Virginia state senator indicted on federal charges
Federal authorities on Thursday charged one of Virginia’s most powerful Democrats, state Senator Louise Lucas, with running a criminal marijuana enterprise.
Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel announced the charges Thursday morning, which include drug trafficking and money laundering.
The indictment against Lucas and six other defendants comes a month after the FBI searched her district office and a cannabis shop that she co-owns.
Lucas has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration and played a leading role in redrawing Virginia’s congressional maps to favor Democrats. That effort was later thrown out by the courts.
In a statement, Lucas said: “I will not be intimidated. I will not be bullied. And I will not back down.”
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