A Quid-Pro-Quo?
Nothing to see here, folks…
While it is true that “appearances can be deceiving,” more often than not things are just as they appear.
Thus, when Attorney General Jason Miyares followed through on a campaign pledge by assigning an investigator to examine the Loudoun County* School Board’s handling of sexual assault allegations against a student, there was already the aroma of a politicized conflict of interest wafting about.
But when the AG’s flunky assigned with the Loudoun probe wrote to his boss this week asking for a plum job promotion upon delivering an investigative report in which the “…AG Looks good (as is the hope/expectation on my end)…” the stench of a quid-pro-quo appears likely.
The Loudoun County Democratic Committee supports Sen. Jennifer Boysko and Del. Suhas Subramanyam, who, on Friday, expressed outrage and alarm at the conduct of Miyares and his office, revealed in a report by WRIC-TV in Richmond.
Subramanyam, describing the conduct of the AG’s office as “a gross … breach of trust,” called upon Miyares to “reverse course on his plans to use the tragic events in Loudoun County for pure political gain.”
In solidarity with the two Democratic lawmakers, Lissa Savaglio, Chair of the Loudoun Democratic Committee condemned “the appalling optics” and demanded that “the AG’s Office immediately recuse itself from this investigation and permit the appointment of a truly independent investigator to establish trust in this process.”
The email at the center of this ethical imbroglio was written by Special Assistant to the Attorney General Carlton J. Davis, who sought appointment as chief counsel to the University of Virginia on the same day that Miyares fired the sitting counsel, Tim Heaphy, without stating a cause. Heaphy was on leave from UVA, working for the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 insurrection.
Miyares’ office denies any connection between Heaphy’s side gig and his firing; you know, appearances can be deceiving.
*BTW: You would think with an entire Commonwealth to reign over, this GOP administration could find another county to beat up on every so often.
