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Recent immigration arrests at courthouses around the country have advocates worried
Inside a Virginia courthouse, three immigration agents in plainclothes — one masked — detained a man who had just had misdemeanor assault charges dismissed. They declined to show identification or a warrant to the man, and one threatened to prosecute horrified witnesses who tried to intervene, cellphone video shows. . . . The flurry of immigration enforcement at courthouses around the country in the past month — already heavily criticized by judicial officials and lawyers — has renewed a legal battle from President Donald Trump’s first term as advocates fear people might avoid coming to court.
Amherst, Nelson County GOP committees sign on as co-plaintiffs in suit challenging primary law
Amherst County Republicans voted to join a lawsuit that Virginia’s 6th District Republican Committee is planning to file in federal court challenging the constitutionality of a state law that has been interpreted to require political parties to nominate candidates through primaries. The Amherst Republicans’ decision on Monday to join the lawsuit followed a vote by Nelson County Republicans on April 24 to sign on as co-plaintiffs to the lawsuit.
Youngkin adviser reportedly steps down over lieutenant governor race controversy
One of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s top advisers has stepped down amid a growing fissure in the state’s Republican Party over its presumptive nominee for lieutenant governor, according to the website Politico. Citing an anonymous source, Politico reported Thursday evening that Matt Moran, who oversees Youngkin’s PAC, was resigning after getting caught up in a controversy surrounding John Reid’s campaign for lieutenant governor.
Amid Reid controversy, Moran steps away as head of Youngkin’s PAC
Matthew Moran, the political aide at the center of the controversy over John Reid, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, has "stepped away" as head of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Spirit of Virginia PAC, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. The news, which Politico first reported Thursday evening, comes less than a week after Youngkin called Reid — the first openly gay candidate nominated to statewide office — and asked him to withdraw from the race.
Judge rules for former Accomack superintendent in FOIA court hearing
The Accomack County School Board violated state open meetings law when it met Oct. 23, 2024, and voted to fire then-Superintendent Rhonda Hall, a circuit judge has ruled. Judge Afshin Farashahi said the special meeting in question, called with just four days’ notice, didn’t constitute an emergency and was held in a room not big enough to accommodate a crowd. The meeting’s announcement also didn’t include the address and indicated that the meeting would be closed.
Audio recording sheds light on Va. GOP firestorm involving Youngkin’s top adviser and lieutenant governor candidate
A newly surfaced recording of an April 27 conversation between Matt Moran, the top political strategist for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and members of Republican John Reid’s campaign appears to contradict Moran’s sworn affidavit — directly challenging his claim that he never pressured Reid’s team to leave the lieutenant governor’s race. The audio, obtained and reviewed by The Mercury on Thursday, captures Moran and attorney Tim Anderson, a former state delegate, during the meeting at the Offices of LINK Public Affairs in Richmond, in a conversation with Reid’s campaign manager, Noah Jennings, and Reid’s longtime partner, Alonzo Mable.
Williams: When Virginia's GOP trips over its own DEI
John Reid is gobsmacked that the leopard attempted to eat his face. Reid is the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in the November election. He earned this distinction when his lone opponent dropped out of the race because of health issues. This turn of events resulted in the most diverse statewide ticket in Virginia history: Black female, white gay male and Hispanic male.
VCU student arrested in gathering echoing 2024 Gaza encampment
A peaceful gathering to “be together in community” on the anniversary of VCU’s violent April 2024 Gaza solidarity encampment unraveled into disarray after police told roughly 50 students they were trespassing and breaking campus policy, ending in one student’s arrest.
Fisher: In Virginia, a gay GOP candidate is proving difficult for MAGA to accept
Two weeks ago, John Reid, a longtime rabble-rousing radio talk show host in Richmond, was the underdog in this year’s Republican primary for lieutenant governor in Virginia. Last week, Reid was the undisputed, unopposed GOP nominee for the post. This week, he is on the ropes, spurned by his own party’s governor, who is calling for Reid to drop out of the race.
At packed Henrico rally, Reid blasts ‘Richmond swamp’
The controversy surrounding John Reid, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, has energized his base, as shown by the hundreds of supporters who packed a Wednesday night rally in Henrico County. The entire GOP ticket originally was to appear at the venue, Atlas 42, alongside Gov. Glenn Youngkin — before Youngkin asked Reid to step down and canceled his own appearance.