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Republican group dumps $2 million into Virginia attorney general race
The Republican Attorneys General Association is pouring $2 million into the Virginia Attorney General race between Republican incumbent Jason Miyares and Democrat Jay Jones. The RAGA says the investment is more than any GOP committee in a statewide Virginia race in 2025. The race between Miyares and Jones is one of the top ones to watch in Virginia as the state elects a new governor, Lt. governor, and members of the House of Delegates.
Youngkin appoints longtime power lobbyist to citizen board that regulates power plants
Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed Ron Jefferson, a longtime lobbyist for Appalachian Power, to the State Air Pollution Control Board on Friday. Jefferson worked for Appalachian Power for at least 17 years, according to the lobbying records maintained by the Virginia Public Access Project. Appalachian Power provides electrical power to most of southwest Virginia. Power plants, particularly those powered by fossil fuels, make up a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions.
Youngkin turns to AI to cut more red tape across Virginia Government
Days after declaring victory in his administration’s push to cut regulatory red tape by 25%, Gov. Glenn Youngkin is now looking to artificial intelligence to help push that number even higher. In an executive order issued Friday, Youngkin announced Virginia will launch the nation’s first “agentic AI” pilot program designed to streamline state regulations and guidance documents. The initiative will scan thousands of pages of agency rules using generative AI to identify redundancies, contradictions and overly complex language — all in the name of efficiency.
Bearinger: What, exactly, are we pledging allegiance to?
It’s a few minutes before 10 a.m. on July 4, and I’m sitting in the Robins Family Forum at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond, feeling the anticipation. Every seat in the auditorium is filled; and the museum staff are busy outside, directing visitors into a second room across the lobby where they can watch the event on livestream. We’ve all come to witness and be part of a “Ceremony to Honor New Citizens,” otherwise known as “naturalization.” Most of us in the room are citizens by right, having been born in the United States. But in the center of the auditorium are 82 men and women from 39 countries who are here to become citizens by choice.
Richmond finance department Director Sheila White resigns
Sheila White, director of City Hall’s Department of Finance, has resigned, a city spokesperson told The Times-Dispatch on Thursday evening. Her last day will be July 25. The resignation came on new Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald II’s second day on the job. Former Mayor Levar Stoney tapped White to lead the department in May 2021. Her tenure has been marked with controversy, including issues with the city’s meals tax collection and real estate tax rebate delivery.
Appeals court flip-flops on Missing Middle, striking down ordinance once again
The Virginia Court of Appeals has withdrawn a recent decision reinstating Arlington’s “Missing Middle” ordinance, once again striking it from the books as judges reconsider arguments. In a ruling that adds yet another layer of complexity to the legal fight over the controversial zoning change, the appeals court agreed on Tuesday to reassess a judgment that the court handed down just last month. While the previous decision had effectively reinstated the county’s Expanded Housing Options for procedural reasons, the new ruling strikes the ordinance down once again.
Preliminary injunction hearing likely July 25 to keep Ken Cuccinelli from UVA BOV seating
A Fairfax County Circuit Court judge will likely hear a preliminary injunction motion July 25 by Virginia Senate Democratic leaders to keep Ken Cuccinelli from sitting on the next UVA Board of Visitors meeting. That word from the counsel representing the plaintiffs. . . . The Governor’s Office and State Attorney General Jason Miyares have opined Cuccinelli, and seven other Governor Youngkin appointees as members of George Mason and VMI boards that the Senate Privileges and Election Committee denied confirmation to, can continue to serve until there’s been a full floor session in which they could be considered.
Student leaders weigh the future of self-governance after Ryan's departure
Student leaders say the University is at a tipping point for protecting student self-governance following University President Jim Ryan’s decision to resign June 27 after facing pressure from the Trump administration. Many urged renewed attention to a core tradition they fear could be threatened during this period of transition. The University has a historical tradition of student self-governance, which allows students to take part in decision-making processes — major self-governance groups include the Honor Committee, University Judiciary Committee, Student Council and Class Councils.
Education Department probes George Mason University for hiding DEI practices
The Education Department has launched a federal civil rights investigation into Virginia’s George Mason University for renaming rather than removing its diversity, equity and inclusion program and staff. In a Thursday news release, the agency cited a complaint filed with its Office for Civil Rights by “multiple professors at GMU who allege that the university illegally uses race and other immutable characteristics in university policies, including hiring and promotion.” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said the complaint belies administrators’ public claims that the private Fairfax campus “does not discriminate on the basis of race” by favoring minority candidates, which the Trump administration forbids.
Trump administration investigating George Mason over report of discrimination
The U.S. Department of Education is investigating George Mason University for possible racial discrimination, the latest move by President Donald Trump’s administration to eradicate DEI from American colleges and punish colleges that don’t comply. A group of professors at the university in Fairfax County filed a report asserting that university leadership illegally uses race as a factor in hiring and promotions. The complaint alleges that the school’s president, Gregory Washington, instructed administrators to consider how an applicant would improve the school’s diversity, ...