Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, one of the state's most powerful Democrats, was charged Thursday, October 22, in connection with an alleged criminal marijuana distribution and money laundering enterprise. The charges were announced following an indictment unsealed the same day by the Department of Justice.
Lucas, 82, who has served in the Virginia State Senate since 1992 and currently serves as President pro tempore, was charged with five counts: racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute and possess marijuana with intent to distribute, conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Six other defendants were also charged in the indictment, including Lucas's daughters Lisa Lucas Burke and Theresa Lucas-Lamb, and her grandson Ryan Eichelberger. Lucas surrendered to federal authorities.
Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel announced the charges at a news conference in Norfolk, Virginia. According to the indictment, Lucas allegedly used her position as chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee to insulate the criminal enterprise from scrutiny and to influence legislation for financial benefit. "The Department of Justice intends to prove that Sen. Lucas violated the trust of the people of Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia, and of her state Senate colleagues," Blanche said. "Her first duty should have been looking out for her constituents before herself." FBI Director Patel alleged that Lucas and associates "orchestrated a multi-year scheme to enrich their own criminal marijuana enterprise" and that over nearly five years, Lucas "accumulated nearly $5 million in ill-gotten gains through her criminal enterprise."
The investigation preceded the current administration. In May, federal agents searched Lucas's office in Portsmouth and a cannabis business called The Cannabis Outlet, in which she holds a stake. At that time, Lucas characterized the search as an attempt to intimidate her. Court records have been sealed for months, though the Department of Justice notified journalists, politicians, and others that their communications with Lucas had been intercepted as part of a court-approved wiretap.
In response to the charges, Lucas issued a statement saying she would "not be intimidated" and "not be bullied." She drew a parallel to her experience growing up under Jim Crow segregation. "Today, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the full weight of the federal government have been wielded against an 82-year-old great-grandmother," she said. "I spent my life fighting back, and I'm not stopping now." Her legal defense team stated they were "surprised and disheartened" by the charges and called the news conference by Blanche and other officials "highly unusual" and "misleading."
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) issued a statement affirming that Lucas is "presumed innocent until proven guilty" and that "she and her family deserve the opportunity to present their defense." U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) suggested the Justice Department had become "Trump's own personal law firm," noting that his communications with Lucas had been monitored. When asked about the timing of the charges, which came 12 days before a midterm election, Attorney General Blanche defended the department's decision, saying the Justice Manual does not prohibit charges in the period before an election and that Lucas was not up for re-election.
