On May 10, WJLA TV broke news that in Loudoun County staff and associates of school board members and of Democrat officials and candidates (among them the county’s Soros-backed anti-incarceration prosecutor Buta Biberaj and the Democrat candidate for Sheriff Craig Buckley) were part of a group calling itself “Loudoun Love Warriors.” Group members plotted acts of violence, intimidation, and character assassination against Loudoun County parents in retaliation for their exercise of First Amendments to protest school board policies supporting critical race theory, withholding information from the public concerning a rape and sexual assault by a trans boy in girls’ restrooms, supporting obscene and indecent content in school libraries and classes, and supporting the transitioning of youth. Among the parents targeted by the group were Mark Winn, Elicia Brand, and Scott Mineo. Execution of threatened attacks against Mineo led his employer to terminate his employment. The parents received threats of violence by phone. A member of the group appalled by the plotting of violence and character assassination gave copies of the online discussions to WJLA TV. A complaint has been filed with Loudoun County Sheriff Michael L. Chapman whose office is investigating.
Attorney General Merrick Garland is familiar with Loudoun County. Indeed, in 2021 he authorized the FBI to target parents for investigation and prosecution in Loudoun County in response to education association and Biden Administration false accusations that parents were threatening school board members and demands that the AG act. Without any evidence of violent threats by parents against school board members, Garland nevertheless authorized the FBI to investigate and work with local authorities to arrest and prosecute. Now the actual evidence of violent threats is before us, and it comes not from the parents against the board but from staff and associates of the board, Democrat candidates, and the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Buta Biberaj.
Those staff and associates through an online group they formed called “Loudoun Love Warriors” have actually made threats and taken steps to effectuate them. If Garland fails to call for an FBI investigation given the direct proof from the Loudoun Love Warriors’ whistleblower, he will reconfirm public perception of his biased, two-tiered system of justice. If he does call for an investigation, he will ignite howls from the far left of his party. What will he do? Will he yet again allow political bias to determine his enforcement of the law?
The Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares should also investigate. The Soros-baked Commonwealth’s Attorney, Biberaj, who would ordinarily be charged with prosecuting a case of law violation by Loudoun County residents is in this instance conflicted, and a necessary witness. It is her own campaign staffer who is implicated in the conspiracy to violate the rights of parents. She must therefore recuse herself or, if not, the presiding Loudoun Circuit judge in the matter should compel her removal in favor of another Commonwealth’s Attorney.
What the members of the Loudoun Love Warriors have done is no small crime. It is a serious felony on the federal and state levels. Fines and incarceration for up to ten years are the assigned penalties. 18 U.S.C. Section 241 (conspiracy against rights) reads in pertinent part: “If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person . . . in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same, . . . they shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not more than ten years, or both . . .” Virginia Code Section 24.2-1015 also provides in pertinent part: “If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, intimidate, prevent, or hinder any citizen of this Commonwealth in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the provisions of this title, or because of his having so exercised such right, they shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony.” Under the Virginia Code, the term of imprisonment for a Class 5 felony is not less than one year nor more than 10 years and carries a fine of not more than $2,500.
As this plays out, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s office may provide the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Biberaj, with evidence of a crime. In light of her conflict of interest, Biberaj should recuse herself in favor of another, unbiased Commonwealth’s Attorney or, if she refuses, Virginia Attorney General Miyares should intervene to seek judicial removal of Biberaj from the matter. An unbiased prosecutor should then proceed with charges against those members of Loudoun Love Warriors whose acts reveal a violation of the statute. In content from the online discussion, members of Loudoun Love Warriors discuss whether they might be prosecuted for their law violations and express confidence that Biberaj will not prosecute them.
On the federal level, if Merrick Garland will do his job (perhaps a pipe dream), an FBI investigation will occur and will provide evidence for the bringing of facts before a grand jury for indictment of those whom the evidence suggests violated federal law. As the investigations proceed, there may be additional evidence of federal and state law violations. In addition, each of those parents victimized by the acts of violence and intimidation has causes of action for civil wrongs, torts, committed against them.
Moreover, the fact that staff and associates of Loudoun County School Board members, Democrat candidates for office in Loudoun County, and Commonwealth’s Attorney Biberaj participated in a conspiracy to violate the rights of parents reveals potential widespread government corruption, possibly involving Loudoun County School Board members and the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has jurisdiction over each institution that makes use of state funds and has an obligation to investigate to determine if there are instances of law violation, public corruption and abuse of power. He should therefore commence an investigation and pursue whatever charges are warranted to ensure that if law violations have taken place those responsible are recommended for removal from office and are prosecuted.
This article was written on May 13, 2023, and published on Townhall.com
Jonathan Emord is a leading constitutional law and litigation expert, the author of five critically acclaimed books, and a Candidate for the US Senate.