BREAKING: Virginia’s New Republican Leadership Takes Over, And Fires A Key Jan 6 House Committee Investigator

New Republican leadership in Virginia has made it clear that it intends to make significant changes in order to reshape the state. The Washington Post said, new State Attorney General Jason Miyares fired around 30 staffers before taking office on January 15, including Tim Heaphy, counsel for the University of Virginia, who was on leave for his role as a top investigator on the January 6 House committee investigating the incident at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Tim Heaphy, who had worked at the state’s flagship institution for over three years, was one of around 30 workers put off by Attorney General Jason S. Miyares shortly before he took office a little more than a week ago. Democrats have questioned the firings.

According to Victoria LaCivita, a Miyares spokesperson, the attorney general’s office also removed George Mason University’s counsel, Brian Walther, since it is customary for a new attorney general to pick counsel who matches its “thought and legal approach.” Heaphy and Walther are both Democrats. LaCivita would not disclose whether any other counsels had been let go at Virginia’s more than three dozen public colleges and institutions. “Our decision was taken after evaluating the legal decisions made over a previous couple of years,” she explained. “The Attorney General wants the university council to revert to offering legal advice based on law, rather than a university’s ideology.” We want to hunt for the next lead counsel internally first.”

She did not explain which legal opinions she was referring to, nor did she discuss his role in the inquiry into the January 6 event. Democrat Virginia Rep. Elaine Luria voiced concern over Heaphy’s removal from The University of Virginia during an interview. Democrat State Sen. Scott A. Surovell also claimed that he believed the termination was politically motivated. Michael Kelly, Herring’s former chief of staff, backed Heaphy as a capable attorney with decades of experience. “Rather than being contentious, his hire was hailed by the school community and administration,” he continued.

Heaphy lamented the fact that his time at university was coming to an end. “It’s been a tremendous joy and honor to serve as University Counsel for the past [three] years,” he said. The Washington Post’s Justin Jouvenal and Lauren Lumpkin, who wrote the piece, noted that there might be repercussions if the firing is believed to be political in origin. “As a result of their involvement in the probe, Cheney and Kinzinger have become outsiders within their own party, and some Republicans have urged for their removal from the House Republican Conference.” “If viewed as political retaliation,” they continued, “Heaphy’s dismissal may further inflame tensions around the committee.”