Miyares' office reaches an agreement with Windsor
Miyares’ office reached a resolution with the Town of Windsor over the 2020 traffic stop involving U.S. Army Lt. Caron Nazario.
This is the Virginia Scope daily newsletter covering Virginia politics from top to bottom. Please consider becoming the ultimate political insider by supporting non-partisan, independent news and becoming a paid subscriber to this newsletter today.
Have a tip? You can reply to this email, or email me directly at Brandon@virginiascope.com
In addition to the $$1,303,333 million House Democratic leader Don Scott has given to the House Democratic Caucus from his delegate account since 2021, his Va Future Generation PAC has also given $750K since 2022.
Other large donors to the House Democratic Caucus from current leaders of the caucus since 2021 are:
Del. Charniele Herring - $680,000
Del. Luke Torian - $608,000
You have to watch this video:
The HD-96 race is full of interesting candidates. Republican Mike Karslake made a Tik Tok video that I personally think you should watch as soon as possible. He is running against Democrat Kelly Convirs-Fowler and Independent Nicholas Olenik.
Miyares reaches resolution with Windsor Police Department over 2020 traffic stop
Attorney General Jason Miyares’ office reached a resolution with the Town of Windsor over the 2020 traffic stop involving U.S. Army Lt. Caron Nazario. Officers pepper-sprayed Nazario and held him at gunpoint during a traffic stop.
The resolution requires Windsor to obtain accreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission — the accreditation process requires the Windsor Police Department to “raise the bar” on its internal investigation processes and officer training, Miyares’ announcement says.
They are also required to submit to an independent third-party review system for use-of-force complaints and other complaints of serious misconduct alleged against any officer.
He was awarded $1,000 in punitive damages after a jury found that Officer Daniel Crocker conducted an illegal search under state law, and $2,685 in compensatory damages after it was found that Officer Joseph Gutierrez, who was fired after the incident, assaulted Nazario.
“What we all saw in the shocking traffic stop video involving Army Lt. Caron Nazario was an egregious and unjust use of power,” Miyares said Thursday. “I join the hundreds of thousands of good and decent law enforcement officers who stand against the kind of police misconduct we witnessed. Police are the only government entity that has a monopoly on the use of force in American society, so it’s important that they be good stewards of that responsibility and strive for excellence in the administration of justice. Excessive use of force and violations of constitutional liberties will not be tolerated in Virginia.”
SD-16
SD-16 has two well-known Henrico legislators who are facing off under the new boundaries that shifted the electorate to the left during redistricting. State Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R) is running for reelection against Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D) this November.
Both legislators are fairly popular in Henrico and are fairly moderate party members.
VanValkenburg is a teacher at a high school in the county and Dunnavant is an OBGYN who has delivered countless babies to parents across the county.
SD-16 voted for Terry McAuliffe by six points in 2021 according to analysis from VPAP.
VanValkenburg has raised $386,743 in 2023 for the race leaving him with $502,841 cash on hand, according to VPAP.
His largest donors this year have been:
$12,500 from Carole Weinstein
$10,000 from American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
$10,000 from Thomas McInerney
Dunnavant has raised $639,478 in 2023 leaving her with $734,440 cash on hand according to VPAP.
Her largest donors from this year have been:
$40,000 from Dominion Energy
$30,000 from Jefferson Village Assn LP
$30,000 from Tommy Norment
Youngkin announces new plan to address learning loss, absenteeism - RTD
by Anna Bryson
Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday announced a new plan to address issues with Virginia’s K-12 education system, namely pandemic-related learning loss and chronic absenteeism.
Youngkin and members of his administration blamed the previous administration of Gov. Ralph Northam for keeping schools closed during the pandemic longer than most other states and, for what they termed, “lowering standards” for student learning.
Sen. Monty Mason and former Sheriff Danny Diggs face off in York Co. forum - WKTR
By: Leondra Head
Candidates for the newly redrawn district 24, representing Newport News, York County, Williamsburg and James City County, squared off in a forum in York County hosted by the York County Chamber of Commerce.
In a closely watched race, incumbent Senator Monty Mason and former York County Sheriff Danny Diggs discussed key issues including parental rights, abortion and crime.
Conservative group to use ‘high-pressure tactics’ to turn out voters in Prince William County - Inside NOVA
by Ben Peters
A conservative advocacy group with ties to former President Donald Trump is gearing up to launch a campaign in Prince William County using “high-pressure tactics” to encourage disaffected working-class voters to turn out in the November election.
Look Ahead America, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit founded and run by former Trump campaign staffer Matt Braynard, will begin sending mailers and door-knocking across the increasingly Democratic county later this month to reach conservative voters who may have skipped out in recent elections.
Youngkin: State will help with Richmond sewer work - RTD
by Dave Ress
Virginia will help Richmond with the city’s billion-plus-dollar effort to keep heavy rains from pushing sewage into the James River even though the General Assembly’s budget dropped $100 million that had been set for the work, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Thursday.
He said cleaning the state’s streams and the Chesapeake Bay is one of his top priorities and that he is committed to working with the city on its combined sewer overflow control project.