026 in York County Circuit Court (Morris v. Virginia Military Institute, No. CL26005973-00), alleges that some members of VMI’s Board of Visitors held unnoticed “meetings” by reply-all email and other means about official board business — including the day after their own FOIA officer warned them in writing that doing so was illegal, and despite repeated formal training telling them not to “Reply All.”

It further alleges that VMI withheld, redacted, and even altered public records to obscure how a prominent donor and board member was pushed off the board and the board president was forced to step down.

The specifics are striking. According to the petition, board member Donald Hall publicly admitted he was “the principal negotiator” working with the Virginia General Assembly and said former Governor Ralph Northam “was more involved than anyone in this room knows other than me.”

Yet the suit alleges VMI produced no records at all from Hall, none from the former governor, withheld voicemails and call logs, and redacted the identities of email correspondents.

The petition also alleges that VMI’s FOIA officer altered an online records-portal entry to erase his own name —replacing it with the anonymous label “Staff” — and that a process server hired to deliver public comments on important issues intended for the Board to be informed on was turned away from public open committee meetings.

The filing seeks a ruling that the secret meetings and other actions were unlawful, an order forcing board business onto official accounts and devices, and personal civil penalties of $500–$5,000 per violation against the FOIA officer, a board administrator, and six sitting board members — penalties payable to Virginia’s State Literary Fund, not to the petitioner.

The case carries a question of national resonance: how much should politicians control the governance — and the independence — of public universities, and how much of that maneuvering happens off the public record?

What are the implications of these actions on commissioning sources and military readiness?

It also invites an uncomfortable comparison. In the same period, Gov. Abigail Spanberger removed John Rocovich as rector of Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors — a move he has publicly contested — while the VMI BOV and FOIA staff accused of operating in secret remain in place and operating.

Were the standards applied consistently, and who is really steering Virginia’s military college?

Keep reading

Virginia Judge Delivers Win for Gun Owners, Smacks Down AG and Governor on Background Checks

Lynchburgh, Virginia Circuit Court Judge F. Patrick Yeatts has sided with Gun Owners of America and Virginia Citizens Defense League and rejected the attempt by Gov. Abigail Spanberger and Attorney General Jay Jones to resume requiring background checks on the private transfers of firearms. 

In a ruling delivered from the bench after a hearing on Thursday, Yeatts declared that his previously-issued injunction on Virginia’s universal background check scheme is still intact, despite Democrats’ efforts to do an end-run around the injunction. 

As we discussed ahead of today’s hearing, Yeatts has been dealing with this issue for several years now, and has previously ruled that adults under the age of 21 have the right to possess a handgun. Under newly passed HB 1525, though, that right has been stripped from them in an attempt to impose a NICS check on all private transfers. Any NICS check on a handgun purchase is going to be flagged by the system given the federal prohibition on commercial handgun sales to under-21s, and the state of Virginia had previously tried to get around that by running checks on private sales of handguns to young adults through a system administered by the Virginia State Police. 

Yeatts previously held that to be a violation of equal protection laws, so Democrats responded by making it a crime for an adult younger than 21 to purchase a handgun under any circumstances. GOA and VCDL argued that by doing so, the state is still running afoul of the judge’s previous rulings, and the judge appears to agree with that argument, as well as the plaintiffs’ contention that the “emergency” clause in the legislation that allowed HB 1525 to take effect immediately instead of on July 1 is null and void because it did not receive the 4/5ths approval by lawmakers as required under Virginia’s constitution. 

Yeatts did deny GOA and VCDL’s request to hold the head of the Virginia State Police in contempt for resuming background checks on private transfers while the injunction was still in place, but according to VCDL President Philip Van Cleave, the judge warned the Attorney General’s office that further attempts to enforce background checks on private transfers would lead to a finding of contempt. 

Attorney General Jay Jones has been quiet on today’s defeat, at least so far, but expect him to appeal the judge’s decision in short order. Once this case reaches the appellate court, I have no idea what will happen, but there are a number of issues at play, including whether or not Virginians under the age of 21 can be prohibited from purchasing firearms given their status as full, legal adults under the state constitution. The legal fight is far from over, but VCDL and GOA won a major battle in court today, while Spanberger and Jones are the big losers. 

Keep reading

ICE Pleads with Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger Not to Release Illegal Alien Accused of Raping Girl

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is urging Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) to make sure an illegal alien, accused of raping a teen girl, stays locked up in jail rather than being released back into the community.

Cristian Romario Saenz-Argueta, a 31-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador, was arrested in Prince William County, Virginia, on May 26 and charged with one count of rape by force, threat, or intimidation, and two counts of carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 14.

According to police, Saenz-Argueta used social media to contact a girl who was under 15 years old, portraying himself as 18 years old. Police allege that in November of last year, Saenz-Argueta met up with the young girl in a parking lot and sexually assaulted her.

“This sick illegal alien from El Salvador now faces three felony charges for raping a girl under the age of 15,” the Department of Homeland Security’s Lauren Bis said:

DHS is asking sanctuary politicians in Prince William County, Virginia to not release this pedophile from jail and cooperate with ICE law enforcement. Due to the reckless policies of Governor Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians, Virginia has become a magnet for criminal illegal aliens who know that they’ll be protected in this state. How many more innocent victims have to be hurt by illegal aliens before Governor Spanberger cooperates with ICE law enforcement? [Emphasis added]

Saenz-Argueta illegally crossed the United States-Mexico border as an unknown got-away before returning to his native El Salvador in 2022. At a later date, unknown to officials, Saenz-Argueta illegally crossed the border again.

Keep reading

Virginia: At Least 10 Commonwealth Attorneys Refuse to Enforce ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban

At least ten Commonwealth’s Attorneys have made clear that they will not enforce the “assault weapons” ban scheduled to take effect in Virginia on July 1, 2026.

On May 27, 2026, Breitbart News pointed to a WAVY 10 report showing that three Commonwealth’s Attorneys had made clear they would not be enforcing the ban.

Over the weekend, Virginia state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D), the “assault weapons” ban sponsor, told the prosecutors to quit “tough guy posturing.”

Salim used an X post to address prosecutors who are standing against his ban, saying, “I know these Republican prosecutors see this as an opportunity for tough guy posturing and amateur constitutional lawyering, but ending the sale of assault weapons in Virginia isn’t something an individual prosecutor can do anything about.”

But the number of Commonwealth’s Attorneys who are adamant about not enforcing the ban continued to grow until, on June 1, 2026, WJLA noted the number of Commonwealth’s Attorneys refusing to enforce it had reached ten.

One of those prosecutors is Clarke County Commonwealth Attorney Matthew E. Bass. Moreover, Breitbart News explained that Clarke County Sheriff Travis Sumption also made clear his office will not be enforcing the ban either.

In a joint statement, both Bass and Sumption made clear there will be no enforcement of the new controls against “non-violent offenders.”

Keep reading

DOT Subpoenas New York After Deadly Virginia Bus Crash — State Accused of Stonewalling Federal Investigation Into Chinese-Born CDL Holder

The Biden-era policies that opened the floodgates to lax oversight and questionable licensing practices are once again under scrutiny after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a subpoena to the State of New York over its refusal to cooperate with a federal investigation into a deadly bus crash that killed five people in Virginia.

According to a report from Fox News, the DOT confirmed it has formally subpoenaed New York officials after the state allegedly failed to provide records related to Jing Shen Dong, the bus driver accused of causing the horrific crash in Stafford County, Virginia, on Friday morning.

The crash left five people dead and multiple others injured, raising serious questions about how Dong obtained and maintained his commercial driver’s license (CDL).

“The Acura caught fire, police said. Four of the five people killed were in the Acura: a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts, police said,” ABC News reported.

“The fifth victim killed, a 25-year-old woman, was in the Suburban, police said,” the outlet reported.

“Forty-four people were taken to hospitals, including three with critical injuries, police said,” ABC reported.

Federal officials say Dong is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in China, does not speak English, and received his CDL through the State of New York in 2024.

Now, transportation officials want answers.

According to DOT, investigators attempted to obtain critical documents through normal channels but were repeatedly met with resistance from New York authorities.

“The subpoena is a result of not being able to obtain the requested documents through other reasonable means,” a DOT spokesperson told Fox News.

The federal agency is demanding that New York turn over all records related to Dong’s CDL, his entry-level driver training, and the driving school he attended.

Those records must be produced by Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Failure to comply could result in penalties and additional legal consequences.

Keep reading

Three Stories You Missed While The White House Parades The UFC On The Front Lawn

The second century Roman satirical poet Decimus Junius Juvenalus once famously said “Give them bread and circuses, and they will never revolt”. An astute observation of how the Roman populace became complacent in the face of abuses by their government, placated with free grain and spectacles rather than exercising their civic duties.

This phrase has been oft repeated in the centuries since, applied to numerous governments across the world. But perhaps nowhere is it more prevalent than in present-day America.

In the lead up to the much anticipated 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, and in the midst of a wave of the worst presidential scandals in over 100 years, the Trump administration is doing everything in its power to shift attention away from the disastrous Iran War and the fact that The sitting president of the United States is implicated hundreds of times in the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors.

Whether it be by continuing the limited hangout of selective UFO disclosure, or by hosting the Ultimate Fighting Championship on the White House front lawn in some sort of weird hyper-masculine MAGA charade, the political theatrics only continue to intensify.

That being said, here are a few worthwhile stories that actually matter.

Pro-2A Pushback In Virginia

In March, the Free Thought Project reported on a massive anti gun crusade being pushed by legislators in Virginia under the new Democrat administration of former CIA analyst Abigail Spanberger. Among the myriad of infringements to Virginia’s Second Amendment rights were proposals seeking civil liability for firearms manufacturers, expansions of the already blatantly unconstitutional red flag laws, attempts to prohibit 3D printed firearms, the implementation of gun buyback programs, ending the right to open carry, and an outright ban on so-called “assault weapons”.

The most egregious of these, the “assault weapons” ban, was signed into law on May 14th, 2026. 

Thankfully, however, this callous disregard for the Constitution was immediately challenged, with several gun rights groups including the Second Amendment Foundation as well as the National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, and the Virginia Citizens Defense League have all filed lawsuits in response to the new legislation.

Additionally, at least four Virginia prosecutors have publicly come out in opposition to the new legislation, signaling their intent to refuse to enforce the law. According to the Washington Times:

Prosecutors in Spotsylvania, Smyth, Powhatan and Pulaski counties argued that it violates Second Amendment protections, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings in District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008 and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen in 2022.

Keep reading

Spanberger ripped over ignored ICE detainer after illegal alien with 18 prior charges accused of sex assault

An illegal alien with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested on sex crime charges in Virginia after a federal immigration enforcement detainer request could have seen him deported from the United States.

Cristobal Liobardo Vasquez-Sanchez, 25, a Salvadoran national, racked up 14 criminal charges this year alone before his May 22 arrest on charges of sexual battery and object sexual penetration by force. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it had previously issued a detainer for Vasquez-Sanchez, but that request was denied.

At the direction of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Virginia ended state agency cooperation with ICE and has demanded judicial warrants where immigration experts say such warrants are wholly irrelevant.

Just days before Vasquez-Sanchez’s alleged sexual assault, Spanberger issued an executive order adding further roadblocks for federal immigration officers to operate in the state.

Keep reading

‘Reckless’: Virginia Recommends MMR Vaccine for Infants as Young as 6 Months

Virginia’s Department of Health is recommending infants ages 6 to 11 months receive a MMR vaccine — earlier than the age recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Doctors and other vaccine experts told The Defender that Virginia’s guidance is “reckless” and “not grounded in science.”

The state’s recommendations also include an accelerated measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination schedule, advising that infants get the second dose in the two-dose MMR series 28 days after the first.

Virginia’s recommendation comes in response to a recent measles outbreak in Buckingham County, which as of Tuesday had reached 54 cases.

The state’s MMR vaccine guidance was included in a May 13 letter from Virginia State Health Commissioner Cameron Webb. The recommendations call for infants ages 6 to 11 months to “get an early dose of the MMR vaccine,” and two more doses at the AAP’s recommended ages, at least 28 days apart.

The CDC and AAP recommend a minimum age of 12 months for MMR vaccination, except in “special situations,” such as international travel.

Keep reading

SCOTUS Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s Va. home targeted in ‘swatting’ hoax

The Fairfax County, Virginia, home of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is the latest target of a malicious “swatting” attempt, prompting a rapid law enforcement coordination that quickly exposed the emergency call as a hoax.

At approximately 9:02 pm on Wednesday evening, police received a call to their non-emergency line reporting active gunfire outside of the justice’s suburban residence.

Officers contacted security at the residence and quickly determined the report was a false call intended to swat the home. Swatting is the illegal act of making a false report of a violent or high-risk incident in order to trigger a heavily armed police response to an unsuspecting person’s address.

“Officers immediately coordinated with Supreme Court Police personnel assigned to the residence and quickly determined that the report was fictitious. No additional police resources were utilized,” the police department said. 

Barrett’s home has also previously been a focal point of chaotic demonstrations, drawing persistent crowds of abortion-rights activists following the High Court’s landmark 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) weighed in on the reports, characterizing the hoax as an attempt to get an innocent person killed, in this case, a sitting Supreme Court justice. He suggested the proper response will be putting the offender in prison for “many, many years.”

Keep reading