Virginia
As Virginia and Maryland vie for the FBI’s new HQ, conservatives want to defund it
WASHINGTON — Virginia leaders are pushing for a new FBI headquarters to be built in Virginia. Maryland leaders say their state is the “superior” choice.
And conservative Republicans want to nix the new headquarters project completely.
As the House GOP majority wages war on the FBI and Justice Department for “weaponizing” the government against former President Donald Trump, they’re wading into an already contentious fight, more than a decade in the making, over construction of the bureau’s new multi-billion-dollar headquarters.
While some far-right lawmakers are threatening to defund the whole project, others in the GOP want to move it into the heartland, part of a larger Republican desire to see federal government offices and jobs shifted out of what they view as the Washington swamp.
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., floated Fargo, Omaha or Sioux Falls as potential sites for the new headquarters. Meanwhile, House GOP Policy Chairman Gary Palmer, R-Ala., likes an idea proposed by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio: The HQ could be moved to the FBI’s expanding Redstone Arsenal Campus in Huntsville, Ala.
“We already have a huge facility in Huntsville, Alabama, that the FBI just built,” Palmer said in an interview. “That could accommodate them and that facility can accommodate expansion, so we don’t need another $4 to 5 billion expense for another building.”
Plans for the FBI headquarters, which is estimated to cost up to $4 billion when it’s completed, have become the latest flashpoint in a partisan funding fight that appears to be barreling toward a government shutdown at the end of September.
“I’m not voting for funding for that. I’m not voting for any weaponization of government. And that’s what the FBI is right now — they’re completely rogue,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a top Trump ally, told NBC News.
“The FBI has been targeting President Trump, his administration, people on his staff, and they continue to stay more focused on people that walked into the Capitol on Jan. 6 rather than local crime, and local crime is out of control,” she continued. “And so, no, I refuse to fund anything like that brand-new facility.”
Greene, Jordan and other top conservatives on Capitol Hill have called more broadly to defund investigations into Trump and his allies, which they argue are politically motivated attacks on President Joe Biden’s likely 2024 opponent.
Last week, Special Counsel Jack Smith expanded to 40 the number of criminal charges filed against Trump in the classified documents case, and he appears poised to bring more charges against the former president over his efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat.
It’s “one more ridiculous thing from the Justice Department. This is as wrong as it gets,” Jordan said of the expected Jan. 6-related charges.
Also the chairman of the subcommittee investigating the weaponization of government against conservatives, Jordan has personally urged top appropriators to block funding for the new headquarters in the upcoming funding bills.
The bureau, however, has argued that its current headquarters, the nearly half-century-old J. Edgar Hoover Building in downtown Washington, is too cramped for the agency to carry out its mission and that it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make repairs and renovations to the crumbling structure.
In a statement, the FBI said there are “numerous operational reasons” for keeping its headquarters in the Washington region, including proximity to other “critical” FBI facilities and intelligence community partners nearby. The bureau said its Redstone Arsenal in Alabama “cannot accommodate the minimum of 8,500 personnel planned to occupy the new HQ suburban and downtown facilities.”
Democrats argue that the attacks on the new headquarters project are an attempt to retaliate against the FBI and its director, Christopher Wray, who, they note, happens to be a Republican appointed by Trump.
“This is part and parcel of an all-out assault on the FBI,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., a senior appropriator who helped secure $375 million for the headquarters in last year’s omnibus package. “And just because they have differences with the director of the FBI, they should not be taking this out on the men and women who work for the FBI.”
An independent panel from the General Services Administration (GSA) is said to be months away from deciding where to locate the new headquarters. The three finalists — selected nearly a decade ago — are Springfield, Virginia; and two sites in Maryland’s Prince George’s County: Greenbelt and Landover.
Democrats from Virginia and Maryland work together on a range of regional issues, from transportation to government funding for their thousands of federal workers. But they’ve clashed over the site of the FBI headquarters, which will bring along with it thousands of jobs and a huge economic jolt.
Two weeks ago, the Maryland sites got a big boost when the GSA revised and simplified its scoring method for selecting a new headquarters, following complaints from Maryland leaders. The updated criteria placed a greater emphasis on the cost to taxpayers and the Biden administration’s commitment to sustainability and equity for underserved communities.
Prince George’s County is a majority-Black county and has more affordable housing than Virginia’s Fairfax County.
“I think we’re in the best position,” said Maryland’s retiring senior senator, Democrat Ben Cardin, who’s been pushing for a new headquarters in his state for the past 12 years. “We look at the standards that are being used, we check every box. I think we’re in great shape.”
Van Hollen argued that the pair of Maryland sites, east of Washington, are “superior” based on two criteria. He said the Maryland sites could be built more quickly and for $1 billion less than the Virginia site because the lands are unencumbered, something Virginia officials disagree with. The senator also said the Maryland sites are “the only ones that meet President Biden’s whole-of-government commitment to equity.”
“All three sites meet the FBI’s mission requirements,” Van Hollen said, “but the Maryland sites are clearly superior in those other areas.”
But the Virginians are just confident of victory. The state’s two Democratic senators, Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner and Tim Kaine — along with GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin and other members of the state’s delegation — have touted the Springfield site for its proximity to the bureau’s academy in Quantico, Virginia, as well as other national security agencies like the Pentagon and CIA.
They also argue that it’s the only site that’s already owned by the federal government and that northern Virginia is a majority-minority community. One in four residents in that region were born in a foreign country, members of the Virginia delegation said, including Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea and Ethiopia.
“While I’m disappointed that the criteria was changed because it will further delay this decade-long process, I’m confident Virginia is still the best home for the new FBI headquarters,” Kaine said in a statement. “Any way you slice it, this site is a home run for the men and women of the FBI, the American people, and the Springfield community.”
Democratic Rep. Don Beyer, the former lieutenant governor of Virginia, said there are “enormous pockets of poverty” along northern Virginia’s Route 1 corridor, especially around Bailey’s Crossroads, which should be considered when tallying Springfield’s equity score. But Beyer also said many of the high-performing public schools in the area will appeal to the FBI’s workforce.
“One of the things I think is really important, not to trash the Maryland schools at all, but just to be proud of how good the schools are in northern Virginia,” Beyer said in an interview.
“Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church — these are all nationally renowned public schools systems. So if you’re an FBI family, that’s gonna be a factor.”
The rivalry matchup between Virginia Tech and Virginia is nearly 48 hours away and it is a big matchup for both teams. The Hokies and the Cavaliers are both 5-6 and needing a win to make a bowl game. The loser will be getting a headstart on 2025 instead of playing in the postseason.
At the start of the year, Virginia Tech was being talked about as one of the biggest surprise teams not just in the ACC, but in the country. This team’s biggest goals have gone away, but they still have an opportunity to reach a bowl game for the second straight season. That should still be a big deal to the program, but on the other side, the Cavaliers are trying to make a bowl game for the first time under Tony Elliott. They are going to be fired up about playing in this game and having a chance to make a bowl game, so Virginia Tech can’t take it for granted, no matter their past success vs Virginia.
So what are the keys to a win for Virginia Tech on Saturday?
Before you could even blink on Saturday night, Virginia Tech was trailing Duke 14-0 thanks to two long touchdown plays and the Blue Devils have not been a very explosive offense this season. Virginia has found a way to put points on teams like Clemson and Louisville this season and has improved since last year. The Hokies’ pass rush was non-existent on Saturday vs Duke, finishing with no sacks and being unable to disrupt Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy. They will have to be able to play better on Saturday if they want to avoid the upset.
It is still up in the air who is going to play quarterback for the Hokies on Saturday night, but whoever it is would benefit from a big game from one of the nation’s best running backs. Tuten had 84 yards on 19 carries last week, but Virginia Tech might need more than that on Saturday when the face the Cavaliers.
Our own RJ Schafer wrote this about the quarterbavck situation heading into Saturday’s game:
“Brent Pry listed both Kyron Drones and Collin Schlee as questionable ahead of the historic matchup. He added that both will practice, although very limited, and they could “just be watching” from the sidelines.
Coach Pry also added that Virginia Tech is preparing four quarterbacks to be ready to play this weekend, including Davi Belfort, a freshman quarterback from Brazil, a country which could begin to be the future of American college football.
Whoever plays this weekend is going to have to have to manage the game and not turn the ball over. I think the offense is going rely on the run game heavily this weekend due to that.
Additional Links:
Virginia Tech Football Releases Depth Chart Ahead of Matchup Against Virginia
Virginia Tech Football: PFF Grades and Snap Counts For Every Player in Saturday’s Loss to Duke
Virginia Tech Football: Updated Bowl Projections For The Hokies Heading Into Final Game
At 3-0 with marquee victories over #6 Missouri (23-10) and #21 Rutgers (26-11), as well as a second-place finish in the Keystone Open with just a handful of starters competing, Virginia Tech has swept through a tough November and is prepared for a difficult December.
The Hokies, #12 in Flo’s team tournament ratings but top 10 in various dual-meet rankings, are next scheduled for an annual trip to Las Vegas for the Cliff Keen Invitational, featuring 27 teams, of which 14 are among Flo’s top 25. And then it’s another trip west to Stillwater on Dec. 19 to challenge #5 Oklahoma State in a rare Thursday match.
The early key thus far for the Hokies has been the ability to win the bouts they’re supposed to win and grabbing a fair share of so-called toss-up bouts.
To wit, Tech’s #18 Sam Latona downing Missouri’s #13 Josh Edmond (4-2) at 141, or #25 Rafael Hipolito majoring the Tigers’ #32 James Conway (11-3) at 157 and #15 Jimmy Mullen stopping #20 Seth Nitzel (4-2) at heavyweight.
That trend continued at Tech’s Moss Arts Center match against #21 Rutgers when Latona used a late takedown to defeat Joey Olivieri 7-5, #4 Lennox Wolak pinned veteran Jackson Turley at 174 and #9 Andy Smith slipped past #17 John Poznanski 4-3 at 197.
Hokies coach Tony Robie only took a few regulars to the Keystone Open in Philadelphia and, led by championship efforts by #1-ranked Caleb Henson at 149 and heavyweight Hunter Catka, Tech placed second behind Lock Haven. Latona placed third at 141 and Sam Fisher did the same at 184.
Robie opted to use the Hokies’ roster as freshmen Dillon Campbell (125), Matt Henrich (157), Luke Robie (157) and Jack Bastarrika (133) competed as did redshirt juniors Jackson Spires (165) and Ty Finn (174). Spires placed second.
Who’s Ready For Change?
With legislation on the NCAA’s table affecting scholarship and roster limits — unlimited scholarships and a roster cap — as well as revenue sharing, some college wrestling programs likely have a serious dose of trepidation while others are confident they can deal with whatever happens.
Virginia Tech sits in the latter category.
“I have no concerns whatsoever about that,” Robie said earlier this month. “I think a lot of it probably will happen. It’s hard to say whether it’s good or bad for the sport; that’s not really for me to say. What I will say is you have to adjust with what the rules are and what the landscape of college athletics looks like, and that’s what we intend on doing.
“Is it good for the overall health of the sport of wrestling? The kid that’s the 35th kid on your roster? Probably not. But I think definitely there were probably some things that needed to change; the pendulum was starting to swing significantly the other way. At some point, it’ll probably start to go back to the middle.”
Robie said all anyone can do is wait for the final decisions.
“We have some contingency plans based on what we think is going to happen and we’ll move forward with our plan and try to execute it,” he said.
A Pretty Good Gig
Robie, in his eighth year as head coach, has been at Tech since 2006 and as each season passes, the commitment and enthusiasm remain the same.
“Well, you get to do what you like to do. And it’s a pretty cool thing to be able to coach wrestling for a living and be a part of a pretty good program, and work with some great people and try to affect the lives of the kids in your program,” he said.
“I think anybody would want to do that. For me, I’m not young anymore. I turned 50 … who knows how long I’m going to do it, but I’m going to give it the best I can while I’m doing it and hopefully continue to improve as a program and try to try to help these guys as much as possible. But it’s good, Virginia Tech’s a great place to work, it’s a great place to live. I’ve got a great staff and it makes my life pretty easy.”
With the game of year looming this weekend, members of the Virginia football team were made available to to the media after practice on Tuesday morning to talk about the regular season finale against Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Clash on Saturday night in Blacksburg. Watch the video below to hear what UVA senior safety Jonas Sanker, graduate tight ends Tyler Neville and Sackett Wood Jr., and graduate defensive tackle Jahmeer Carter had to say ahead of the Virginia Tech game:
Sanker is the team’s leader in tackles with 89 total tackles and also leads the ACC in solo stops with 60 unassisted tackles. He has racked up 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and an interception as part of a strong senior campaign that should earn Sanker some serious consideration for a First-Team All-ACC selection.
A transfer from Harvard, Tyler Neville is Virginia’s second-leading receiver with 35 catches for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Sackett Wood Jr., meanwhile, has recorded three receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown this season. Between the two of them, Neville and Wood have combined to appear in 83 college football games and make 48 starts.
Saturday will be the 55th game in the five-year career of Jahmeer Carter, who has started nearly every game for the last four seasons at Virginia. This season, Carter has 30 total tackles, including nine solo stops, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass defender. For his career, Carter is up to 131 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Saturday night will be the first time Virginia plays at Lane Stadium in front of fans since the 2018 season, as the 2020 edition of the Commonwealth Clash was played in front of only 250 fans due to COVID-19 restrictions and then the 2022 Virginia vs. Virginia Tech game was canceled due to the shooting tragedy at UVA.
Virginia is seeking its first road victory at Virginia Tech since 1998, as the Hokies have won the last 11 Commonwealth Clash games played at Lane Stadium. Virginia Tech has won 17 of the last 18 overall games against Virginia and leads UVA 61-38-5 in the all-time series that dates back to 1895.
Both Virginia and Virginia Tech bring a 5-6 overall record into the regular season finale and both need to win the game in order to reach the six-win threshold required for bowl eligibility. There is only one other game this weekend between FBS teams who are battling for bowl eligibility (Eastern Michigan vs. Western Michigan). Virginia and Virginia Tech played each other for bowl eligibility at the end of the 2014 season.
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