Virginia

Virginia Republican calls votes against Pentagon spending bill ‘unacceptable and offensive’

Published

2 weeks ago

September 20, 2023

Virginia Republican calls votes against Pentagon spending bill ‘unacceptable and offensive’

Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) railed against her Republican colleagues for blocking the Pentagon spending bill, labeling the move as “unacceptable and offensive.”

“Today’s actions by five members of my own party – in coordination with every Democrat – are unacceptable and offensive. Every lawmaker who cast a no vote willingly chose to deprive our Armed Forces of the resources and tools they need to confront emerging threats across the globe,” she said in a statement.

“My grandfather served, my father served, I served, my husband served, my children are serving.…I know firsthand how much our brave men and women in uniform sacrifice for our safety and our freedoms. They deserve better than this,” she added.

Five House conservatives voted against advancing a Pentagon funding bill Tuesday, joining Democrats to block the rule for the appropriations bill. This prevented the House from debating the legislation on the floor and from eventually voting on whether to pass it.

Republican Reps. Dan Bishop (N.C.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Matt Rosendale (Mont.) and Ken Buck (Colo.) all broke from the party during the rule vote, largely due to their demand to see spending levels cut across all 12 appropriations bills. This right-wing coalition of Republicans has suggested that they will hold up approving the appropriations bills until the GOP leadership meets their demands.

Kiggans called on Republicans to pass the Pentagon appropriations bill immediately.

“This type of governing is as irresponsible as it is destructive. Government is not a game. We MUST pass this bill without further delay,” she said.

Other Republicans expressed outrage at the far-right flank of the GOP Tuesday. Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.), a former Navy fighter pilot, told reporters following the vote on the rule that he was “pissed off.”

“What we just saw with these five individuals was them adding, effectively, their name to that list that are enabling Chairman Xi right now, who’s looking at this with a sign of relief that we didn’t just get this DoD package to the floor,” Garcia said.

Emily Brooks contributed.

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Virginia

Virginia ex-superintendent convicted of misdemeanor in firing of teacher

Published

20 mins ago

September 30, 2023

Press Room

RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia jury has convicted a former schools superintendent on a misdemeanor charge in connection with what prosecutors said was the retaliatory firing of a teacher who reported that an elementary school student inappropriately touched her.

Former Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler was acquitted on a separate misdemeanor count after the five-day trial, local news outlets reported. The charges stemmed from a special grand jury commissioned by Attorney General Jason Miyares that investigated the school system’s widely criticized response to two sexual assaults committed by a high school student against female classmates in 2021.

“Justice has finally been served in Loudoun County,” Miyares said in a statement.

Ziegler faces up to a year in jail, in addition to a possible fine, according to the attorney general’s office. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4.

WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. reported Ziegler and his attorney left the courthouse Friday afternoon without answering questions.

“I can tell you that we intend to file a motion to set aside the jury’s verdict, which will happen prior to sentencing and before any appeal,” the attorney, Erin Harrigan, wrote in an email Saturday to The Associated Press.

She offered no further comment.

The charges heard this week were not directly related to the matter of the assaults but to allegations by a special education teacher, Erin Brooks, who said the school system retaliated against her after she reported that a special needs student at an elementary school had repeatedly touched her inappropriately.

“Nearly two years ago, Loudoun County Public Schools and the Loudoun County School Board were thrown into the public spotlight for all the wrong reasons. One of the casualties of their neglect and mismanagement led to the retaliatory firing of a dedicated and caring school teacher. Today, my office brought a measure of justice for Erin Brooks,” Miyares said in the statement.

John Whitbeck, Brooks’ attorney, told The Washington Post that Brooks was pleased with Friday’s verdict.

Ziegler still faces a separate misdemeanor charge of false publication, which is set for trial next year, court records show.

Miyares empaneled the grand jury after Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, on his first day in office, issued an executive order requesting an investigation by the attorney general’s office of the school system’s conduct in connection with the assaults.

The school system sought to quash the investigation, calling it politically motivated. But the Virginia Supreme Court ruled it could move forward.

Youngkin and Miyares, both Republicans, had criticized the school board during their successful 2021 campaigns. The assaults attracted national attention in part because the boy was wearing a skirt when he committed at least one of the attacks. The boy was later convicted in juvenile court.

The grand jury issued a scathing report that accused the school system of mishandling the teenage perpetrator and said authorities ignored multiple warning signs that could have prevented the second assault.

The school board unanimously voted to fire Ziegler late last year, shortly after the report was issued.

A perjury case against the district’s longtime spokesman that also stemmed from the grand jury’s probe previously went to trial. A jury acquitted Wayde Byard in that matter.

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Virginia

Best Bets for the Boston College vs. Virginia Game – September 30

Published

7 hours ago

September 30, 2023

Press Room

Best Bets for the Boston College vs. Virginia Game – September 30

ACC opponents will clash when the Boston College Eagles (1-3) face the Virginia Cavaliers (0-4). Below, we outline the odds and best bets for you.

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When and Where is Boston College vs. Virginia?

Date: Saturday, September 30, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM ET
Channel: The CW
City: Boston, Massachusetts
Venue: Alumni Stadium

Best Moneyline Bet

Prediction:
Virginia 32, Boston College 31
Boston College has been the moneyline favorite just two other times so far this season, and they split the two games.
The Eagles have played as a moneyline favorite of -165 or shorter in only two games this season, and they split 1-1.
This season, Virginia has been listed as the underdog in four games and failed to win any of those contests.
The Cavaliers have not won as an underdog of +140 or more on the moneyline this season in four such games.
Based on this matchup’s moneyline, the Eagles have an implied win probability of 62.3%.

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Against the Spread Pick

Pick ATS:
Virginia (+3.5)
Boston College has one win against the spread in four games this season.
In 2023, the Eagles are winless ATS when entering a game as a favorite of 3.5 points or more.
Virginia has two wins versus the spread in four games this year.
This year, the Cavaliers have two ATS wins in four games as an underdog of 3.5 points or more.

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Best Over/Under Pick

Pick OU: Over (52.5)
Three of Boston College’s games this season have gone over Saturday’s total of 52.5 points.
There have been three Virginia games that have ended with a combined score higher than 52.5 points this season.
Boston College averages 28 points per game against Virginia’s 20.8, amounting to 3.7 points under the matchup’s total of 52.5.

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Splits Tables

Boston College

	Overall	Home	Away
Point Total AVG	51	50.2	53.5
Implied Total AVG	33	32.7	34
ATS Record	1-3-0	1-2-0	0-1-0
Over/Under Record	4-0-0	3-0-0	1-0-0
Moneyline Favorite Record	1-1	1-1	0-0
Moneyline Underdog Record	0-2	0-1	0-1

Virginia

	Overall	Home	Away
Point Total AVG	47.8	43.5	52
Implied Total AVG	31.3	25.5	37
ATS Record	2-2-0	2-0-0	0-2-0
Over/Under Record	3-1-0	1-1-0	2-0-0
Moneyline Favorite Record	0-0	0-0	0-0
Moneyline Underdog Record	0-4	0-2	0-2

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Virginia

Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh Predictions & Picks – September 30

Published

12 hours ago

September 30, 2023

Press Room

Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh Predictions & Picks – September 30

Our computer model predicts the Virginia Tech Hokies will take down the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday, September 30 at 8:00 PM. For a complete projection on the game at Lane Stadium, which includes our prediction on the spread, over/under, and final score, keep scrolling.

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