Category: Virginia

YoungkinWatch: Governor Says 2023 Revenues Met Expectations After Forecasting Recession in New Budget

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a Monday statement that Virginia revenues met his office’s expectation during the first half of the 2023 fiscal year. The governor’s confirmation comes as he seeks to pass his new budget, which forecasts a “mild recession” in the next two years.

Youngkin’s office confirmed in its press release that “general fund revenues for December 2023 remain in line with updated revisions to the official revenue forecast,” and state revenues grew by 0.2 percent and 7.1 percent over the course of the year.

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Conservative PAC Releases Ad Targeting Rep. Bob Good for Private Remarks About Trump

Tom Pappert

A conservative political action committee in Virginia released a new ad targeting Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) on Monday, highlighting a video published in December that appeared to show Good repeatedly criticize former President Donald Trump after stating he would not make similar remarks in public.

The narrator for Virginians for Conservative Leadership PAC’s 30-second commercial declared, “For cameras, Bob Good says Trump’s okay,” but called him “two faced” and a “fake” in private, before cutting to the December video.

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Virginia Right Help, Right Now Program Exceeds Expectations, Committee Learns

The Center Square
John Littel

In the first meeting of the Senate Education and Health Committee for the 2024 legislative session, Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel spoke to the committee, reviewing the department’s current priorities and progress.

A little over a year into the governor’s Right Help, Right Now plan, designed to help address the national mental health crisis as it has manifested in the commonwealth, the program has exceeded expectations in some areas.

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YoungkinWatch: Democrats Call Governor’s Plan to End Unpopular Car Tax ‘Dead on Arrival’

Tom Pappert
Surovell Youngkin

Virginia Democrats reportedly claimed in a Wednesday press conference that the proposal by Governor Glenn Youngkin to end the commonwealth’s unpopular car tax is “dead on arrival” at the Virginia General Assembly.

State Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) said Democrats would block Youngkin’s budget proposal to end the state’s unpopular car tax, calling it “dead on arrival,” according to 13 News Now.

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New Report Shows Virginia Hospitals Provide $3.3 Billion in Community Support, Generate over $64 Billion in Economic Activity

Tom Pappert

Virginia hospitals and health systems provided $3.3 billion in community support for the Commonwealth in 2022, according to a new report by the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) published on Wednesday. The report also revealed Virginia’s healthcare industry generated more than $64 billion in positive economic activity over the same period.

VHHA determined the dollar amount in community support by “reflecting the cost of uncompensated care, community wellness investment, taxes, and donations.”

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YoungkinWatch: Sen. Tim Kaine Predicts Governor Will Find ‘Areas of Agreement’ with Democrats, Pass Bipartisan Legislation

Tom Pappert
Tim Kaine

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) predicted in a Tuesday interview that Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) will be able to identify “areas of agreement” with Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly and ultimately pass legislation.

Kaine, citing his own experience leading a divided Virginia government as governor from 2006 through 2010, reflected to WTOP News, “We disagreed on a lot, but we always found things we could agree on.”

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Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney Asks Virginia General Assembly to Approve $100 Million for Sewer Upgrades

Tom Pappert

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney reportedly wants the Virginia General Assembly to approve $100 million for the city’s sewer upgrades, plus additional revenue for new speeding cameras, and warned Virginians could see their utility rates “skyrocket” without additional state funding.

“We’re asking for more because we know if we are unable to find the needed amount, a lot of this burden will fall on the ratepayers,” Stoney claimed, according to 12 On Your Side. The outlet reported that Stoney warned “utility bills could skyrocket” without additional funding approved by Virginia lawmakers and Governor Glenn Youngkin (R).

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ICE Arrests Illegal Immigrant Who Allegedly Sexually Abused Child After Virginia County Set Him Free

Virginia Star Staff

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities arrested a criminal illegal immigrant Jan. 4 that a Virginia sheriff let free after his arrest on suspicion of sexually assaulting a minor and production of child sexual abuse material, the agency said Monday.

The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office arrested the individual in July, charging him with carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 14 without force, possession of child sexual abuse material, and producing child sexual abuse material. Later that day, the Pacific Enforcement Response Center lodged an immigration detainer against him with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center in Fairfax, Virginia, which didn’t comply with the detainer and released the noncitizen without notifying ICE.

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Virginia Department of Education Creates Behavioral Health and Wellness Office as Youngkin Seeks Additional $500 Million in Budget

Tom Pappert

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) created its new Office of Behavioral Health and Wellness on Friday, and the agency explained it will operate using resources made available by the Right Help, Right Now program created at the behest of Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) last year.

A press release from the Virginia agency explained the new office seeks to “address the unprecedented rise in mental health and behavioral challenges facing Virginia students post pandemic” with what one spokesman called “wraparound services” to keep students emotionally capable of learning in school.

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Democrats File Resolutions Targeting Amendment Protecting Same-Sex Marriage in Virginia Constitution

Tom Pappert

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly filed resolutions on Wednesday to amend the Virginia Constitution to allow same-sex marriage.

State Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) and Delegate Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax) filed twin versions of SJ 11, which would repeal “the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.”

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Virginia Del. John McGuire Claims Rep. Bob Good ‘Hates Trump,’ Cites Leaked December Video

Tom Pappert
McGuire Good

Virginia Delegate John McGuire (R-Goochland) sharply criticized Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) in a Thursday appearance on The John Fredericks Show, claiming Good harbors hatred for former President Donald Trump. McGuire launched a primary challenge against Good immediately after winning election to the Virginia State Senate.

McGuire argued to host John Fredericks, who is publisher of The Virginia Star, that Good is a political enemy of the former president, fails to represent the voters in his district, and contributed to Virginia Republicans’ loss of the Virginia House of Delegates in November.

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‘I Actually Feel Quite Valued’: Mentorship Program Works to Retain New Teachers

Virginia Star Staff
Teacher and Students

Jack Fredericks is investing in new teachers because he wants to help them stay in the classroom for the long haul.

He serves as the program coordinator for the new teacher mentorship program in the West Tallahatchie School District, something he worked with his superintendent to create after researching mentorship as a Teach Plus Mississippi policy fellow. 

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YoungkinWatch: Governor’s Approval Rating Remains Positive Despite November Election Defeats

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin

Polling released on Thursday revealed the majority of Virginia voters continue to approve of Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) despite Republicans failing to hold the House of Delegates or capture the Virginia Senate last November. 

The Mason-Dixon poll found 58 percent of Virginia voters approve of Youngkin’s job performance as governor, compared to 37 percent who disapprove. Just 5 percent of respondents said they are not sure about their opinion of Youngkin.

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YoungkinWatch: Lawmakers Reportedly Receptive to Plan for Move of Wizards, Capitals to Virginia

Tom Pappert
Hockey Team

A number of Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Virginia have expressed support for the effort by Governor Glenn Youngkin and Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson to bring the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals to Virginia, though one high profile senator has ruled out the possibility without significant action.

The plan to relocate the professional sports teams was announced on December 15, 2023, when Youngkin said it would require $1.35 billion in public dollars, making it the “largest-ever public subsidy for a project of its kind,” according to The Washington Post.

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Virginia Economy Grew in 2023, but Failed to Match Growth of Neighboring States, Saw More Residents Leave

Tom Pappert
Woman Working

Old Dominion University released its annual State of the Commonwealth Report on December 18, 2023. While the authors found Virginia’s economy improved in 2023, they also found that people continued to leave the commonwealth, the economy grew slower than in neighboring states, and the economic activity was not evenly dispersed.

Economic “good news” offered by the report includes a “record number of Virginians” who were “at work or looking for work,” with workforce “participation increased above pre-pandemic levels.” Virginia’s hotel industry also saw growth, with revenues surpassing those of 2019.

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Virginia Democrats Pitch Bill to Tighten Campaign Finance Rules

Tom Pappert
Virginia Delegate Marcus B. Simon

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly are reportedly backing the campaign finance bill to ban politicians from using money donated to a political campaign for personal expenses after it introduced by State Delegate Marcus Simon (D-Fairfax) on December 20.

As introduced, HB 40 would amend existing law to limit those running for state offices in Virginia to using campaign funds strictly for campaign expenses, costs incurred as a state official, contributions to sanctioned groups or campaigns, or childcare expenses caused by the campaign.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Announces $18 Million in Federal Grants for Infrastructure, Housing in 16 Virginia Communities

Tom Pappert

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced on Friday the distribution of more than $18 million in federal grants to 16 Virginia communities to improve existing housing and improve infrastructure. Youngkin claimed his distribution will help Virginians manage the increasing cost of living.

In a press release, the governor’s office said the distribution of Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs) “will support projects that rehabilitate housing, revitalize downtown districts, improve water and sewer infrastructure and provide dental facilities for needed services, benefiting more than 2,800 low- and moderate-income Virginians.”

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New Year, New Laws Coming to Virginia

The Center Square

The new year signals change, specifically new laws which will take effect in Virginia, especially in the health care sector.

The Commonwealth will see a slew of new laws aimed at improving health insurance coverage, recognizing specific out-of-state counseling licenses, streamlining home studies for adoption and changes to the state’s medical marijuana oversite.

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Virginia Seminary Marks 200th Anniversary by Scrubbing Names Linked to Slavery

Virginia Star Staff

The Virginia Theological Seminary renamed six of its buildings this fall in what its leaders say is an effort to address the Episcopal institution’s “legacies of slavery and racism.”

The move by the seminary, which celebrated its 200th anniversary this year, comes as part of a larger effort to ensure the campus “welcomes all,” according to its website.

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YoungkinWatch: Democrat Delegate Predicts ‘Accord’ with Governor, but Claims Budget Inadequately Funds ‘English Language Learners’

Tom Pappert
Rasoul Youngkin

Virginia Delegate Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke), who was tapped by House Speaker-designee Don Scott Jr. (D-Portsmouth) to serve as the Chair of the House Education Committee, predicted Democrats will find some “accord” with Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) in a Thursday interview. Still, Rasoul said he wants more funding for Virginia’s students, particularly those learning English as a second language.

Rasoul said he expects “common accord” with Youngkin on “mental health and some student mental health work” in remarks made to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, calling them “[p]laces where we can work together.”

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Virginia U.S. Senators Kaine and Warner Request $30 Million to Ease Looming Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Shortfall

The Center Square

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is facing a looming budget shortfall, and Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen are hoping to ease operational costs related to national security and counterterrorism efforts.

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YoungkinWatch: Democrats Signal Opposition to Governor’s Plan to Eliminate Car Tax

Tom Pappert

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly have signaled their opposition to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s plan to eliminate the state’s unpopular car tax as part of his budget since he unveiled it last week. Despite Youngkin’s calls for additional mental health and education funding, the plan’s detractors say revenue generated through taxing personal vehicles is necessary to fund the commonwealth’s schools.

Youngkin declared before the Virginia House of Delegates on December 20 that the commonwealth’s “car tax belongs in the trash can, not in your mailbox,” and his budget revealed plans to offset revenue lost by eliminating the car tax and lowering the income tax with a sales tax increase.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Sunsets Federally Funded Tutoring Program After Virginia Schools Submit Plans for State Money

Tom Pappert

A federally funded program in Virginia to provide coaching and academic recovery to the commonwealth’s students is set to conclude this year, with state officials pointing toward Governor Glenn Youngkin’s ALL in VA plan as a possible way to bridge the gap in resources as pandemic-era federal funding runs dry.

The Engage Virginia program unveiled the the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) in February is set to conclude on December 31, reported the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Tuesday, explaining that Youngkin’s administration said “the one-time federal funding for the program has been exhausted, and the program is wrapping up.” However, the outlet noted the governor’s office suggested “school divisions could individually engage with the program by using their allocations from the governor’s ALL in VA plan.”

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Virginia Democrat Files Bill to Make Identification Issued by ‘Any Private Entity’ Regulated by Virginia Agencies Count as Voter ID

Tom Pappert
Virginia Del David Reid

Virginia Delegate David Reid (D-Loudoun) filed a bill earlier this month that would include privately-created identification cards as permissible forms of voter identification.

Reid filed HB 26 on December 18 to amend existing Virginia law regarding voter identification to allow “any valid identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by any private entity that is licensed or certified, in whole or in part, by the Department of Health, Department of Social Services, Department of Medical Assistance Services, or Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.”

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Virginia Democrats Propose Bill Increasing Penalties for Gun Owners in Cases of Minors Committing Crimes

Tom Pappert
VanValkenburg Ebbin

Two Virginia Democrats in the State Senate introduced legislation on Tuesday to increase penalties for gun owners in cases of minors committing crimes, with even higher punishments if the adult knew the minor offender was previously charged with a violent crime.

Virginia State Senator-elect Schuyler Vanvalkenburg (D-Henrico) and Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) introduced SB 44 to amend the Code of Virginia to make it a Class 1 misdemeanor, “If the owner of a firearm allows a minor to possess his firearm and such a minor” takes the firearm to a school zone or gun-free zone, or uses the firearm “to intentionally or with gross negligence cause bodily injury to himself or another person.”

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Shenandoah Civil War Park Potential New Home for Confederate Memorial

The Center Square
Confederate Monument

A Confederate memorial was removed this week from Arlington National Cemetery and could be relocated to the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park in the Shenandoah Valley if Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin gets his way.

The park is operated by the Virginia Museum of the Civil War, which is run by the Virginia Military Institute, one of the commonwealth’s 15 public universities and the oldest state-supported military college in the U.S.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Ties Norfolk Sea Wall Funding to Completion of Delayed Casino in New Budget

Tom Pappert
Youngkin Casino

The budget Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) proposed on Wednesday includes nearly $95 million in funding for the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, also known as the Norfolk Sea Wall, but tied $21 million of the funding to the completion of a long-delayed casino.

Youngkin’s budget includes $73.8 million for the project, a series of improvements that includes levees, storm surge barriers, pump stations, and other improvements to manage the flow of water during storms. However, the budget calls for an additional $21 million in funding that is “contingent upon the City applying revenues generated by a casino gaming establishment.”

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YoungkinWatch: Governor’s Virginia Budget Proposes Income Tax Cut, Sales Tax Hike

Tom Pappert
Youngkin Virginia

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) on Wednesday proposed a two-year budget that will see Virginia’s income tax rate decrease, but paired the cut with a sales tax increase that will see some parts of the commonwealth pay nearly 8 percent sales tax.

Youngkin presented his “Unleashing Opportunity Budget” before the Virginia House of Delegates by noting migration trends within the United States that show Americans moving to states with lower taxes and more jobs.

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YoungkinWatch: All Virginia School Divisions Submit ‘ALL In’ Plans Two Months After Target Date

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) celebrated on Monday as all 131 Virginia school divisions finalized and submitted their “ALL in VA” plans with the governor’s office. Youngkin originally challenged Virginia’s schools to finish their plans by October 16.

In a statement, Youngkin said he is “pleased all of Virginia’s school divisions have heeded my call to urgently and aggressively take action to help our students recover” from the learning loss suffered as a result of pandemic-era restrictions. Youngkin said the submissions mean Virginia schools “embraced that challenge and are committed to getting our students back on track academically.”

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Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association Launches Campaign Focused on Educating the Public About Health Care Law Reforms

Kaitlin Housler

The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) announced Monday the launch of a new public awareness campaign focused on making sure patients and families in Virginia “know their rights to help them make informed medical decisions.”

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Virginia Republicans in Rep. Bob Good’s District Prefer Trump Despite DeSantis Endorsement, Could Flip to John McGuire in 2024: Poll

Tom Pappert

A new poll conducted by Battleground Connect, provided to The Virginia Star by the congressional campaign of Delegate John McGuire (R-Goochland), indicates the majority of Republicans in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District will support former President Donald Trump over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in March 2024, and may choose McGuire over Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) when voters return to the polls in June.

The survey reported that 71 percent of Republicans in Virginia’s 5th district hold a favorable opinion of Trump, compared to just 15 percent who hold an unfavorable opinion. Just 43 percent of those respondents reported a favorable opinion of DeSantis, while 34 percent had no opinion.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Promises Bills Banning TikTok for Minors, Restricting Social Media Data Gathering for Kids

Tom Pappert
Gov. Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) said in a Friday news conference that he will introduce legislation to the Virginia General Assembly to ban TikTok for minors, restrict other social media from gathering data about children, and expand state-funded mental health initiatives in public schools and colleges.

Youngkin revealed four new legislative efforts he intends to champion during the upcoming legislative session, after first calling for an additional $500 million to address youth mental health in a Friday press release.

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The Removal and Relocation of Arlington’s Iconic Reconciliation Monument Is Underway

Christina Botteri

Workers set to relocate Confederate Memorial were spotted Sunday in Arlington National Cemetery preparing the 109-year-old statue for removal. Plans were announced in September that the iconic work would be moved to grounds at Virginia Military Institute’s New Market Battlefield State Historical Park.

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Virginia Teacher Fired for Not Using Student’s Preferred Pronouns Wins Major Victory

Virginia Star Staff
Peter Vlaming

In a gratifying win for religious freedom and free speech, the Virginia Supreme Court concluded Thursday that embattled Virginia high school teacher Peter Vlaming, who had been fired over his refusal to use a student’s preferred pronouns because of his religious faith, was protected by the free exercise and free speech clauses of the Virginia Constitution.

In 2018, Vlaming, then a West Point High School French teacher, consistently referred to his transgender student (a biological female) by the student’s preferred name. However, he carefully avoided the use of third-person pronouns when referring to the student so as to not violate his religious beliefs. This wasn’t good enough for the West Point School Board, which ordered Vlaming to use the student’s preferred pronouns, too.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Commits to Supporting Trump if He’s Republican Nominee

Tom Pappert

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said on Wednesday that he will support former President Donald Trump if he secures the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.

Youngkin confirmed to CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that will support Trump, should he first become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee.

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Virginia U.S. Rep. Bob Good Promises House Freedom Caucus Will Fight Speaker’s NDAA

Tom Pappert

Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) said the House Freedom Caucus will work to oppose the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) supported by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) crafted with leadership in Congress, which will reauthorize a controversial government surveillance law that House Republicans previously pulled due to backlash.

Good told John Fredericks, publisher of The Virginia Star, that he plans to rally Republicans against the proposed NDAA due to its inclusion of an extension for controversial government spying under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The current version of the bill, he explained, was created by Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

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Rep. Morgan Griffith Becomes First Virginia Congressman to Endorse Trump for 2024 Election

Tom Pappert

Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09) formally endorsed former President Donald Trump and his 2024 campaign for the White House on Wednesday, becoming the first congressman from Virginia to endorse the former president’s bid.

Griffith made his endorsement during a radio interview with John Fredericks, the publisher of The Virginia Star, who called it “a huge endorsement” for Trump.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Wants $90 Million for Research at Virginia Universities with Antisemitism Controversies

Tom Pappert

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) revealed on Monday he will seek $90 million in his December 20 budget to fund new research at three Virginia universities that have all suffered from antisemitic protests and demonstrations on their campuses, accusations of antisemitic posts from faculty, or claims of failing to accurately reflect Israel’s position in its defensive war against Hamas at university events.

Youngkin announced in a press release Monday that he is seeking “a total of $90 million in one-time funds to the University of Virginia’s Manning Institute for Biotechnology, Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and the Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medicines for All Institute” that will require them to work with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority to increase “commercialization and startup support” for the institutions.

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Virginia Lawmakers Urge Department of Defense to Address Chinese Seabed Mining

The Center Square

The U.S. Department of Defense is being urged by members of Congress to develop a national security plan to address China’s interest and investments in seabed mining.  

Virginia U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, led over two dozen legislators including fellow Rep. Jen Kiggans in sounding the alarm on China’s involvement in mining critical resources, such as nickel, cobalt, lithium, manganese and zinc from the seabed.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Denies Campaigning on Abortion Was Mistake, Acknowledges Americans ‘Living Paycheck to Paycheck’

Tom Pappert
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) denied that Virginia Republicans suffered from his political action committee’s heavy campaigning to restrict abortion during the November elections during a Monday interview. However, the governor also acknowledged the majority of Americans are “living paycheck to paycheck” in remarks that follow a leadership challenge against his allies in the House of Delegates, which was reportedly orchestrated due to frustrations over Republicans’ failure to campaign on the economy.

Responding to criticisms that Virginia Republicans may have suffered due to Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC spending heavily in favor of restricting abortion during the 2023 elections, the governor told Bloomberg that campaigning on abortion “was not a mistake.” He seemed to argue the issue gave Republicans something to run on, telling the outlet, “I firmly believe that one of the challenges that we have had as Republicans is we haven’t been clear on what we’re going to do.”

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Urges Biden Admin to End Remote Work for Federal Workers to Save Metro Transit

Tom Pappert

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin sent a letter to two federal agencies within the Biden administration, urging them to require federal employees to return to the office in order to save the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) from a budget deficit he claims threatens the future of public transportation in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Youngkin urged the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM)and Office of Management and Budget to order its employees back to their offices “to infuse needed energy into the Greater DC regional economy and provide WMATA with a sustaining ridership level.”

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Virginia U.S. Rep. Bob Good Secretly Recorded Complaining About Trump’s ‘Baggage’ After Claiming He Never Criticized Former President

Tom Pappert

U.S. Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) raised complaints about former President Donald Trump, highlighting an alleged lack of conservative bona fides, before criticizing the criminal indictments against the former president as “baggage” in an undercover video posted to social media on Wednesday.

The video, which appears to be clandestinely shot, repeatedly features a clip of Good stating “you’re asking me privately, I don’t say this publicly,” before transitioning to clips of Good criticizing Trump.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Wants $448 Million to Fund Childcare, After School Programs as Federal Funding Dwindles

Tom Pappert

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced his new Building Blocks for Virginia Families initiative a press event on Thursday, declaring the plan will allow the commonwealth to continue funding childcare and early childhood education after pandemic-era funding from the federal government is gone.

Promoting the initiative as part of his administration’s efforts to empower parents, raise the commonwealth’s educational standards, and bring more Virginians into the workforce, the governor promised during a Thursday press conference that the initiative will be “the great underpinnings to having the very best childcare and early education system in the nation.”

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YoungkinWatch: Williamsburg Festival Denies Hanukkah Celebration Ever Scheduled After Governor Condemns Cancellation

Tom Pappert

A Williamsburg music and arts festival is denying it ever scheduled a menorah lighting to celebrate Hanukkah after Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) condemned the group’s purported decision to cancel it amid Israel’s defensive war against Hamas.

News broke on Sunday that the 2nd Sundays Art and Music Festival in Williamsburg canceled a menorah lighting scheduled for its December 10 event, with The Virginia Gazette reporting that festival founder Shirley Vermillion “said 2nd Sundays are inclusive to different religions and cultures,” and reported that Vermillion stated the menorah lighting “seemed very inappropriate” due to what the outlet called “current events in Israel and Gaza.”

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Joins 16 States Urging Biden to Stop China-Linked Purchases of U.S. Land

Tom Pappert

Governor Glenn Youngkin joined a coalition of governors from 17 states who on Monday sent a letter to President Joe Biden that urged the administration to prevent “dangerous and adversarial governments to infiltrate our country” by purchasing “swaths of real property throughout the United States.”

Citing multiple reports that companies linked to China are purchasing large amounts of farmland, including near U.S. military installations, the governors wrote to demand the Biden administration “reckon with the fact that such entities are plain threats to our national security, our farmers, and our citizenry.”

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YoungkinWatch: Virginia’s RNC Committee Woman Calls for Trump to Oust Chair Ronna McDaniel as Governor Keeps Silence

Tom Pappert

Former President Donald Trump was urged to call for a replacement for Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Monday by Patti Lyman, a Republican National Committeewoman representing Virginia. Lyman’s remarks follow claims from McDaniel that Governor Glenn Youngkin, or his representatives, told her that Virginia did not need additional funding prior to the Republicans’ electoral losses in November.

During an appearance on “The John Fredericks Show,” Lyman suggested Trump could be a deciding factor to determine new leadership at the RNC. She told host John Fredericks, who is publisher of The Virginia Star, Trump is the “one man” who could take “necessary” actions to “get new leadership at the RNC.”

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YoungkinWatch: UVA Did Not Promote, Advertise ‘Summit on Free Speech’ Governor Reportedly Spent Over a Year Planning

Tom Pappert

The University of Virginia (UVA) did little to promote Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) on Wednesday, even as he gathered officials from every public college in the commonwealth at for his “Higher Education Summit on Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity” at the school’s Newcomb Hall to discuss the importance of differing opinions in higher education.

Youngkin told attendees that, “when it comes to freedom of expression, we have to create an environment that protects the ability to challenge conventional thinking,” according to UVA Today. The governor added, “Challenging beliefs and fostering an environment for these debates is exactly why we all exist.”

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Report: Virginia Criminal Case Workload Nearly Doubled, Multiple Factors Blamed

The Center Square
Lawyers Working

A recent report revealed that Virginia’s criminal defense court-appointed and public defense attorneys are underfunded and that most cases are now taking twice as long to defend — leading to an even greater disparity between pay and hours worked.

The report, assembled by the commission that reviews the operation of the commonwealth’s policies and state agencies, attributed increased workload per case to changes in technology, mental health and a slew of policies ushered in by the previous governor’s administration.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Places Third in Virginia Presidential Primary Poll, Trump and Biden Statistically Tied

Tom Pappert
Trump, Biden, Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) placed third in a Virginia presidential primary poll released on Thursday, while pollsters found the majority of voters favor former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. Trump was also statistically tied with President Joe Biden, despite Biden carrying the Commonwealth by 10 percentage points in 2020.

The Roanoke College poll, conducted between November 12 and November 20, found Trump to be the first choice of 51 percent of Virginia Republicans for the Republican candidate for president. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) placed in a distant, second place, with 14 percent of support.

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YoungkinWatch: Virginia Democrat Declines House Race, Cites ‘Slim Majorities’ in Legislature as Party Looks to Block Governor with ‘Brick Wall’

Tom Pappert

Virginia State Senator Jeremy McPike (D-Prince William) confirmed on Wednesday he will not run for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), who earlier this month announced she would not seek re-election and would instead run for governor. McPike noted Virginia Democrats’ “slim majorities” in the Virginia General Assembly amid Democrats’ promises to be a “brick wall” preventing the agenda of Governor Glenn Youngkin (R).

In a post to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the senator said he looks “forward to continuing to serve and fight for Virginians in the Senate.” Revealing he was urged to enter the House race, McPike (pictured above) stated “for now, with our slim majorities in the General Assembly, I will continue to fight to improve the lives of everyday Virginians.”

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