Loudoun County, Virginia, a bedroom suburb of Washington, D.C., is turning out to be a hotbed of governmental corruption. As such it may well be a bellwether of Democrat strongholds throughout the country.
Most people nationwide are well aware of WJLA ABC affiliate reporter Nick Minock’s exposé on Loudoun County Board of Supervisors’ (BoS) Chair, Phyllis Randall.
In addition to her Biden ties, Randall appears to be using taxpayers’ money as her personal piggybank. She fleeced taxpayers to furnish opulent trips abroad for herself and for a chosen few fellow supervisors and staffers. Furthermore, she treated the husband of one of her megadonors to one of these all-expense-paid vacations with her.
But the scandal is ever burgeoning.
In an Instagram post, Randall bragged about destroying this historical statue and replacing it with a painting of herself.
BoS or PoS?
As a pretext for the Ghanian sojourn, Randall, retinue in tow—coincidentally the only black Supervisors in this overwhelmingly white-populated county–proffered the purpose to be signing up a town in this Third World country – where genital mutilation of women and a host of other barbarisms and superstitions are still practiced. As a sister city to Loudoun County, Randall lied that the alliance was beneficial to the 4th-ranked county in size out of Virginia’s 134. In reality, it’s her pet charity project without having to spend her own money. And it’s also her egomaniacal mission to enhance her image without employing a PR firm the way Meghan Markle gets the job done.
Each airline ticket for the vacation cost in excess of $7,300.00. Less expensive airfares from Dulles International starting as low as $442 abound. The Ghana junket alone deprived Loudoun County in excess of $60,000.
Randall, along with select supervisors and staff, also siphoned money from the Loudoun treasury to finance luxurious jaunts to Communist China, India, German, Uruguay, and 2 vacations to South Korea, always flying first class and staying in 5-star resorts. While in Uruguay the Loudoun Chair, now under various investigations, visited wineries, a horse farm, and a cannabis lab.
Governor and Attorney General Stay Mum
When Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office was contacted to ask if he was aware that Phyllis Randall committed several fiscal improprieties, at least in appearance, relating to campaign funds, there was no response.
For example, on May 02, 2023, the County of Loudoun, listed specifically as “The Finance & Procurement Dept. – County Gov’t Leesburg VA” shoveled $1,721.28 to “Friends of Phyllis Randall” for her re-election.
Randall gave $5,000.00 to the campaign of Zach Cummings when he was a candidate for Leesburg town council. He then won the seat.
Further, Randall accepted a $500.00 re-election donation from a Sonoma County, California Supervisor, James Gore.
In response to my inquiry, Victoria LaCivita, spokesman for Commonwealth Attorney General Jason Miyares, replied, “Hi, Christie. We will decline to comment. Thank you.”
Randall herself refused to supply answers to any questions, including, but not limited to why she gave Zach Cummins $5,000. Was she expecting him to be a “yes man” for her? Was it hush money to keep Cummins quiet about something Randall did not want the citizens of Loudoun County or Virginia to know? Randall also ignored the question that even if such contributions were legal, was she not concerned with the appearances of impropriety? And wasn’t she ashamed for depriving the people of Loudoun of so much needed money?
A History of Deceit
This is the second time that politician Randall has brought national disgrace on the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2019 she was sued by a constituent (Davison vs. Randall) for violating her First Amendment right to free speech. Randall, as was her tactic with all citizens who disagree with her, blocked the constituent on social media. Although Randall lied that it was her private account, it was proven in court that Randall’s account was maintained on government time and with taxpayers’ money by a staffer of Randall. The Fourth Circuit United States Court of Appeals pronounced defendant Randall in violation of the First Amendment.
Epidemic of Irregularities Allowed by the State Board of Elections?
Erstwhile, Loudoun County Clerk of the Court hopeful, Gail Barb, received the majority of her donations from the New York City-headquartered New York State Political Action Fund (OSPC-14-00309). It can reasonably be asked how much New York state has Loudoun County interests at heart. Likewise it can be argued that each out of state supporter a Loudoun candidate has is a reflection of the commensurate lack of constituent support that particular political candidate has.
The General Assembly’s Responsibility
The loopholes in Virginia’s campaign financing laws and criminal behavior by County supervisors present a challenge the General Assembly must eventually deal with. With a schedule of only 60 days in session a year, they have a colossal backlog to contend with.
There’s a saying that as General Motors goes, so goes America. And GM is doing horribly. Can it also be said that as Loudoun County goes, so goes America?
