Virginia’s newly elected Governor Abigail Spanberger is already embroiled in a controversy that could make even the most seasoned political operatives blush.
Fox News reported that a nonpartisan litigation firm, the Liberty Justice Center, has dropped a bombshell by demanding a criminal investigation into Portsmouth Public Schools (PPS) for allegedly using taxpayer money to host a political rally for Spanberger at I.C. Norcom High School in August.
This eyebrow-raising event, held free of charge on the first day of the teacher-work period, has sparked accusations of misuse of public assets under Virginia law, a potential Class 4 felony if the value of services exceeds $1,000 within a year.
The rally, which also saw the attendance of controversial Attorney General-elect Jay Jones, took place at a time when teachers were supposed to be gearing up for the school year, not playing host to campaign events.
According to the Liberty Justice Center, PPS provided rooms, staff labor, and other resources—estimated to be worth over $1,000—to Spanberger’s campaign, a clear violation of laws prohibiting the personal use of public resources.
Adding fuel to the fire, emails uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request by Restoration News reveal a campaign official created a public invitation link on Spanberger’s gubernatorial website, which was then shared with PPS staff to distribute among teachers.
“This is just a gross misuse of public money and resources,” said Brendan Philbin, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center.
Philbin’s point cuts deep—why should hardworking Virginians foot the bill for a political event when their tax dollars are meant for education, not electioneering? It’s the kind of overreach that makes folks question whether public institutions are serving students or political agendas.
“The time of teachers and the maintenance staff and everyone should be, at this point, getting ready to start the new school year. But instead, they're using all this time and resources to host this gratuitous political event,” Philbin added.
Let’s not gloss over the legal nitty-gritty: the Liberty Justice Center also claims Spanberger’s campaign failed to report this “in-kind” contribution from PPS, violating Virginia campaign finance laws that mandate disclosure of contributions over $100.
PPS, for their part, insists they thought the event was educational at first, only instructing staff not to attend once the true nature of the rally became clear. Still, their defense that the building was already open and no fees were charged feels like a weak excuse when public trust is on the line.
The school district now says it’s reviewing policies to align with state code, but shouldn’t that have been done before handing over a high school for a campaign stop?
The Liberty Justice Center has formally requested investigations by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Morales, though neither has responded to confirm if probes are underway.
Meanwhile, Fox News Digital reached out to multiple involved parties—including Miyares, PPS, and I.C. Norcom High School—but received no answers in time for publication. With Spanberger securing the governorship, boosted by an endorsement from former President Barack Obama, the silence from officials only amplifies concerns about accountability.
