Watchdog Group Seeks Probe Into Alleged Illegal Electioneering At A Virginia School District
The Liberty Justice Center (LJC), a national nonprofit legal organization, formally requested on Tuesday, November 4, that the Virginia Attorney General and the Commonwealth’s Attorney of Portsmouth launch parallel investigations into allegations of illegal electioneering and misuse of public assets by Portsmouth Public Schools (PPS).
The request, made on behalf of concerned Virginia taxpayers, centers on a campaign event held by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger at I.C. Norcom High School on August 8, 2025.
The event, which was used to announce her “Strengthening Virginia Schools Plan,” allegedly occurred during business hours on the first day teachers returned to work for the school year. Several other candidates, including those running for Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and the House of Delegates, were also in attendance.
According to the LJC, documents and email threads between the Spanberger campaign and PPS officials, including Chief Operating Officer Jerry Simmons and the school’s principal, indicate coordinated efforts to encourage teacher attendance on a workday and secure school space for filming. School records show the school library was booked for “Spanberger for Governor,” and photos reportedly show district personnel posing with candidates.
The LJC alleges:
- Misuse of Public Assets: Documents show the campaign was allowed to use the school library free of charge. The LJC’s letter to the Commonwealth’s Attorney claims that district personnel misused public assets—specifically school facilities, staff time, and taxpayer-funded labor—which could constitute a felony if the value exceeds $1,000 in a 12-month period.
- Election Law Violations: The LJC asserts that PPS providing facilities and related services is an unreported in-kind contribution to the campaign, which is required to be disclosed under Virginia law if valued at more than $100. The campaign’s latest report covering the event’s timeframe did not disclose any such contribution from the District.
“The Portsmouth School District should use its facilities and teachers to educate students, not provide free resources and crowds to a partisan political campaign,” said Brendan Philbin, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center. “The Portsmouth residents deserve to have their tax dollars spent on education, not handouts to gubernatorial candidates. What the District administrators did is unconstitutional, and very likely, criminal.”
The LJC has requested written confirmation from the Attorney General and the Commonwealth’s Attorney by mid-November that the investigations have been initiated.
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