WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) released a statement from Executive Director Sean Rankin regarding Jason Miyares being nominated by the Virginia GOP to be the Republican nominee for Attorney General.

Statement from Sean Rankin, Executive Director of the Democratic Attorneys General Association

“Jason Miyares is out-of-step and out-of-touch with Virginians all across the Commonwealth. Miyares has a disastrous record that includes opposing Medicaid expansion that would have left 500,000 Virginians without health care, siding with the NRA over commonsense public safety measures, and opposing long overdue reforms to the justice system. The fact is Miyares has regularly supported bad policies to benefit his political career rather than focus on what the people of Virginia need.”

“Virginians twice rejected Donald Trump, and we have no doubt they will reject Miyares’ similarly destructive record in November.”

“We call on Miyares to denounce the January 6^th insurrection and reject any and all support by the Republican Attorneys General Association, an organization that sponsored and promoted the January 6^th events that resulted in five people, including a member of law enforcement, being killed at the U.S. Capitol.”

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

• In 2018, Miyares voted against Medicaid expansion.
• In 2020, Miyares voted against universal background checks and a red flag law.
• In 2020, Miyares voted against preventing “no-knock search warrants,” the reduction of military equipment available to police departments, minimum training standards for law enforcement officers, and the requirement for officers to intervene if they see another officer engaging in excessive force.
• On January 7^th, it was reported that the Republican Attorneys General Association – through its policy arm the Rule of Law Defense Fund – sponsored and promoted the January 6^th “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the deadly insurrection.
  • The robocall promoting the event told attendees, “At 1 p.m., we will march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal.”
  • Former RAGA Chair indicted Texas AG Ken Paxton spoke at the rally telling attendees, “we will not quit fighting.”
• On April 22^nd, it was reported that the Republican Attorneys General voted to promote Pete Bisbee, the then chair of the Rule of Law Defense Fund, to be RAGA’s next Executive Director.
• On May 3^rd, it was reported that Missouri AG Eric Schmitt is the new Chair of RAGA. AG Schmitt led multiple efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election first on November 9^th and then again on December 9^th.