With just 11 days until the June 17th Virginia Democratic primary, the Attorney General contest between former Del. Jay Jones and Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor had mostly been pretty sedate – no major attacks, no debates, etc. But that has definitely changed in the past few days, with Clean Virginia and Jones going after Taylor for receiving contributions from Dominion Energy, and with Taylor “fighting back against the negative attack ads.”
Personally, I can’t stand Dominion Energy for a bunch of reasons, have been saying so for like 20 years now, mostly because I don’t believe a state-“regulated” (in air quotes) monopoly should be able to use campaign contributions to attempt to influence the very legislators and officials who have a role in regulating the company. Unfortunately, though, we still have this ridiculous “Wild West” campaign finance system, and Dominion continues to be able to donate as much as it wants to candidates – a massive $76 MILLION over the years, per VPAP – about half to Republicans and about half to Democrats (including DPVA, the VA House Dems, VA Senate Dems, you name it).
So, bottom line, we need to change the system BIG TIME, just like we need to change the campaign finance system nationally. But for now, we’re living in this FUBAR situation, and the criticism for allowing it should be focused on those who support doing nothing about it. Because if you’re going to say that one politician is really bad for taking corporate money (or, for that matter, for taking large sums of money from a wealthy individual), then what about all the other ones (pretty much all of whom take corporate money, and in Virginia many of whom take Dominion money, either directly or indirectly…).
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June 4, 2025
New Clean Virginia TV Ad Holds Attorney General Candidate Shannon Taylor Accountable for Taking Nearly $400,000 From Dominion Energy
Dominion Energy Pours Money Into Taylor’s Campaign, While Proposing Rate Increases on Virginians’ Electric Bills and Polluting Our Environment
Attorney General Should Stand Up to Special Interests for Consumers, Not Take Corporate Campaign Cash
WATCH THE AD: HERE
Clean Virginia launched a new TV ad in the 2025 Democratic primary election to hold Democratic Attorney General candidate Shannon Taylor accountable for taking money from Dominion Energy, the utility monopoly dramatically raising Virginians’ electric bills and polluting our environment.
Dominion Energy is Taylor’s largest donor – contributing $375,000 so far directly to her campaign – and its executives have contributed tens of thousands more. Taylor has refused to reject Dominion contributions, despite the fact that the Virginia Attorney General has a key role in holding the utility accountable for not overcharging Virginians.
The new TV ad will air in the Northern Virginia broadcast media market with digital ads statewide over the final two weeks of the primary election and is part of a six-figure ad buy.
“The Attorney General’s job is to ensure utility companies aren’t ripping off their captive customers. This ad will inform voters whose side Shannon Taylor is on,” said Clean Virginia Executive Director Brennan Gilmore. “The best choice in this election is Jay Jones, who has a career of standing up to Dominion and is refusing their contributions in this race. Jay has consistently demonstrated the leadership and integrity needed to ensure Virginia’s future is rooted in fairness, accountability and affordable clean energy.”
New campaign finance reports published Monday reveal that Dominion has dumped $300,000 into Taylor’s campaign across just six weeks in April and May, as the Attorney General primary comes to a close. Dominion also gave Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares $300,000 over the same period.
“If Dominion wants to hedge their bets and get an Attorney General beholden to them regardless of party, we are going to hold them accountable,” Gilmore added. “Virginians deserve to know that the company jacking up their electric bills and polluting their communities is making strategic investments to shield itself from accountability and preserve its ability to overcharge Virginians. This is the exact type of corporate capture of politicians that voters are so fed up with.”
Dominion is seeking to raise Virginians’ electricity bills by $21 a month under its new proposal for rate increases. Dominion is also the largest climate polluter in Virginia, according to the Sierra Club.
Clean Virginia endorsed Jay Jones for Attorney General in December. As a Delegate, Jones introduced legislation to return hundreds of millions of dollars in overcharges by Dominion to Virginia families and businesses and worked to expand rooftop solar access for low-income communities. As Attorney General, Jones has committed to leading Virginia toward a fair and affordable energy future.
Clean Virginia endorses statewide candidates based on a variety of criteria, including responses to a candidate questionnaire, public statements and legislative records. All Clean Virginia-endorsed candidates share a principled and public commitment against accepting contributions from and owning stock in Virginia’s regulated electric utility monopolies, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company.
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