FBI searches office of Virginia lawmaker who helped lead redistricting push
The FBI on Wednesday raided the office of a prominent Virginia state Democratic lawmaker who helped lead the state’s redistricting efforts.
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The FBI has confirmed that law enforcement activity occurred at the office address of Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas in Portsmouth, Virginia. The search is linked to a long-running public corruption investigation into her that has roots in the Biden era, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Federal agents also raided a nearby business called “The Cannabis Outlet,” which is co-owned by the lawmaker. The development was first reported by Fox News.
The FBI said in a statement that “there is no threat to public safety.”
“This is an ongoing investigation,” the statement continued, adding that no “additional information is publicly available at this time.”
NBC News has reached out to a representative for Lucas for comment. A spokeswoman for Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, said she was “aware” of the operation but declined to comment further.
Lucas is best known nationally for helping with efforts in Virginia to redraw its congressional districts to favor Democratic candidates and leave only one district solidly red out of 11. That campaign was part of a redistricting battle in state seats across the country.
Last month, Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing Democratic lawmakers to move forward with a new congressional map that could ultimately help Democrats win four additional seats in the upcoming midterm elections. The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week on the legality of the amendment.
Virginia’s redistricting effort was part of a broader redistricting effort that spread across the country after President Donald Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to adopt new maps. Democratic-led states responded with their own redistricting efforts, and more than a half-dozen states redrew their congressional districts ahead of this fall’s elections.
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, wrote in a statement this afternoon that he was “deeply concerned” about the FBI’s activity.
“Given the politicization of this administration – an FBI led by Kash Patel and a Justice Department led by President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney – I think people should take this with a grain of salt and allow the facts to come to light before jumping to conclusions,” Scott wrote.
The search comes about a week after the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, another prominent critic of the president.
