Virginia GOP Attorney General Jason Miyares said this week that he is worried about the potential influence of foreign money impacting U.S. elections through the Democratic online fund-raising platform ActBlue that he is investigating.
Read MoreTag: Attorney General Jason Miyares
Virginia A.G. Jason Miyares Still ‘Deeply Concerned’ by Biden-Harris Push for Noncitizen Voters After Supreme Court Victory
While the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed the right of Virginia to remove noncitizens from its voter rolls, Attorney General Jason Miyares said on Wednesday he remains “deeply concerned and alarmed” by the legal action taken against Virginia by the Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) prior to the high court’s intervention.
The Biden-Harris administration sued Virginia earlier in October, claiming they violated the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) by removing about 1,600 noncitzens from the commonwealth’s voter rolls within 90 days of an election.
Read MoreYoungkin, Miyares Vow to Appeal for Virginia’s Right to Remove Illegal Voters ‘All the Way to the Supreme Court’
Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares on Friday vowed to appeal after a federal judge ordered Virginia to restore about 1,500 noncitizens to the commonwealth’s voter rolls.
U.S. District Judge Patricia Trolliver Giles, an appointee of President Joe Biden, announced her decision after the Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) sued to force Virginia to restore the noncitizen voters, alleging the commonwealth violated the National Voter Registration Act by removing them so close to an election.
Read MoreGov. Youngkin, A.G. Miyares Vow to Fight ‘Politically Motivated’ Biden-Harris DOJ Lawsuit over Removal of Non-Citizens from Voter Rolls
Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares have vowed Virginia will fight the lawsuit launched by the Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) over the commonwealth’s recent effort to remove non-citizens from its voter rolls, with both noting it was filed less than one month before Election Day.
Read MoreVirginia A.G. Jason Miyares Urges EPA to Block California Electric Truck Mandate, ‘Extreme Environmental Agenda’
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to maintain its block on the California electric truck mandate created by Governor Gavin Newsom, declaring the state is “playing games with America’s livelihood.”
Miyares on Monday announced he joined a comment letter urging the EPA to maintain its federal block on California’s Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation, which mandates every major commercial trucking company either maintain an “zero-emission-vehicle” (ZEV) fleet or have a plan to retire traditional internal combustion engines in accordance with the regulation.
Read MoreVirginia A.G. Miyares Blames Kamala Harris After Illegal Immigrant Arrested for Abducting Teenager, Impersonating Police: ‘It’s A Betrayal’
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares on Sunday responded to the recent arrest of an illegal immigrant who is charged with the abduction of a teenage girl and falsely claiming he was police officer by condemning Vice President Kamala Harris’ oversight of the southern border as “a betrayal” of the American people.
“This horrific crime is a direct result of Kamala Harris putting her political agenda above the safety of American citizens,” said Miyares in a post to the social media platform X. “It’s not just negligence; it’s a betrayal. Our communities’ safety should never be sacrificed for reckless, politically driven decisions.”
Read MoreLocal ‘Sanctuary’ Policies in Virginia Pose Dangers to National Security
Localities with “sanctuary” policies in Virginia have grown, many butting up against vital military or national security instillations, posing potential threats, according to a former Homeland Security and immigration senior official.
Last month, immigration policy think tank the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) released an updated map of localities that have adopted sanctuary policies, which showed a surge in the commonwealth totaling 84.
Read MoreVirginia A.G. Miyares Promises No Campaign Talk Until After November Despite Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears Declaring Run for Governor
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares on Thursday said he would not say whether he intends to seek a higher office, or reelection, until after the November elections in a Thursday post to social media.
Miyares confirmed he will hold his silence just hours after Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears on Thursday declared her gubernatorial candidacy in a bid to succeed Governor Glenn Youngkin, who is precluded from seeking a second term by the Virginia Constitution.
Read MoreFormer Delegate Jay Jones Announces Bid for Virginia Attorney General as A.G. Miyares Appears to Eye Executive Mansion
Former Virginia House Delegate Jay Jones reportedly filed paperwork to run for Attorney General of the commonwealth, ending his break from politics that began after Jones announced his resignation in 2021.
Jones filed paperwork to run for Virginia Attorney General on August 28, according to WRIC, which reported Monday a staff member for the Democrat replied that any official announcement would come after the November elections.
Read MoreVirginia A.G. Jason Miyares Teases Run for Governor at Trump Rally Where Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears was Not Invited
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares hinted he may announce his run for governor following the conclusion of the 2024 presidential election. Miyares made the remarks while attending former President Donald Trump’s rally in Chesapeake, Virginia on Friday.
Miyares made the comments after National Review asked the attorney general whether he was considering a run to succeed Governor Glenn Youngkin, who is unable to seek another term.
Read MoreYoungkin Vows to Protect Free Speech on Virginia College Campuses While Protecting Jewish Students from ‘Hate Speech and Intimidation’
Governor Glenn Youngkin in a Sunday appearance on CNN pledged to protect the First Amendment on Virginia’s college campuses, but also vowed to keep Jewish students safe from “hate speech and intimidation” from anti-Israel protesters.
The governor stated during an appearance with Dana Bash on CNN’s State of the Union that his administration will allow protesters to peacefully demonstrate against Israel while preventing the establishment of anti-Israel encampments and protecting the rights of Jewish students.
Read MoreVirginia AG Miyares Announces Nearly $110 Million in Opioid Settlement Payments
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced on Tuesday the receipt of more than $100 million in opioid settlement payments from drug manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies who agreed to the financial compensation for their role in the opioid crisis.
The press release by Miyares’ office explained the latest round of payments totaled about $108.4 million of the $1.1 billion secured by Virginia in opioid settlements.
Read MoreVirginia A.G. Miyares Celebrates Victory as SEC Halts Biden Climate Change Mandate
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares celebrated a victory on Friday after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) halted the enforcement of its new climate changes rules for publicly traded businesses that were imposed by the Biden administration.
The coalition of 25 attorneys general originally sued the Biden administration to block SEC rule changes that require publicly listed businesses report what the government considers climate change risks. A press release from the attorney general notes companies would be forced to “release a plan to adapt to climate agenda recommendations” under the proposed rules.
Read MoreVirginia Drops Requirements for Churches to Hire Non-Christians, Fund ‘Sex Reassignment’ and ‘Gender Affirming’ Surgeries
A lawsuit brought by religious and faith-based organizations against Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares was settled on Monday, with the parties forming a settlement that drops a requirement for the groups to hire non-Christians.
The conclusion of Cavalry Road Baptist Church v. Miyares was announced by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), whose attorneys represented two Virginia churches, three Christian schools and a pregnancy center network.
Read MoreVirginia AG Jason Miyares Joins Coalition Demanding Federal Funding to Support Commonwealth Crime Victims
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares confirmed on Friday that he joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general calling on the Department of Justice’s Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund to provide additional resources to commonwealth citizens who are victims of crimes.
The VOCA Fund, originally established by a federal law signed in 1984, is financed by fines and penalties paid by individuals convicted in federal cases and funds to provide various services, including financial assistance, to victims of crimes.
Read MoreVirginia First Lady Suzanne Youngkin, Attorney General Miyares Hold First Event for ‘It Only Takes One’ Fentanyl Awareness Initiative
First Lady of Virginia Suzanne Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares on Tuesday held an event for their new fentanyl awareness initiative, called It Only Takes One. They were joined by Roanoke City Mayor Sherman Lea and the parents of a child who died after overdosing on fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is killing our young people and hurting families across the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said during her speech at the event. She added, “By bringing attention to the dangers of this illicit drug, while giving a voice to victims, we aspire to save lives. Ultimately, caring for one another is our higher calling.”
Read MoreVirginia Attorney General Miyares Launches Media Campaign for Operation Ceasefire to Address Gun Violence
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares confirmed on Thursday a $2.8 million media campaign to support Operation Ceasefire, the campaign he began in 2022 to lower gun violence throughout the commonwealth.
A trailer for the attorney general’s campaign, posted to YouTube last month, reveals an upcoming “public awareness and media campaign” titled Ceasefire Virginia. Miyares intends to reach “young people who may be considering gang or violent criminal activity” by targeting them on social media.
Read MoreGovernor Hints GOP Will Revive Democrat-Thwarted Legislation, Target Fentanyl Dealers with Murder Charges
Governor Glenn Youngkin indicated to local media on Friday that Virginia Republicans will reintroduce a bill to charge fentanyl dealers and distributors with murder if their drugs result in a lethal overdose. Virginia Democrats successfully defeated the legislation in February.
Youngkin told 7 News on Friday, “if you’re a drug dealer and you do drugs and someone dies, you should be charged with felony homicide.” He stressed to the outlet, “[w]e cannot coddle drug dealers.”
Read MoreChristian Wedding Photographer Who Declined to Celebrate Same-Sex Marriage Wins Huge Legal Victory
Virginia state officials agreed to settle a lawsuit with a Christian wedding photographer after he refused to use his business to celebrate same-sex marriage, according to a press release.
Read MoreCommentary: Judgment Day in America
To save America, first save the court system. Because it may be the last institution in the country doing its job — repelling progressive insanity. Four sound, sage judgments last Friday battered the Left all the way up from a local school district to the White House. Two of them made it a very bad day for the trans movement. But all stress the urgency of voting conservative to maintain righteous normalcy, far more than political circuses like last Wednesday’s Fox Business/Univision/RNC-mounted Republican Primary Debate.
Read MoreVirginia Attorney General Subpoenas School District over Merit Awards Investigation
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) officials announced that they’ve been subpoenaed by the Virginia Attorney General’s Office to release a report on an investigation into the district’s failure to notify some students of their National Merit Awards. FCPS says it’s fighting the subpoena by taking “legal action.”
FCPS says it conducted an independent investigation into their notification process and released a summary of the investigation in March. The investigation concluded that educators did not do anything to intentionally harm students or their college applications, according to FCPS.
Read MoreVirginia’s Miyares Joins Lawsuit Against Robocall Company
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined a nationwide lawsuit against Avid Telecom for “violating” the Telephone Consumer Protection Act for allegedly “facilitating billions of illegal robocalls.”
Miyares is joining a bipartisan coalition of 48 attorneys general from across the country in filing the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
Read MoreAttorney General’s Report: Virginia Parole Board Broke the Law, Abused Power in March 2020 Parole Board Releases
A report from the Attorney General Jason Miyares’ office says the Virginia Parole Board violated state law governing victim and prosecutor notifications and had a “culture of ignoring the Virginia Code, Parole Board policies, and administrative procedures,” while accelerating the rate of releases in March 2020. Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment, Jr. (R-James City) responded to the report by requesting Judge Adrianne Bennett, who was Parole Board chair, to resign.
“Under Chair Adrianne Bennett, the Virginia Parole Board endangered public safety and abused its power by releasing dozens of violent felons against Parole Board policies, and frequently in clear violation of a court order or Virginia law,” Attorney General Miyares said in a press release announcing the report. “Judge Bennett’s brazen abuse of her power put Virginians’ safety at risk so that she could promote a criminal-first, victim-last agenda without regard for victims or their safety.”
Read MorePioneering Law Professor Offers Legal Strategy for Virginia Students Denied National Merit Award Notices
As Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares investigates potential civil rights violations in the widespread withholding of timely National Merit Scholar award notifications to students in suburban Washington, D.C., possibly on “equity” grounds, a local law professor known for public health crusades is floating a novel legal strategy for aggrieved students. George Washington University’s John Banzhaf says Virginia courts this century have recognized a “somewhat obscure” class of legal claims known as “prima facie torts” that don’t depend on difficult-to-prove allegations such as intentional infliction of emotional distress or racial discrimination.
Read MoreGuns of America Official Criticizes Miyares over Legal Defense in Background Check Lawsuit
Speakers at a pro-gun rally at the Virginia Capitol on Monday criticized some Republican politicians, including Attorney General Jason Miyares, whose office is defending a lawsuit over Virginia’s universal background check laws.
“Democrats might not actually be the roadblock. The roadblock might be Republicans that think that they have the base. There’s something called, ‘The Lesser of Two Evils Fallacy.’ It says that I’m not as bad as the other person, so therefore I’m going to get the votes of my base. We have to get rid of that. If a Republican goes anti-gun, we have to primary them,” Guns of America (GOA) Special Projects Coordinator John Crump said in a speech.
Read MoreMiyares Launches Two-Pronged Investigation into Thomas Jefferson High School
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Wednesday a civil rights investigation into Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology amid allegations that school officials suppressed student merit awards until after college early application periods.
“My office will investigate whether the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology administration’s withholding of National Merit Scholarship honors from students violated the Virginia Human Rights Act,” he wrote in a letter to Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid and TJ Principal Ann Bonitatibus, warning that he planned to issue subpoenas if the officials don’t cooperate.
Read MoreYoungkin Calls for Investigation into Thomas Jefferson High School After Allegations That School Downplayed Student Awards
Governor Glenn Youngkin has asked Attorney General Jason Miyares to investigate the administration at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology after allegations that officials downplayed student National Merit awards until after early selection college deadlines.
“We need to get to the bottom of what appears to be an egregious, deliberate attempt to disadvantage high-performing students at one of the best schools in the country,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a Tuesday press release. “Parents and students deserve answers and Attorney General Miyares will initiate a full investigation. I believe this failure may have caused material harm to those students and their parents, and that this failure may have violated the Virginia Human Rights Act.”
Read MoreYoungkin Bans TikTok on State Devices, WiFi
Governor Glenn Youngkin banned TikToK and WeChat on state devices and WiFi on Friday, the same day Attorney General Jason Miyares signed on to a letter asking Google and Apple to change TikTok age ratings to reflect content on the platform.
“TikTok and WeChat data are a channel to the Chinese Communist Party, and their continued presence represents a threat to national security, the intelligence community, and the personal privacy of every single American,” Youngkin said in a press release announcing his executive order.
Read MoreAir Pollution Board Advances Repeal of Virginia Participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board voted four to one with two abstentions on Wednesday to advance a regulatory repeal of the Commonwealth’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), with completion targeted for the end of 2023.
The program requires utilities in participating states to bid on carbon allowances, and withdrawal from the program has been a top goal of Governor Glenn Youngkin since before he took office. Republicans argue that utilities will pass the costs on to consumers, and Democrats highlight funds raised through the program for flood protection and coastal resilience.
Read MoreLoudoun Schools Grand Jury Finds Administration Mishandled 2021 Sexual Assaults, Failed to Prevent Second October Assault
A final report on the grand jury investigation into the Loudoun County Public School district’s handling of two sexual assaults on campuses says senior LCPS administration “were looking out for their own interests instead of the best interests of LCPS,” kept school board (LCSB) members in the dark about critical facts, and also described breakdowns in communication between LCPS, the Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), and the Commonwealth’s attorney’s office that contributed to a failure to prevent the second assault.
“There were several decision points for senior LCPS administrators, up to and including the superintendent, to be transparent and step in and alter the sequence of events leading up to the October 6, 2021 BRHS [Broad Run High School] sexual assault. They failed at every juncture,” the report states. “We concluded there was not a coordinated cover-up between LCPS administrators and members of the LCSB. Indeed, except for the May, 28, 2021 email from the superintendent, the LCSB, both as a body and its individual members, were deliberately deprived of information regarding these incidents until after the October 6, 2021 sexual assault — and even then they learned not from the superintendent’s office but instead from public reporting that the assailant was the same one from the May 28 incident.”
Read MoreMiyares Launches ‘One Pill Can Kill’ Campaign Warning of Dangers of Counterfeit Drugs
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced a “One Pill Can Kill” awareness campaign over the risks of fentanyl and counterfeit drugs to try to launch conversations among families ahead of the holidays.
The opioid epidemic has had a devastating effect on our Commonwealth. There isn’t a corner of our state that hasn’t been touched by its pain and destruction. Tragically, overdose deaths are now not limited to addiction, but to counterfeit pills laced with a highly potent, deadly substance – fentanyl,” Miyares said in a press release Tuesday. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen too many young people overdose and die after experimenting with these powerful drugs. As a father, this new threat terrifies me. That’s why I launched ‘One Pill Can Kill,’ a public awareness initiative aimed at generating conversations around the dangers of counterfeit drugs and fentanyl.”
Read MoreU.S. Western District Attorney Announces Sentences in Three Cases, Including One Prosecuted by Attorney from Miyares’ Office
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher Kavanaugh announced sentences in three separate drug dealing cases on Friday, including a case prosecuted by an attorney cross-designated between the Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen prosecuted the case against Pedro Loza, who was sentenced to 72 months after he was convicted on charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine as part of an organization that trafficked drugs from Texas and Indiana into Southwest Virginia, according to a joint press release from Miyares and the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Read MoreVirginia to Get $10.7 Million in Settlement over Google Location Tracking
Virginia is set to receive $10.7 million as part of a $391.5 million multistate settlement with Google over allegations that the tech company misled users about location tracking related to their Google account settings. “It is imperative that companies take customers’ personal data protection seriously and are transparent and direct…
Read MoreMiyares Touts Enforcement in Robocalls Investigation Against Telecoms Providers
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced that the national Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force is taking enforcement action against two telecoms providers over their alleged involvement in illegal robocalls. The two companies Avid Telecom and One Eye, LLC have stopped cooperating with the task force’s investigation.
“The enforcement action against Avid Telecom details several instances in which the task force believes Avid Telecom knowingly accepted and routed illegal robocalls. Further, the task force believes Avid Telecom’s CEO, Michael Lansky, helped another telecom provider hide its suspect traffic,” Miyares’s release states. “The enforcement action against One Eye details how an individual closed another voice service provider, PZ Telecommunication, LLC, and became the apparent CEO of One Eye. This transition occurred after the Federal Communications Commission sent PZ Telecom a cease-and-desist letter.”
Read MoreVirginia NAACP Pays $20,000 for FOIA Request of Records from Miyares’ Election Integrity Unit
The Virginia NAACP says it is paying $20,000 for a FOIA request into Attorney General Jason Miyares’ Unit of Election Integrity. On Monday, the organization issued a press release suggesting that the unit is unnecessary and that the high price for the requested information is meant to protect the unit…
Read MoreMiyares, Dominion Energy Tout Potential New Deal over Offshore Wind Project Costs
Dominion Energy, the Office of the Attorney General, and other stakeholders have announced a tentative settlement agreement over how the utility will pay for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Project. The agreement, which still needs approval from the State Corporation Commission, would allow the utility to bill some cost overruns in the project to consumers, but sets a cap along with some protections for the utility’s shareholders who would otherwise bear the burden. Attorney General Jason Miyares said that’s a win for consumers, and the utility said the agreement balances financial impacts.
“I am pleased that we have achieved consumer protections never seen before in modern Virginia history,” Miyares said in a press release. “For the first time Dominion has significant skin in the game to ensure that the project is delivered on budget. Should the project run materially over budget, it will come out of Dominion’s pocket, not consumers’. If approved by the State Corporation Commission [SCC], this agreement provides first-of-its-kind protections for Virginia consumers. A wide range of stakeholders support this agreement. I especially want to thank the Sierra Club and Appalachian Voices for joining, as well as Virginia’s largest private employer, Walmart. This landmark agreement means that Virginia will be a national leader in offshore renewable energy for years to come and most importantly in a fiscally responsible way.”
Read MoreMiyares Joins Coalition of 18 Other Attorneys General Investigating Bank Involvement in U.N. Net-Zero Banking Alliance
Attorney General Jason Miyares said he’s joining 18 other attorneys general led in an investigation into several major banks for their involvement in the United Nations Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA).
“The U.N’s Net-Zero Banking Alliance, which includes American companies, punishes Virginia farmers and Virginia companies that deal with fossil fuel-related activities,” Miyares said in a press release. “Virginians are not subject to U.N. business standards. That’s why I’ve joined a coalition of attorney generals investigating six major American banks for ceding authority to a foreign body.”
Read MoreVirginia Receives First Payment in Big Pharma Opioid Settlement
Virginia has received $67.4 million, the first payment in a Johnson and Johnson settlement requiring its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals to stop selling opioids in the U.S.; the Commonwealth will receive about $99.3 million total from the company over nine years.
“I’m thrilled that the money from these record-breaking settlements is on its way. My consumer protection section worked tirelessly to ensure that Virginians received the most funding possible and received it as quickly as possible. This helps the Commonwealth and individual localities fight back against the opioid epidemic and reduce, prevent, and treat addiction,” Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a press release.
Read MoreMiyares Joins Amicus Brief Supporting Oklahoma Law Regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined 34 other attorneys general in an amicus brief supporting Oklahoma’s laws regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Miyares’ press release said Virginia’s laws are similar to Oklahoma’s, and the regulations are necessary to protect consumers and pharmacies against PBMs, which act as middlemen between insurance providers, pharmacies, and drug manufacturers.
“Virginians’ healthcare costs continue to rise, and PBMs are partially to blame. Virginia has enacted laws to protect consumers from abusive PBM practices—including laws I supported in the General Assembly. Now, as your Attorney General, protecting consumers is one of my most important jobs, and I will continue to fight for these laws and the consumers they protect,” Miyares said.
Read MoreYoungkin Announces Operation Bold Blue Line to Address Violent Crime in Virginia
Governor Glenn Youngkin called for increased funding to support law enforcement and partnerships with localities as part of the administration’s Monday announcement of Operation Bold Blue Line. The proposals were the result of his violent crime task force, which he said found Virginia lacks law enforcement officers, prosecutors, programs for at-risk youth, and support for witnesses and victims.
“It’s often said that our law enforcement heroes represent a thin blue line,” he said in a speech outside a City of Norfolk Library alongside Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears.
“Friends, with nearly 40 percent law enforcement vacancy rates in some cities, with too few prosecutors actually prosecuting, with diminished community engagement and witnesses and victims less willing to come forward, that thin blue line is getting far too thin.”
Read MoreYoungkin Wants $10 Million for Energy Research and Development, Including $5 Million for Nuclear
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced Friday that he wants $10 million in the upcoming budget for research and development for energy technology, including $5 million focused on nuclear.
“Today I am pleased to propose a $10 million investment in the upcoming budget to turn Virginia into a leader in energy innovation,” Youngkin said in the announcement. “With technologies like carbon capture and utilization, and resources like critical minerals, hydrogen, and nuclear, we will make Virginia the epicenter for reliable and affordable energy innovation.”
Read MoreVirginia State Senator and Former Race Car Driver Criticize Top Legislators in Lawsuit for Skill Games Amendment in Budget
Senator Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) is representing former race car driver Hermie Sadler in a lawsuit over skill games against Governor Glenn Youngkin, Attorney General Jason Miyares, and the Virginia ABC. In an August update to the lawsuit first filed against the previous administration, Sadler criticizes top finance legislators for modifying Virginia’s skill games ban through the budget and says the ban still violates free speech and due process rights.
“[A] select group of budget conferees, including Senator Howell and Delegate Barry Knight schemed to sneak into the delayed budget bill a purported amendment to the enjoined Skill Games Ban,” the updated lawsuit complaint states.
Read MoreYoungkin Issues State of Emergency, Activating Price-Gouging Act Ahead of Remnants of Hurricane Ian
Governor Glenn Youngkin has issued a state of emergency, triggering Virginia’s price-gouging laws ahead of heavy rain and gusty winds, remnants of Hurricane Ian, expected to hit Virginia beginning on Friday.
“In addition to making smart decisions and keeping up with news developments during a statewide emergency declaration, Virginians must also support each other during this potentially hazardous time,” Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a Thursday press release. “Any violations of Virginia’s Anti-Price Gouging Act or exploitation of Virginians’ wallets will be thoroughly prosecuted through the Virginia Consumer Protection Act by my office. Bad actors will be held accountable.”
Read MoreVirginia Partners with National Child ID Program
Virginia is partnering with the National Child ID program to provide ID kits for families to keep on hand if a child goes missing.
“As Attorney General, my biggest priority is keeping our children safe. That’s why I’m thrilled to join Virginia Tech legend Frank Beamer and launch the Virginia Child ID Program. The National Child ID Program is a free, easy, and effective tool to help Virginia parents prepare for the unimaginable,” Miyares said in the Thursday announcement.
Read MoreSchools Across Virginia Targeted by Fake Reports of Active Shooters on Monday and Tuesday
Over a dozen school districts across Virginia were targeted by hoax reports of active shootings or other violence on Monday and Tuesday. That’s part of a broader wave of similar hoax calls targeting schools across the U.S.
“On Monday, Virginia State Police personnel responded to assist numerous local police and sheriff’s offices with reports of active shooters on school campuses,” Virginia State Police Public Relations Director Corinne Geller told The Virginia Star. “None of the threats were deemed valid, and the state police, through collaboration with the Virginia Fusion Center, is now working with those same local law enforcement agencies to investigate the source of the threats and to determine if there is any evidence to connect them.”
Read MoreMiyares, 50 Other Attorneys General Ask FCC to Expand Caller ID Authentication Requirement
Attorney General Jason Miyares signed a letter along with 50 other attorneys general requesting the Federal Commissions Communications to do more to address illegal robocalls. The attorneys general say robocalls often come from foreign actors who spoof Caller ID to show U.S.- based numbers, and ask the FCC to expand which call network providers are required to authenticate Caller ID.
“Robocalls aren’t just annoying – they are illegal tools used to take advantage of the most vulnerable in our communities. We have to do more to protect Virginians from these scammers, which is why I’m encouraging the FCC to require more robocall protection technology,” Miyares said in a release.
Read MoreAttorney General Miyares Creates Election Integrity Unit
Attorney General Jason Miyares has created a 20-member Election Integrity Unit within the Office of the Attorney General [OAG]; the unit will investigate and prosecute violations of election law, provide legal guidance, and work with law enforcement to protect election purity.
“I pledged during the 2021 campaign to work to increase transparency and strengthen confidence in our state elections. It should be easy to vote, and hard to cheat. The Election Integrity Unit will work to help to restore confidence in our democratic process in the Commonwealth,” Miyares said in a press release.
Read MoreElection Integrity Watchdog John Mills and Del. Tim Anderson React to Indictment of Former Prince William County Registrar
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Wednesday that a grand jury has chosen to bring two felony and one misdemeanor charge for incidents occurring around the time of the 2020 election against former Prince William County Registrar Michele White.
“First of all, proper investigations, we shouldn’t know what’s going on exactly, you know, as opposed to when some certain folks do investigations there’s a leak every thirty seconds,” said John Mills, director and founder of the National Election Integrity Association.
Read MoreVirginia Gets $16.61 Million in Agreement with JUUL After Investigation into Marketing Targeted at Youth
Virginia will get $16.61 million over six to ten years as part of a $438.5 million agreement in principle with JUUL after an investigation into whether the e-cigarette manufacturer marketed its products to underage users.
“Youth vaping is an epidemic, and from the get-go JUUL has been a leader in the e-cigarette industry. But JUUL targeted young people with deceptive social media advertising campaigns and misled the public about the product’s dangers. My office will continue to go after and hold accountable companies that market addictive products like e-cigarettes to minors, with no concern for their health or well-being,” Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a press release announcing the agreement.
Read MoreMiyares, National Attorneys General Association Call for Authority to Enforce Consumer Protection Laws Against Airlines
Attorney General Jason Miyares and 36 other attorneys general want Congress to grant them power to enforce consumer protection laws against airlines; on Wednesday the National Association of Attorneys General sent a letter to Congressional leaders saying that the U.S. Department of Transportation has failed to protect airline customers under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
Miyares said in a press release, “Flying is essential to millions of Virginians and helps support both our state and national economies, which means that consumer confidence in the air travel experience has significant economic impact. For years, the federal government has failed to spur the U.S. Department of Transportation to effectively and efficiently respond to consumer complaints and state attorneys general have little to no authority to hold airline companies accountable when they break the law and abuse consumers. Congress must discuss possible legislation that provides more consistent and fair enforcement mechanisms for consumer violations to protect Virginians that are heavily reliant on the airline industry for personal and professional travel.”
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