Scott Taylor did what?
Kiggans received an endorsement from a former Trump cabinet member
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Top of the news
A former Virginia congressman and a lobbyist look for work in Kremlin-allied Belarus - Politico
By HAILEY FUCHS
Former Rep. Scott Taylor (R-Va.) was on a trip several weeks ago to Belarus when a D.C. lobbyist, with whom he was sharing an Airbnb in Minsk, woke him up with alarming news: Russia was invading the country next door.
The lobbyist with whom Taylor was rooming, Robert Stryk, described what happened next as something out of a “James Bond spy movie.” The two were forced to escape the country by car.
Executive Schedule
8:00AM: GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN ATTENDS BREAKFAST WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JASON MIYARES
LOCATION: Governor’s Executive Mansion
1:00 PM: GOVERNOR DELIVERS REMARKS TO THE VIRGINIA MILITARY ADVISORY COUNCIL
LOCATION: Virginia War Memorial
2:00 PM: GOVERNOR RECEIVES BRIEFING FROM SECRETARY OF ADMINISTRATION LYN MCDERMID
LOCATION: Patrick Henry Building
4:00 PM: GOVERNOR RECEIVES BRIEFING FROM SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES JOHN LITTEL
LOCATION: Patrick Henry Building
The rundown
Kiggans received an endorsement from a former Trump cabinet member
Miyares filed an amicus brief against the TJHS admission process
Virginia League for Planned Parenthood received a big grant
Budget prospects look bleak for the special session Monday
Headlines from Virginia and around the world
Secretary Pompeo Endorsed Jen Kiggans For Congress
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo endorsed Jen Kiggans in Virginia's Second Congressional District Wednesday.
"Today, I am proud to announce my endorsement of former Navy Helicopter Pilot and current Virginia State Senator, Jen Kiggans, in her bid to bring Republican representation back to Virginia’s Second Congressional District,” Pompeo said in his endorsement statement. “Jen will be a voice for American strength in Congress and will advocate for a strong economy, secure borders and to restore American greatness on the world stage. Jen Kiggans is the candidate Coastal Virginia needs, and I hope you will join me in supporting her!"
"I am honored to receive the endorsement of Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo," Sen. Kiggans said. "Secretary Pompeo is a tireless advocate for American strength on the world stage and has demonstrated that strong foreign policy plays a pivotal role in global security. In Congress, I will always prioritize our national defense, support our military and advocate for our allies. I am thankful for Secretary Pompeo’s leadership and am grateful for his guidance and support!”
Miyares filed an amicus brief against the TJHS admission process
Attorney General Jason Miyares filed an amicus brief against what his office says is a “discriminatory and illegal admission process” at Thomas Jefferson High School. TJHS made changes to their admissions process in recent years to address the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students.
“Thomas Jefferson High School has been consistently among the top public schools in the country, and they created and maintained this achievement with a merit-based admissions process,” Miyares said in a statement. “But over the past year, Thomas Jefferson High School changed their policy to prioritize an individual’s race over merit. By doing so, Thomas Jefferson High School has discriminated against deserving students and violated the Equal Protection Clause. This is not equality.”
Asian-American students made up nearly 3/4 of the student population prior to the changes. Now, roughly 2/4 of students are Asian-American after the admissions changes.
Read the brief from Miyares HERE.
Virginia League for Planned Parenthood Receives Title X Family Planning Grant
For the first time in its history, the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood (VLPP) has entered the federal family planning grant program, Title X.
The Title X Family Planning Program is the only federal grant program dedicated to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. It was enacted under President Richard Nixon in 1970 as part of the Public Health Service Act.
“With the unprecedented attacks on sexual and reproductive health care across the country and in Virginia, now more than ever, it’s critical that everyone has access to quality, affordable care,” said Paulette McElwain, the President & CEO of Virginia League for Planned Parenthood. “We are thrilled Virginia League for Planned Parenthood is officially entering the Title X program for the first time in our history and look forward to using these funds to continue to provide essential care in our communities. Title X disproportionately serves Black, Latino, and Indigenous patients, and patients living in rural areas. This will help to improve health equity and access to sexual and reproductive health care, such as birth control, STI testing and treatment, and cancer screenings, for our patients in the metro Richmond and Hampton Roads regions.”
House budget leader: 'Zero' chance of deal by Monday, still optimistic - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Michael Martz
House Appropriations Chair Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, says there is “zero” chance of a budget agreement by Monday’s beginning of a special session of the General Assembly, but he remains optimistic about reaching a deal with the Senate on a new two-year spending plan for the state.
House and Senate budget negotiators won’t be able to meet before Friday afternoon, leaving too little time to produce a budget document for legislators to review for at least 48 hours before voting on it, Knight said Wednesday.
Youngkin weighs bill authorizing police use of facial recognition technology - VPM
by Whittney Evans
Gov. Glenn Youngkin met with stakeholders on Wednesday to talk about facial recognition technology legislation that he is deciding whether to sign into law. The bill would allow law enforcement to use photos from Facebook and Instagram to help track down crime suspects and even identify victims.
Right now, local and campus police are not allowed to use facial recognition technology, but Virginia State Police and the Capitol Police can.
Virginia Democrat sees ‘overtones’ of Watergate in missing Jan. 6 phone logs - The Hill
BY JOSEPH CHOI
Democratic Virginia Rep. Elaine Luria on Tuesday said the reported gap in former President Trump’s phone records had “overtones” of the Watergate scandal.
On Tuesday, it was reported by multiple outlets that Trump’s phone records from Jan. 6 provided to the House select committee investigating the attack had a gap of more than seven hours.
Youngkin says gas tax holiday proposal won’t guarantee savings for consumers - WRIC
by Jackie Defusco
Governor Glenn Youngkin wants to temporarily suspend the entire state portion of the gas tax to give Virginians relief at the pump but, in an interview on Wednesday, he acknowledged it won’t guarantee savings for consumers.
The emergency legislation seeks to eliminate Virginia’s 26-cent gas tax for 90 days and then phase it back in by the end of the summer.
Virginia’s new behavioral health director orders strategic plan for struggling state agency - Virginia Mercury
by Kate Masters
For the first time in nearly a decade, Virginia’s beleaguered behavioral health agency is developing a strategic plan to pull the state’s system out of an ongoing crisis in psychiatric care.
Nelson Smith, appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to lead the state’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, announced the plan at a Wednesday board meeting for the agency, describing it as a “North Star objective” to guide much-needed improvements.
National Headlines
‘We’ve got to stop fooling ourselves’: Enthusiasm gap keeps getting worse for Dems
Biden turned the ruble into rubble. Then it quickly came back.
Temporary cease-fire in place for Mariupol, Russian officials say
Dem-on-Dem primary in Michigan spikes party's blood pressure
'The president will get his way': Congress likely can't stop new Iran nuke deal
Police strategy abandoned after Breonna Taylor death spreads to other cities
In this bloodied front-line town, Ukrainian forces push Russians back
Why leaders won’t tell Europeans to put on a sweater to beat Putin
Turkish prosecutor moves to halt Khashoggi murder trial amid warming ties to Saudi Arabia