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Video: Virginia NAACP Announces Its 2025 Legislative Priorities

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Blue Virginia
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From the Virginia NAACP:

Virginia NAACP Announces Its 2025 Legislative Priorities

Richmond, Virginia – Today, the NAACP Virginia State Conference (Virginia NAACP) announced its 2025 Legislative Priorities for the Virginia General Assembly 2025 regular session.

Virginia NAACP President Rev. Cozy Bailey shared the following statement about the legislative agenda:

“The Virginia NAACP will tackle issues that impact the Black community, including economic opportunity, education, and criminal justice reform, just to name a few.  Our work continues to ensure civil rights and social justice for all. Virginia cannot truly progress until all Virginians have equal and equitable access, and this can only be done by keeping Black people at the top of every agenda. We will continue to push for policy that enhances the lives of Black Virginians.”

During today’s virtual press conference, Rev. Bailey was joined by Virginia NAACP Region 1 Vice President and Political Action Chair Gaylene Kanoyton, Environmental Climate Justice Chair Karen Campblin, Housing Chair Tracey Hardney-Scott, Criminal Justice Chair Valerie Slater, Esq, and Quena Dailey, Legislative Coordinator, to discuss legislation the Virginia NAACP would support and oppose in the state legislature.

Virginia NAACP Political Action Chair Gaylene Kanoyton stated:

“Our agenda is centered on advancing equity and justice for all Virginians. We look forward to working together to create a more inclusive future. The Virginia NAACP remains committed to advancing justice and equity across all sectors, ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities are heard and prioritized in the legislative process.”

The Virginia NAACP will prioritize the constitutional amendments for the automatic Restoration of Rights, safeguarding reproductive freedom, and marriage equality. The Virginia NAACP will follow legislation that protects student rights and freedom of speech on college campuses, equity in public education, justice reform, and the priority areas below. We will continue to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives will not be diluted in Virginia.

The Virginia NAACP legislative priorities can be found here.

The press can download a copy of the press conference here.

Education The Virginia NAACP will continue to advocate for the highest standards of learning, safety, and equity in Virginia’s public schools. We will also prioritize student rights and freedom of speech on college and university campuses.

Environmental and Climate Justice The Virginia NAACP will continue to advocate for and provide research tools, educational materials, and strategies in adherence to the program directives of the NAACP Center for Environmental Climate Justice to support policies and programs in the Commonwealth that will lead to clean car standards and zero emissions, the elimination of climate racism, ensure corporate responsibility and accountability, and a just transition to a clean energy economy for black and all communities and workers.

Community building priorities will include policies that support healthy communities, clean air, land, and water, transit equity, food justice, climate adaptation, energy fairness and affordability, and emergency management.

Healthcare The Virginia NAACP will advocate for legislation that will result in the elimination of the racial and ethnic inequities that exist within our healthcare system that undermine communities of color, their life opportunities, and their ability to contribute fully to the common good.

Housing The Virginia NAACP will support bills that promote housing stability, affordability, and anti-discrimination.

Race and Justice The Virginia NAACP will advocate for smarter, results-based criminal justice policies to keep our communities safe. We also support legislation that eliminates racially disparate and unjust treatment of Black youth and other overrepresented youth in the juvenile justice system. We advocate for justice reforms that eliminate negative collateral consequences contributing to intergenerational cycles of justice system involvement and problematic outcomes in our communities.  The Virginia NAACP will advocate to strengthen current gun safety laws and introduce new ideas, we must enhance Virginia’s red flag laws by broadening community involvement in reporting at-risk individuals and implementing stricter safe storage requirements to prevent unauthorized access to firearms. Expanding gun-free zones to include more public spaces, introducing mandatory waiting periods for all firearm purchases, and increasing penalties for gun trafficking will also be key. Furthermore, investing in community-based violence prevention programs and bolstering mental health services connected to gun ownership can help address the root causes of gun violence and prevent future tragedies.

Workforce, Labor and Economic Empowerment The Virginia NAACP will advocate for policies and legislation that enhance the capacity of Black Virginians and other underserved groups through financial and economic education, individual and community asset-building initiatives, providing safe and affordable housing, job training, and a “livable wage”.

We promote diversity and inclusion in business hiring, fair unionizing practices, inclusive state and federal procurement policies, and monitoring the financial distribution practices of the once-in-a-generation funding provided to states by the federal government. We require that reports be provided to demonstrate the funds are meeting the “equitable distribution” requirements. Lastly, we propose a tax credit for businesses that hire locally to help Virginia reduce its carbon footprint.

Voting Rights and Political Representation The Virginia NAACP will advocate for enhancements that will increase voter access in Virginia.

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ABOUT THE VIRGINIA NAACP

Founded in 1935, the NAACP Virginia State Conference (Virginia NAACP) is the oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization in the Commonwealth, overseeing over 100 NAACP branches, youth councils, and college chapters. The Virginia NAACP is focused on being the preeminent voice of Black Virginians and advocating for policies and programs to benefit Black Virginians and people of color. You can read more about the Virginia NAACP’s work by visiting NAACPVA.org.

Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin Announces Campaign for Re-Election

By
Blue Virginia
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1

From Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin‘s campaign:

Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin Announces Campaign for Re-Election

Richmond – Richmond City Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin today announced her re-election campaign for the Democratic nomination for Commonwealth’s Attorney to be determined in the June 17, 2025 primary.

Ms. McEachin said, “I am proud to stand by my record of keeping Richmonders safe while bringing criminal justice reform to our community. During my tenure crime rates have fallen significantly, including murders, shootings, robberies of individuals and the level of gun violence. I am proud of having reduced crime, working with the Richmond Police Department and the community, in pursuing our goal of keeping Richmonders safe. I’m also extremely proud of having instituted significant criminal justice reforms.

“At the beginning of my term in 2021, I created the Community Justice Reform Unit. One of the standout achievements of that Unit was implementing a Restorative Justice program as an alternative to conviction or incarceration. Richmond is one of the few localities in the Commonwealth with a vibrant Restorative Justice program and we have been able to help create a separate 501 (c)(3) entity, “Richmond Restorative Justice, (RRJ).” I have worked hard to ensure that RJJ has community-based trained facilitators who are culturally sensitive. Under my leadership, the Office has also made it easier and less expensive for individuals to petition for expungement of their criminal charges.

“ I’m also proud of the efforts my Office has made to be more accessible to all community members and to be continuously engaged with Richmond residents, outside of the courthouse. Our Community Justice Unit has held six “Conversations with the Commonwealth” throughout the city, where we covered topics from public safety in our schools to the problems with the postal service and mail delivery. I have made it my goal to regularly attend civic association and community gatherings, along with a group of dedicated prosecutors who help residents address the criminal activities or “hot spots” that are unique to each neighborhood.

“As your elected Commonwealth’s Attorney, my job is to promote public safety and pursue justice—for all. I will continue to do that and I ask for your vote for that critical work and to build on our accomplishments here in Richmond.”

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Paid for and Authorized by Colette McEachin for Commonwealth’s Attorney

Monday News: “Biden bans offshore drilling across vast area of US”; “Biden Rips Efforts To ‘Erase’ History Of Jan. 6 Riot, Says There Won’t Be A Repeat This Time”; Disastrously, “the insurrectionists outmaneuvered both Democratic leaders and America’s antiquated laws and institutions”; Snow Piling Up in Virginia

By
lowkell
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20

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, January 6 – a date that should live forever in infamy, as FDR once said about December 7, 1941. Except on January 6, 2021, it wasn’t a foreign power attacking us, it was our own president attempting to hold on to power through various means, including a violent mob of his supporters attacking our Capitol. And soon, that same president will be returning to the scene of the crime. Greeeaaaat.

President Joe Biden Signs Into Law Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07)’s Social Security Fairness Act

By
Blue Virginia
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0

From former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07) – great work!

BREAKING: President Signs Into Law Spanberger’s Social Security Fairness Act

The Spanberger-Led Law Will Eliminate the WEP & GPO, Provide Long Overdue Fairness for Nearly 2.5 Million Americans — Including More than 50,000 Virginia Police Officers, Firefighters, & Federal Employees

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden today signed into law U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger’s bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act to finally fix a 40-plus-year injustice for more than 50,000 Virginians and nearly 2.5 million Americans across the country.

Now law, Spanberger’s Social Security Fairness Act will eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) — two provisions added to the Social Security Act in 1983. These provisions have unfairly reduced or eliminated the earned retirement benefits of millions of Americans who devoted much of their careers to public service — including retired police officers, firefighters, and federal government employees across the Commonwealth.

“For decades, retired police officers, firefighters, teachers, government employees, and retired public servants across the country have worked hard, have paid into Social Security, and yet have found their earned benefits taken from them because of the WEP and GPO,” said Spanberger. “Today, we put an end to this theft. Today at the White House, I watched President Biden sign my Social Security Fairness Act into law with thousands of Virginians on my mind — every police officer, firefighter, federal employee, and grieving spouse I’ve heard from who has long been denied their full benefits.”

Spanberger continued, “Every Virginian who paid into Social Security should be able to count on their full earned benefits to support them in retirement. This firm belief — and the stories of Virginians long impacted by this injustice — strengthened my resolve to bring Republicans and Democrats together on Capitol Hill, force a long-overdue vote on the U.S. House floor, and finally get this done.”

Spanberger attended today’s signing ceremony at the White House alongside retirees and national advocates, who acknowledged Spanberger’s role in moving this legislation forward and securing a major victory for America’s retired public servants.

“For nearly fifty years, the federal government has shamefully stolen fire fighters’ retirements. Fire fighters already struggle with low wages in much of the nation, and the WEP/GPO was a further insult that forced them to continue struggling in retirement,” said Edward A. Kelly, General President, International Association of Fire Fighters. “The IAFF is proud to have partnered with Rep. Spanberger in leading the fight to repeal these penalties and return fire fighters’ dignified retirements. We are excited to see our bill signed into law and finally end this chapter of history.”

“NARFE has opposed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) since their inception, as unfair penalties that punished hardworking public servants by reducing their Social Security benefits. Today, history was made as President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, repealing both provisions,” said William “Bill” Shackelford, National President, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. “This milestone represents the culmination of years of tireless advocacy by NARFE and its members, who time and again made the case for fairness and equality in Social Security benefits. But it also would not have happened without the incredible leadership of Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and Congressman Garret Graves, whose bipartisan efforts finally brought this bill to the floor for the vote it deserved.”

“It is an historic day for retirees impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The signing of the Social Security Fairness Act into law has been more than four decades in the making,” said Don Maston, President, National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association. “The NRLCA applauds the bipartisan work done in both the House and the Senate to pass H.R. 82, and thanks President Biden for signing this important legislation.  Now that the Social Security Fairness Act is law, rural letter carriers and other retirees who were impacted by WEP and GPO will receive the retirement benefits they have rightfully earned.”

“Everyone knows a teacher, law enforcement officer, firefighter, nurse, or public worker who’s paid into Social Security year after year, only to have their earned benefits undercut by the Windfall Elimination Provision or the Government Pension Offset when they retire. Today, after decades, fairness is restored, and these penalties have been eliminated,” said Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers. “Ensuring a fair and secure retirement demonstrates respect for the workers who help our communities. And it’s how we recruit and retain the next generation to help our country thrive. to former Rep. Spangberger for her relentless commitment to restoring fairness for our retirees. Without her leadership and work in Congress, we would not be here today.”

Currently, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. For example, educators who do not earn Social Security in public schools but who work part-time or during the summer in jobs covered by Social Security have reduced benefits, even though they pay into the system for enough quarters to receive benefits.

Likewise, the GPO affects the spousal benefits of people who work as federal, state, or local government employees — including police officers, firefighters, and educators — if the job is not covered by Social Security. The GPO reduces by two-thirds the benefit received by surviving spouses who also collect a government pension — often offsetting benefits entirely.

BACKGROUND

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Spanberger worked tirelessly to deliver her legislation to the president’s desk.

Spanberger first introduced the Social Security Fairness Act in January 2021. The bipartisan legislation earned the support of more than 300 Members of Congress — both Democrats and Republicans — before the end of the 117th Congress. At the start of the 118th Congress in January 2023, Spanberger reintroduced the legislation alongside U.S. Representative Garret Graves (R-LA-06).

For nearly four years, Spanberger rallied her colleagues on both sides of the aisle and congressional leadership to support her effort to solve this basic issue of fairness. The Congresswoman heard from thousands of Virginians who have been denied their hard-earned benefits. Using their stories, she advocated on behalf of this commonsense fix and the thousands of impacted Virginians.

Spanberger never stopped working to get this legislation across the finish line. In September 2024, Spanberger and Graves filed a discharge petition for their Social Security Fairness Act — which had more than 325 bipartisan cosponsors. Less than two weeks later, the petition secured the required 218 signatures needed to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. A bipartisan majority of the U.S. House then voted to pass the Social Security Fairness Act.

Following U.S. House passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, Spanberger urged U.S. Senate leadership to swiftly vote to pass the legislation before the end of the 118th Congress. Spanberger stood in the pouring rain alongside firefighters, police officers, and federal employees during a rally at the U.S. Capitol to urge U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring the legislation up for a vote before the end of the 118th Congress.

10 days later, a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted to pass the legislation in December 2024 — sending the legislation to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

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Four Years Ago Tomorrow, America’s Democracy Was Under Assault by a Violent, Pro-Trump Mob. And Now, Congress Is About to Certify the Election of the Guy Responsible???

By
lowkell
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9

Four years ago tomorrow, America experienced one of the darkest days in its entire history – the attempt by a sitting president of the United States, one who was defeated for reelection, attempting to hold on to power by any/all means necessary. Specifically, what Donald Trump did was attempt to use a combination of spurious legal challenges to the 2020 election results, refusal of numerous Congressional Republicans (including ones from Virginia) to certify the results of that election, and – when all that failed – inciting a violent mob to ATTACK OUR CAPITOL and attempt to halt the peaceful transfer of power to Joe Biden.

In that violent assault by an enraged pro-Trump mob, the damage done was severe:

  • “Some rioters[m] and 174 police officers were injured, of whom 15 were hospitalized, some with severe injuries”
  • “Four officers, from various police departments, who responded to the attack committed suicide in the days and months that followed”
  • “Brian Sicknick, a 42-year-old responding Capitol Police officer, was pepper-sprayed during the attack and had two thromboembolic strokes the next day, after which he was placed on life suppor and soon died”
  • “Rioters stormed the offices of Nancy Pelosi, flipping tables and ripping photos from walls; the office of the Senate Parliamentarian was ransacked; art was looted; and feces was tracked into several hallways. Windows were smashed throughout the building, leaving the floor littered with glass and debris. Rioters damaged, turned over, or stole furniture.”
  • “The attack was followed by political, legal, and social repercussions. The second impeachment of Donald Trump, who was charged for incitement of insurrection for his conduct, occurred on January 13. At the same time, Cabinet officials were pressured to invoke the 25th Amendment for removing Trump from office.”
  • “Trump was subsequently acquitted in the Senate trial, which was held in February after Trump had already left office. The result was a 57–43 vote in favor of conviction, with every Democrat and seven Republicans voting to convict, but two-thirds of the Senate (67 votes) are required to convict. Many in the Trump administration resigned. Several large companies announced they were halting all political donations, and others have suspended funding the lawmakers who had objected to certifying Electoral College results.”

On and on it goes…the damage – whether physical, psychological or political – was enormous. And yet, four years later, despite numerous reports, hearings, investigations, commissions (including the January 6 commission that Elaine Luria and Liz Cheney served on), etc, etc., and many low-level pro-Trump rioters paying some sorts of legal penalties, the chief perpetrator of the attempted coup, Donald Trump, as well as his top henchmen and henchwomen, have paid essentially no price for what they did. To the contrary, Trump and many of those henchmen and henchwomen will soon be returning to the scene of the crime for his inauguration. And many of those Republicans who condemned the violence on January 6, 2021 happily and enthusiastically supported Trump’s presidential bid four years later.

So how did this bizarre, dark, dystopic, FUBAR “alternate timeline” come about? A bunch of factors, including MASSIVE failures and cowardice by the “mainstream media”; torrents of disinformation pouring forth from social media, right-wing media, etc.; an almost complete failure of Democrats to build our own, effective messaging infrastructure to fight back and to push out OUR (truthful, fact-based, positive) narrative; another MASSIVE failure, this time by Merrick Garland, our justice system and the Biden administration, to rapidly and aggressively hold the 1/6/21 coup plotters and perpetrators fully accountable for their actions (e.g., they should have all been charged with severe crimes within a few months of 1/6/21…and convicted/thrown in prison); yet another MASSIVE failure by Trump voters – and 2020 Biden voters who stayed home this time – to not understand the severe threat posed by another Trump presidency, this one bent on revenge, retribution, carrying out the extreme policies (“Project 2025”) they didn’t manage to accomplish the first time around, etc. The list could go on and on.

Bottom line: we had ONE JOB to do in November 2024, and as a nation we failed to accomplish it – disaster most certainly NOT averted. So now, the big questions include: can American democracy be saved? will the American people fight to defend said democracy, or let it die with a whimper? will the media continue to normalize/ “sanewash” Trump’s lunacy (the answer to that question, sad to say, appears to be that they will definitely do so – even worse than from 2016 through 2024)?; will we even have free-and-fair elections going forward?; will the world be plunged into a new era of anarchy, authoritarianism and darkness?; how will we ever get out of this mess?  Any other questions? How about answers? We could really use some of those at this point.

P.S. Yes, Youngkin’s Victory in the 2021 Virginia Election, Which Took Place Just Months After the 1/6/21 MAGA Assault on the US Capitol, Foretold a LOT About Trump’s Election…and U.S. Politics More Broadly

Sunday News: “Severe winter storm puts much of US on high alert”; “‘A Day of Love’: How Trump Inverted the Violent History of Jan. 6”; “How Trump Won” – “The Anesthetized Anti-MAGA Majority”; “Biden Awards 18 Medals of Freedom, and Delivers One Unmistakable Message”

By
lowkell
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6

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, January 5.

Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA10) Sworn In on Bhagavad Gita as First Indian-American and First South Asian Congressman From Virginia

By
lowkell
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2

Congratulations and best of luck to Suhas Subramanyam as he takes the baton from former Rep. Jennifer Wexton in representing the 10th Congressional District of Virginia in Congress!

Suhas Subramanyam Sworn In To Represent Virginia’s 10th District

Washington D.C. – [Friday], Congressman Suhas Subramanyam was sworn into the 119th Congress. Subramanyam was elected to represent Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, succeeding retiring Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. Virginia’s 10th District includes Loudoun, Rappahannock, Fauquier, and portions of Prince William and Fairfax Counties.

Subramanyam said the following upon his swearing in:

“It’s an honor to be elected to represent our Northern Virginia community in Congress. I’m looking forward to serving all my constituents and championing policies to lower costs and protect our economy in Virginia, keep our community safe and healthy, and ensure that every Virginian can prosper.”

Congressman Subramanyam made history as the first Indian-American, South Asian member of Congress in not only Virginia’s history, but on the entire East Coast. In search of a better life, Subramanyam’s own mother immigrated through Dulles Airport, which resides in District 10, and today, she watched her son be sworn in on the Bhagavad Gita. A former Policy Advisor to President Barack Obama, he has served in the Virginia General Assembly since first getting elected in 2019. In Richmond, Subramanyam founded the bipartisan “Commonwealth Caucus” – a bipartisan group of legislators focused on finding common ground. He passed landmark legislation to lower toll costs for commuters, issue refunds to overcharged consumers, combat the rise in gun violence, and ensure all students have access to a top-notch education. He will continue to deliver real, bipartisan, results in Congress. Subramanyam lives in Ashburn, Virginia, with his wife, Miranda, and their two daughters, Maya (4) and Nina (3).

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Saturday News: “The Real Speaker Isn’t Mike Johnson”; “Trump Rages at Merchan Even After Getting a Slap on Wrist”; “January 6 was part of an attempted coup d’etat in America.”; “[WaPo] Cartoonist Quits After Jeff Bezos Cartoon Is Killed”; “Youngkin declares emergency for storm on eve of elections”

By
lowkell
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20

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, January 4.

Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA07) Sworn In as Member of 119th Congress, Calls for Bipartisan Solutions to Lower Prices, Improve Public Education, Protect Freedoms

By
Blue Virginia
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1

From Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA07)’s office:

Vindman Sworn In as Member of 119th Congress, Calls for Bipartisan Solutions to Lower Prices, Improve Public Education, Protect Freedoms

WASHINGTON – Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) released the following statement after being sworn into office to serve the people of Virginia’s Seventh District in the 119th Congress.

“I am honored and humbled to officially begin serving the people of Virginia’s Seventh District in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Congress, I will fight to keep the promise of America alive for everyone across the Commonwealth and our country. Only in America could I, a refugee from Soviet Ukraine who fled with my family as a child, have the honor of serving this great nation in the Army for 25 years and now in Congress.

“I know the kind of hard work and determination it takes to realize the American Dream. My Dad lugged furniture for $20 per day until he could learn enough English to pass an engineering exam. I want every working American like my Dad to have the chance to live their American Dream, and I will fight everyday for families and workers chasing the Dream. That work starts by working across the aisle to lower costs, improve public education, and protect our most basic rights and freedoms.

“I am optimistic that my colleagues and I will find bipartisan solutions by listening to constituent concerns, responding with pragmatic legislation, and delivering real results for communities across the Seventh District and the nation.

“I would not be here today without the support of my extraordinary wife Cindy and our two kids. I know I have big shoes to fill and would like to thank former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger for skillfully serving the people of the Seventh District for the past six years.

“Time to get to work.”

Before representing the people of the Seventh District, Vindman served as an infantry officer and paratrooper including assignments in the 82D Airborne Division and as a company commander leading troops. Soon after, he transitioned to the U.S. Army Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) Corps. As a JAG, Eugene served as an international law advisor during combat operations in Iraq; as the senior prosecutor in the busiest jurisdiction in the Army; and as a White House National Security Council (NSC) deputy legal advisor. He attained the rank of Colonel before retiring in 2022 after 25-years of service.

After retirement, Eugene investigated war crimes in Ukraine for 18 months, completing 14 trips as a senior consultant for a Department of State funded program. He is a recognized expert in criminal international law and has published extensively on topics related to national security and international relations.

Fairfax County’s Sole Remaining Republican Supervisor, Pat Herrity, Announces Candidacy for Lt. Governor of Virginia

By
lowkell
-
11

See below for Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity (R)’s announcement of his candidacy for the 2025 VA GOP’s Lt. Governor nomination. With Herrity throwing his hat in the ring, we now have two Republicans (Herrity and John Curran) plus five Democrats (former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef, State Sen. Aaron Rouse, State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, attorney Victor Salgado) running for their parties’ respective Lt. Governor nominations. Most likely, several other Republicans will also jump in – possibly MAGA radio host (at WRVA in Richmnond) John Reid; also possibly VA GOP chair Rich Anderson, State Sen. Glenn Sturtevant, State Sen. Tara Durant, former State Sen. Amanda Chase (for governor or LG?), etc. Stay tuned…

As for Pat Herrity, Richmond Times-Dispatch political columnist Jeff Schapiro says he’s “a NoVa Republican legacy – the son of late supervisor Jack Herrity, a close ally of the developers, homebuilders and fedl contractors whose money and muscle long kept now-heavily Democratic Fairfax safe for a biz-friendly GOP.”  We’ve written about Pat Herrity here at Blue Virginia, including Endorsing Pat Herrity’s Reelection Is Another Piece of Evidence That the WaPo Editorial Board Has Sh*t for Brains (“The WAPO editorial staff also hasn’t looked carefully at Mr Herrity’s record…Herrity is an antigovernment and anti tax [and anti-enviro, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, etc.] Republican”); In Increasingly Blue Fairfax County, Supervisor Pat Herrity (R) Demagogues on Illegal Immigration, Overstates Legal Defense Fund Money 1,000-Fold; With His Nasty, Xenophobic, Trumpian Campaign, Fairfax Supervisor Pat Herrity (R) Demonstrates Why Republicans Keep Losing Badly in Northern Virginia; etc.

Looking at Herrity’s “issues” page on his website, you can see that he’s now pretty much a right winger (despite having previously been more “moderate”), with his view on abortion as follows: “Defend the lives of the unborn and oppose the Democrats’ radical agenda of abortion up to the moment of birth.” (note that this is a wild distortion – in fact, the VAST majority of abortions  take place in the 1st trimester, with late-term abortions almost never happening, and only then in cases where the life/health of the mother is in grave danger, the fetus isn’t viable, etc.).  On guns, Herrity pledges to “defend the 2nd Amendment in Virginia and preserve the right of law-abiding gun-owners to keep and bear arms.” Etc.

P.S. Also, note that the magisterial district Herrity has represented since 2007 on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors – Springfield district – has been one of the least “blue” parts of Fairfax County for years. Still, Herrity came very close to losing reelection in 2019, defeating Democrat Linda Sperling by just 1 percentage point (50.4%-49.4%)…

Supervisor Pat Herrity Announces Campaign for Lieutenant Governor
Springfield, VA – Today, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors member Pat Herrity, of the Springfield District, announced his campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 2025.

Against a backdrop of Glenn Youngkin’s leadership in Richmond, Pat called for a continuation of the conservative legacy established by Governor Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Sears, and Attorney General Miyares.

“In 2021, we put Virginia on the right track by electing Governor Youngkin. In 2025, it is crucial that we continue that path by electing Winsome Sears to the Governor’s mansion, re-electing Jason Miyares as our Attorney General, and electing a strong leader to be the next Lieutenant Governor,” Pat said.

“In Richmond, I will continue to bring about the commonsense, conservative solutions that best serve our communities and our Commonwealth. I will work to lower taxes, support law enforcement, and advocate for our children. I’ll focus education resources on students and quality teachers – not on political agendas. I’ll stand up to the progressive prosecutors releasing repeat violent offenders into our neighborhoods, and I’ll penalize localities that refuse to cooperate with ICE to keep our communities safe.”

Pat Herrity currently serves on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and is the last elected Republican in the county. In 2023, Pat won re-election with 54% of the vote, in a district where Governor Youngkin received just 38%. He attributes his success to being a strong balancing voice on the Board, getting things done and delivering commonsense, conservative solutions to the voters who elected him.

Learn more about Pat Herrity: www.PatforVA.com
Watch Pat Herrity’s announcement video: https://youtu.be/SuqKi6y3M3E
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