Third former Taylor staffer charged with election fraud
VIRGINIA BEACH — Authorities in Virginia Beach have filed election fraud charges against a third former campaign staffer for former Rep. Scott Taylor, R-2nd.
The Virginian-Pilot reported that Heather Guillot was indicted Tuesday by a Virginia Beach grand jury. Guillot’s attorney, Richard Doummar, declined to comment on the indictment.
Guillot had served as a consultant for Taylor’s 2018 re-election bid. She is accused of submitting forged signatures of voters in order to get a third-party spoiler candidate on the 2018 ballot.
The effort was widely seen as a strategy to siphon votes away from Taylor’s Democratic opponent, Elaine Luria, who ultimately won the race.
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Special prosecutor John Beamer said the ballot fraud investigation isn’t over and that he expects to seek at least one more indictment.
Beamer added that no one has been cleared, including Taylor. The former congressman is challenging Luria again this year in an effort to get his seat back.
Prince William changing name of part of U.S. 1 honoring Davis
MANASSAS — A Northern Virginia county voted Wednesday to change the name of a 12-mile section of highway that currently honors former Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
The Prince William County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the change to the stretch of U.S. Route 1, which runs the entire eastern length of the county outside of Washington and through other portions of the state, WJLA-TV reported.
The vote allows the board to petition the Commonwealth Transportation Board in Richmond for a formal change.
The county is planning to rename the stretch Richmond Highway, after moves by neighboring Arlington County and Alexandria, news outlets have reported.
Gloucester School Board asks court to review Grimm lawsuit
GLOUCESTER — The Gloucester School Board will continue to defend its transgender bathroom ban in federal court.
The Daily Press reported Thursday that the board has asked a full federal appeals court to review the long-running lawsuit filed by former student Gavin Grimm.
The request comes after two federal courts have sided with Grimm and called the board’s policy discriminatory and unconstitutional. The policy required Grimm to use restrooms that corresponded with his biological sex — female — or use private bathrooms.
A federal court in Norfolk ruled against the School Board last year. And a three-judge panel with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond ruled against the board last month.
The board is now requesting a full hearing at the appeals court. Such hearings are granted less than 1% of the time. That could mean that the next stop for the case is the U.S. Supreme Court.
The School Board said in its filing that its policy “treats all students equally, and is substantially related to the important objective of protecting student privacy.”
Fredericksburg is planning a ‘reverse’ Christmas parade
FREDERICKSBURG — One Virginia city is already making plans for how to safely hold its annual Christmas parade during the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead of the usual format, Fredericksburg will host a “reverse parade,” with stationary floats and spectators who drive by, The Free Lance-Star reported.
The setup will be similar to a drive-thru holiday lights display and will allow for spacing between parade entrants.
The theme is “Light Up the Season,” and registration for float entrants is underway.