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Youngkin calls for repeal of new limits on college tuition program for military families - Virginia Mercury
by Graham Moomaw
After attempting to rein in the skyrocketing costs of a state program that covers college expenses for some military families, Virginia leaders are discussing whether the move is proving so politically unpopular that they should return to Richmond to undo it. Advocates for military families have called for a special General Assembly session to repeal the changes to eligibility rules for the Virginia Military Survivors & Dependents Education Program, which assists spouses and children of military members who were killed or severely disabled as a result of their service.
That’s an option under consideration by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and General Assembly leaders, but so far there doesn’t appear to be a consensus on whether the issue has caused a crisis worthy of immediate reversal. In an exchange of letters Monday, Youngkin told Democratic legislators responsible for the state budget that they can either work with him on the particulars of a special session or he’ll call one himself.
Good’s website notes that Cline is among the congressional Republicans backing him in the June 18 primary, for which millions of dollars are being spent in campaign advertising. Cline told the Frederick County Republican Committee that he will “fight” for Good earlier this year.
Rand Paul rallies for Bob Good in Lynchburg - News and Advance
by Mark Hand
Alarge crowd showed up in Lynchburg on Monday afternoon for a rally featuring U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, who was in town to campaign for U.S. Rep. Bob Good, the two-term Republican congressman who is facing a tough primary challenge from state Sen. John McGuire in Virginia's 5th Congressional District.
McGuire has received the coveted endorsement of former President Donald Trump, and his own polling suggests he leads Good by some 14 points in the race.
Norfolk Southern and CSX sue Cox Communications over broadband installations - Cardinal News
by Tad Dickens
The companies that own Virginia’s major railways have opened a new legal track as they fight a law that legislators say makes them more accountable for allowing broadband internet into some of the commonwealth’s far-flung locations.
Norfolk Southern and CSX, through lawsuits filed in the U.S. Eastern District of Virginia’s Richmond division, argue that the state law, which shortens timelines and reduces fees to get broadband past railroad crossings, amounts to a violation of existing federal and state laws. At railroad crossings in New Kent County and Chesapeake, the law allows broadband provider Cox Communications, in particular, to take railroad property without proper compensation while skirting due process, the two suits claim.
What’s in Virginia’s transportation spending plan? - Virginia Mercury
by Nathaniel Cline
Virginia’s latest spending plan includes efforts to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to a prominent transportation agency in Northern Virginia, toll relief in Hampton Roads and highway widening along a stretch of Interstate 81 in Southwest Virginia.
The state budget adopted in May includes a stark change from one of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s transportation-related amendments: the newly enacted budget allows the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission — the regional body of jurisdictions responsible for funding the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) — to keep its trust fund intact.
From behind the paywall: VA-05 Republican candidate John McGuire is facing a lawsuit for defamation
VA-05 Republican candidate John McGuire is facing a lawsuit for defamation after naming an individual in a press release earlier this year.
In March, the McGuire campaign sent out a press release saying that a supporter of his primary opponent, Rep. Bob Good, R-VA05, assaulted a woman at an event. Paul Raymond was cited in the press release as the Good supporter who allegedly committed the assault.
A judge dismissed the charge against Raymond.
The press release sent out by the McGuire campaign had the subject line: “POLICE CALLED: Team Good attacks Team Trump AGAIN.”
The release then describes the events that happened that day in late March.
“Bob Good’s top supporters verbally and physically assaulted Trump Store owner Karen Angulo at a GOP meeting in Appomattox, then proceeded to remove Trump staffer Ramona Christian from her Buckingham GOP Chairmanship for not supporting Good,” it reads.
The press release includes a quote from Karen Angulo, the woman who accused Raymond of assaulting her.
“Bob Good doesn’t like Trump and he doesn’t like being called out on the fact that he’s a Never Trumper, but it’s true,” she said. “I called him out on it and one of Good’s goons assaulted me. Yet another episode that shows why Good needs to go.”
McGuire’s campaign wrote that Raymond shoved Angulo in an email blast sent out to the press.
The courts did not find that Angulo was assaulted, however, and the charges were dismissed, according to court records.
Raymond has now filed a lawsuit seeking damages from Angulo and McGuire.
“We’re confident this suit will succeed because the truth is evident and a multitude of witnesses physically saw what did and, most importantly, did not take place,” said Elliott Harding, Raymond’s attorney. “My client never touched Ms. Angulo and the reckless disregard for the truth by the defendants has caused significant harm. Not only did Mr. Raymond have to face a false criminal charge that was immediately dismissed by the courts, but then the McGuire campaign made things much worse by sending out allegations of criminal behavior referring to Mr. Raymond by name and identifying his role in a local church.”
Raymond is seeking $150,000 from McGuire and Angulo for defamation and an additional $50,000 from Angulo for malicious prosecution.
“This is defamation no matter how you look at it and the sad part is that it was so unnecessary,” Harding said. “We’re hopeful to have it resolved soon so everyone can move on while making up for the harm that’s been caused.”
The McGuire campaign declined to comment for this story.
He and Good are running in a contentious primary for the VA-05 seat.
Former President Donald Trump recently announced his endorsement of McGuire on his social media platform Truth Social.
Good endorsed Ron DeSantis in the presidential primary, then quickly announced his support of Trump after the Florida governor dropped out of the race.
It was too late for Trump, however.
“[Good] turned his back on our incredible movement, and was constantly attacking and fighting me until recently, when he gave a warm and ‘loving’ Endorsement – But really, it was too late,” Trump wrote in his endorsement statement of McGuire.
The Trump campaign also sent a cease and desist letter to Good’s campaign telling him to stop using his name and likeness in campaign materials.
Primary day is June 18. Early voting has already started.
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