Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) used her position as Senate Finance Committee chair to block a Democrat effort to prevent public utility companies from donating to political campaigns in the commonwealth.
State Senator Danica Roem (D-Manassas) introduced SB 326, which aimed to ban candidates “from soliciting or accepting contributions from any public utility” and prohibit such companies from making political contributions.
Efforts to curtail Dominion Energy’s ability to donate to Virginia lawmakers have been similarly shut down in committee. Unlike previous efforts, this bill was successfully passed through the Committee on Privileges and Elections before dying without a vote in Lucas’ Finance and Appropriations Committee.
Asked about her decision not to bring the bill for a vote before the halfway point in Virginia’s legislative session, when all legislation that will move forward must be placed on the schedule, Virginia Mercury reported Lucas redirected the conversation toward one of the criticisms made by opponents of Dominion Energy.
“The people who are complaining about Dominion being a monopoly want to replace them,” Lucas (pictured above) reportedly said, adding that the critics instead “want to be the monopoly. So what’s the difference?”
Campaign disclosures reveal Lucas has received nearly $800,000 in political donations from Dominion Energy over the course of her political career.
Lucas received significant contributions in 2023 when the electric utility company directed at least $400,000 to Lucas’ reelection campaign.
Days prior, Lucas similarly confirmed she used her position as the Senate Finance Committee chair to block the proposal by Governor Glenn Youngkin to build a new sports complex in Alexandria for the Washington Wizards and Commanders to relocate.
The senator decided to block Youngkin’s plans after the governor suggested Democrats “do not believe in – nor do they want – a strong America” during a political event at Washington and Lee University.
Lucas later referred to the planned facilities as the “half-baked Glenn dome.” He claimed the governor’s plan amounted to using “the reputation of the Commonwealth to finance billionaires’ projects” and threatened to jeopardize her own.
Youngkin, however, remained optimistic in a statement released in a press release after the Virginia House of Delegates passed a version of legislation that Lucas killed.
“I’m encouraged by the continued bipartisan support for the one-of-a-kind economic development opportunity in Virginia that represents 30,000 jobs and $12 billion in new economic activity for the Commonwealth. Following the MEI Commission’s unanimous approval in December, the bipartisan vote in committee and today’s bipartisan support on the House floor, the more decision-makers learn about this project the more they realize that the positive impact reaches all corners of the Commonwealth,” the governor stated.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Senator L. Louise Lucas” by Senator L. Louise Lucas. Background Photo “Virginia Capitol” by Martin Falbisoner. CC BY-SA 3.0.
