DAGA Statement

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 6th insurrection and reject any and all support by the Republican Attorneys General Association, an organization that sponsored and promoted the January 6th 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 7th, it was reported that the Republican Attorneys General Association – through its policy arm the Rule of Law Defense Fund – sponsored and promoted the January 6th “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 22nd, 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 3rd, 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 9th and then again on December 9th.

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The Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) is the only committee solely dedicated to electing and supporting Democratic state Attorneys General. Democratic Attorneys General currently hold 25 seats and represent the majority of Americans and the states responsible for the majority of the U.S. GDP. This is the most diverse coalition of Democratic Attorneys General in history. For more information or to get involved, visit www.democraticags.org. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram!