Reporting Update: Fairfax Casino, Bagby, Richmond Opinions, Petersburg Council & More
Updates on topics previously discussed in Virginia Politics Revealed.
After four months of reporting on this platform, I’d like to provide y’all with updates on some of the stories you’ve read in Virginia Politics Revealed.
FOI Advisory Council Opinions
Articles: “Does Virginia FOIA Require Notice of the Specific Location of Public Meetings?” (December 28, 2024)
“FOI Advisory Council Opinion: Declaratory Relief & Virginia FOIA” (March 24, 2025)
Update: The FOI Advisory Council has confirmed receipt of my request for an opinion on location specificity requirements for notices of public meetings.
Given the upcoming gubernatorial election, here’s the 2023 AO-02-23 opinion I requested concerning FOIA and gubernatorial transition teams.
State Sen. VanValkenburg’s Opinion from AG Miyares
Article: “VanValkenburg, Rosie's, and a Fast-Tracked AG's Opinion from Miyares” (December 20, 2024)
Update: According to the Attorney General’s online database of 2025 Official Opinions, no opinion has been issued yet to State Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-Henrico).
Petersburg Council & Transparency
Article: “Petersburg Council Poised to Gut Public Participation Tomorrow” (January 6, 2025)
Update: Petersburg Council decided, after public pressure, not to gut public participation in open meetings.
Fairfax Casino Legislation
Articles: “Is Surovell's Fairfax Casino Bill Unconstitutional?” (January 12, 2025)
“Dem LG Candidate: Fairfax Casino a "Backroom Deal," "Con Job," "Boondoggle"" (January 29, 2025)
“GOP LG Candidate: Fairfax Casino Location "Makes No Sense" (January 30, 2025)
“Warner Refuses to Back Fairfax Casino, Puts Spanberger and Earle-Sears in Hot Seat” (January 31, 2025)
“Fairfax Electeds Sound Off on Fairfax Casino” (February 2, 2025)
“Fairfax Casino Records & A GMU Professor's Change of Heart” (February 5, 2025)
“GMU Charges $352.01 for New Fairfax Casino Records” (February 13, 2025)
Update: The Surovell casino bill failed to survive the House of Delegates this year, though supporters indicate Fairfax casino legislation will return next year. As Laura Vozzella and Greg Schneider reported in the Washington Post:
A bill meant to pave the way for a Fairfax County casino got pushed aside by a Virginia House subcommittee this week, a move that casino foes hailed as a death blow but backers of the plan insisted was not the last word.
The House Commerce, Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee voted Wednesday to “pass the bill by for the day” — a procedural move taken when a panel is not ready to act on a bill, but often means it will die in committee.
Opponents of the plan welcomed the action as a fatal strike, particularly since the subcommittee is not scheduled to meet again before the General Assembly session concludes Feb. 22.
Organized Retail Theft Manual
Article: “Organized Retail Theft Manual: Miyares, Fatehi, Taylor, Gwynn, and Multiple FOIA Violations” (February 17, 2025)
Update: As I wrote in the article:
“So, after nearly three months of waiting and after I’ve endured multiple violations of my rights under FOIA from multiple public bodies, it looks like the public will finally get to see the Organized Retail Theft Manual by next week - barring any continuances in the case Muth mentioned.”
Well, according to Muth, the case was continued to April 25, 2025. So the public still doesn’t have access to the elusive Organized Retail Theft Manual.
State Sen. Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico)
Article: “Wilder, Bagby, and the Threat of a 2025 Ethics Probe” (March 12, 2025)
Update: Bagby was elected chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia on March 22, 2025 by the DPVA Central Committee. Of the 303 members, 57% voted for Bagby, 19% voted for Zach Pruckowski, 13% chose not to vote (many of whom were physically in attendance), 10% voted for me, and 1% abstained.
Richmond’s Secret Legal Opinions
Article: “Richmond's Secret Legal Opinions” (March 27, 2025)
Update: As Samuel Parker reported in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and as Graham Moomaw reported in The Richmonder, the Avula Administration is attempting to repeal the transparency requirements for the City Attorney’s office.
Here’s Moomaw:
Josh Stanfield — a political activist and transparency advocate who has battled City Hall over a Freedom of Information Act request he filed with former City Council candidate Paul Goldman — has called attention to a section of Richmond’s city code that requires the city attorney’s office to produce written legal opinions and make those opinions broadly available.
That rule would be axed under Avula’s budget.
Advice to officials from government lawyers is generally considered confidential under attorney-client privilege. But the city code section laid out a process similar to one followed by the Virginia attorney general’s office, which publishes formal opinions on how state laws should be interpreted.
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