The FBI on Wednesday searched the office of a prominent Virginia Democratic state lawmaker who helped spearhead the state's redistricting push.
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The FBI confirmed that law enforcement activity took place at the address of State Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas's office in Portsmouth, Virginia. The search is connected to a long-running public corruption investigation into her that has roots in the Biden era, a source familiar with the matter tells NBC News.
Federal agents also executed a search at a nearby business called "The Cannabis Outlet" that is co-owned by the lawmaker. The developmentwas first reported by Fox News.
The FBIsaid in a statement that "there is no threat to public safety."
"This is an ongoing investigation," the statement continued, adding that no "further information is publicly available at this time."
NBC News has reached out to a representative for Lucas for comment. A spokesperson for Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, said that she is "aware" of the operation but declined to comment further.
Lucas is best known nationally for helping lead efforts in Virginia to redraw its congressional districts to favor Democratic candidates and leave just one solidly red district out of 11. The push was part of a tit-for-tat redistricting battle in statehouses across the country.
Last month, Virginia votersapproved a constitutional amendmentto allow Democratic legislators to move forward with a new congressional map that could ultimately help Democrats pick up four more seats during the upcoming midterm elections. The state Supreme Court heardoral argumentslast week about the legality of the amendment.
Virginia's redistricting effort was part of the broader redistricting effort that spread across the country after President Donald Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to adopt new maps. Democratic-led states responded with redistricting efforts of their own, andmore than half a dozen stateshave redrawn their congressional districts ahead of this fall's elections.
Source: Drudge Report
