Dem-backed 'social justice' law put Virginia's ODU campus at risk before attack, former AG argues
A Democrat-backed Virginia law restricting how colleges review applicants’ criminal histories is facing renewed scrutiny after the Old Dominion University attack, with former Attorney General Jason Miyares calling it "Exhibit A" of policies he argues put public safety at risk.
Miyares, now a partner at Torridon Law, slammed so-called "ban-the-box" laws passed under then-Gov. Ralph Northam that were intended to remove workplace stigma associated with having a criminal record. The law says Virginia colleges can’t ask about an applicant’s criminal history on applications or reject someone just because they have a record.
"Governor Ralph Northam’s legacy," Miyares tweeted. "[Shooter Mohamed] Jalloh was convicted of a terrorism felony, sentenced to 11 years in prison. Despite this felony, he applied and enrolled at ODU with the school having no idea his criminal history because of the 2019 ‘social justice’ law signed by Northam."
In an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday, Miyares expanded on his concerns and said he views the Spanberger administration as continuing Northam’s progressive pattern.
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"I think this is Exhibit A of Democrats' criminal-first, victim-last policies. This is exactly the type of policies [we’ve] warned if we implement this, this is going to create harm for innocent victims and, candidly, they don't care."
Miyares, who previously served in the state house, said that when the original "Ban the Box" package came to the floor, it was sponsored by now-Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, and passed despite warnings that it would make colleges and universities "ticking time bombs."
"And that’s exactly what we saw [at ODU], with the idea that a university cannot be informed [or] even ask about someone's prior terrorism charges while allowing them on campus."
"Obviously, the police have to do the investigation, but if you're an enrolled student, you have a student ID, and there's really no place that you don't have access to go … and in this case, use it to attack the innocent too."
Miyares said Northam and Democrats "don’t care about the innocent [but] care about championing the rights of felons over the safety of everyday Virginians. And I think we saw tragic results."
"Ralph Northam signed the law: a bill that made every college campus in Virginia less safe," he said, connecting Northam to incumbent Gov. Abigail Spanberger and condemning her for appointing him to the historic Virginia Military Institute (VMI).
The imposing Lexington school has a storied history dating back to America’s early days and has employed or educated such military figures as CSA Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and President Donald Trump’s current Army chief, Gen. Dan "Raising" Caine.
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"Who did she appoint? She fired some of the Youngkin appointees … and [put] Ralph Northam on the board of one of Virginia's great public universities — the man who has made our universities less safe, he is now helping to govern them."
"Only in this world, in the left-wing worlds, do you do policy issues and legislation that actually makes the problem worse and you get a promotion," he said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Northam, who declined formal comment and said he had returned to private life as a doctor. The Onancock native had been a pediatrician in that region prior to his governorship.
Miyares pivoted to Spanberger’s own record, saying that she advertised herself as a moderate but is governing to the far left when asked if she may seek correction of the policy.
"I think Abigail Spanberger is like a really bad used car salesman in that when she ran for office, she was saying, ‘look under the hood, we're going to be focusing on affordability’. What they've done instead is add a carbon tax to your utility bill, raise multiple taxes from DoorDash to Netflix, even trying to tax your mattresses. I guess you're going tax your pillow next."
Miyares, who is also working to combat the implementation of the all-but-one Democrat congressional district map blessed by Spanberger and crafted by Senate President L. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, said Richmond has sadly lurched far from the government he helped lead only months ago.
"I'm still waiting for the moderate Abigail Spanberger to make an appearance in Capitol Square. I am not hopeful. This is one of the great bait-and-switch in American politics. The way she campaign and the way she is governed is as different as night and day, and so I have no hope, and I think you're going to have more tragedies like this in the days to come."
He also was asked about Attorney General Jay Jones ending his "Operation Ceasefire" anti-crime initiative, and said his scandal-plagued successor was very wrong on that account.
"It's just another case of a bait-and-switch," Miyares said. "They always try to claim they're for police, they're for victims, and they're for law enforcement, and for public safety. And then they implement the very policies to do the opposite."
He said murder had been at a 20-year high when he came into office after defeating Mark Herring in 2021, and that the "violence-reduction" Operation Ceasefire, which focused on repeat offenders and traffickers, itself reduced the crime rate.
"This is not a reorganization of resources. This is the deliberate dismantling of a proven, life-saving public safety initiative by the Democrats' monopoly in Richmond," Miyares said in a separate statement in February after Jones ended the program.
Jones, who remains under fire for controversial community service time following a reckless driving arrest on Interstate 64 in New Kent and wishing pain upon the family of former House Speaker Todd Gilbert of Shenandoah County, did not respond to a request for comment. Spanberger also declined comment on Miyares’ other criticisms.
Miyares was also asked about the firestorm in Fairfax surrounding Democratic Commonwealth’s Attorney Steven Descano.
"If you're an illegal immigrant with the Virginia Department of Corrections, you are a convicted felon serving time in a Virginia prison. And even then, Governor Spanberger does not think that warrants notifying ICE. It is an absolute preventable tragedy," he added."If you're an illegal immigrant with the Virginia Department Corrections, you are a convicted felon serving time in a Virginia prison. And even then, Governor Spanberger does not think that warrants notifying ICE. It is an absolute preventable tragedy," he added.