(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas may be one of the most powerful Democrats in the state, but that influence has not translated into fundraising success.
Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas has struggled to raise even 10% of a $100,000 legal defense fund after the FBI raided her office and a business she currently owns.
The FBI raid sent shockwaves through Virginia political circles, even as the specifics of the court-ordered search warrants remained unknown.
Lucas has since turned to a familiar playbook used by Democrats subjected to federal scrutiny: claims of government weaponization.
She announced the defense fund on Friday, but as of Monday evening, it had raised just $9,706.
“I have spent my entire life looking for good trouble, from being a youth leader in the civil rights movement after my school was closed during massive resistance all the way until today,” Lucas wrote via X. “I’ve learned to never back down and I will always lead ten toes down fighting for you.”
Lucas added: “For those who can chip in to help my friends have set up a legal defense fund to help me stand up for my good name. You can use this link if you would like to support it.”
The locations raided by the FBI included her office, The Cannabis Outlet — both in Portsmouth — and The CBD Shoppe in Norfolk, according to several news outlets.
Other reports suggest the probe could be tied to public corruption. Neither Lucas nor any of her staff members have been accused of any wrongdoing.
Lucas has been a vocal advocate for the legalization of marijuana for more than three decades and has served in the Senate since 1992.
