Virginia AG authorizes probe of statue-removal contract

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s attorney general has authorized an investigation into a $1.8 million contract for the removal of the city of Richmond's Confederate monuments, a special prosecutor said Friday. The statues were taken down over the summer, and an inquiry into the contract between the...

Liberty University sues governor over financial aid changes

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Liberty University sued Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday, accusing his administration of wrongfully denying financial aid to some of the evangelical school's online students. At issue is a budget change Northam and the Democrat-controlled General Assembly implemented last year...

Virginia’s governor says he is sending 200 state troopers and members of the state National Guard to the US Capitol

U.S. Attorney in Eastern Virginia announces resignation

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — The leader of one of the nation's most prominent U.S. Attorney's offices said Tuesday he is resigning after nearly three years of prosecuting terrorists, spies and political operatives. G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is joining the private...

Virginia state Sen. Chafin dies after catching coronavirus

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia state Sen. Ben Chafin has died after contracting the coronavirus, Senate Republicans said Friday. Chafin represented southwest Virginia and was from Russell County. A Republican, he was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2013 and then moved to the state Senate in 2014....

2021 marquee contest: Virginia governor's race in high gear

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — An unusually broad field of candidates are vying for the governor's seat in Virginia as the marquee political contest of 2021 gets into full swing. Only New Jersey and Virginia are set to elect governors this year, and the Old Dominion’s off-year contest has a strong track...

Virginia advocates set to try again on death penalty repeal

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Death penalty opponents are cautiously optimistic they have enough bipartisan support from lawmakers to get a bill passed next year ending executions in Virginia, a state that has put more people to death in its long history than any other. Democratic Sen. Scott Surovell is again...

Virginia's Lee statue has been removed from the US Capitol

WASHINGTON (AP) — A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that has represented Virginia in the U.S. Capitol for 111 years has been removed. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said in a statement that workers removed the statue from the National Statuary Hall Collection early Monday morning. Northam had...

The Latest: CT bans semitrailers on some roads for 12 hours

NEW YORK (AP) — The latest developments on the winter storm moving across the Northeast (all times local): 7:45 p.m. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday he is banning tractor trailer and tandem trailers from all limited access highways, beginning at 9 p.m. due to the severe winter snow storm. ...

Critics of Electoral College push for popular vote compact

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — When the Electoral College meets Monday, its detractors hope it marks the beginning of the end of a system that twice this century has vaulted the loser of the popular vote to the presidency. This year's presidential race provides the latest motivation for change to supporters of the...