FBI searches office of L. Louise Lucas, Virginia lawmaker who helped lead redistricting effort

The FBI on Wednesday searched the office of longtime Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas in Portsmouth, Virginia, a bureau spokesperson told CBS News.

Lucas was a key figure in pushing a new congressional map through Virginia’s legislature that adds four Democratic-leaning seats. The map was approved in a ballot referendum in April but is currently on hold while the Virginia Supreme Court considers the legality of the new map.

Investigators are looking into an alleged bribery scheme in connection with the marijuana dispensary business, according to a source familiar with the matter.

A cannabis dispensary co-owned by Lucas was also being searched by federal law enforcement officials, the spokesperson confirmed.

There was no public statement on what investigation is specifically focused on or what the court-authorized law enforcement activity is related to. A source familiar with the matter said the investigation started during the Biden administration.

The law enforcement activity was first reported by Fox News. Lucas told Fox News that she had no idea what the FBI agents were doing at her office.

Lucas did not answer multiple attempts from CBS News to reach her, and her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lucas, 82, was first elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 1991, and is currently the Senate president pro tempore. As she helped lead the Democratic redistricting plan earlier this year, Lucas used social media to taunt Republicans, President Trump and even the Democratic U.S. senators from her state.

“You all started it and we f***ing finished it,” she posted on social media after the measure passed, referring to Mr. Trump’s push to redraw Texas’ congressional map that kicked off the redistricting battle between the two parties.

Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, said issued a statement Wednesday saying that Lucas has “not been charged with anything,” adding “at this point we simply do not know what this ultimately means.”

“I am deeply concerned by today’s FBI raid. Given the politicization of this administration — an FBI led by Kash Patel and a Justice Department run by President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney — I think people should take this with a grain of salt and allow the facts to come out before jumping to conclusions,” Scott said.