‘I am not backing down’: Virginia redistricting champion Louise Lucas blasts Trump FBI raid as intimidation

Virginia state Sen. Louise Lucas (D) — a leading architect of Virginia’s recent voter-approved congressional redistricting plan — blasted the FBI raid on her office Wednesday as an act of political intimidation.

“Today’s actions by Federal agents are about far more than one state senator; they are about power and who is allowed to use it on behalf of the people,” Lucas said in a public statement. “What we saw fits a clear pattern from this administration: when challenged, they try to intimidate and silence the voices who stand up to them.”

The raid came just weeks after Virginia voters approved the high-stakes referendum — backed by Lucas and other Democratic leaders — which could mitigate aggressive GOP gerrymanders in other states ahead of the 2026 midterms, if upheld in court.

“Just two weeks ago, Virginians sent a powerful message when they voted to stop Trump’s scheme to manipulate the 2026 midterm elections,” Lucas said. “I was proud to help lead that effort and I have never been afraid to stand up to Donald Trump or anyone else that has tried to undermine our democracy. I am not backing down, and I will keep fighting for the people of Portsmouth and the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Federal agents executed a search warrant at Lucas’ Portsmouth office and other businesses. The FBI has not publicly identified Lucas as a target, announced criminal charges or released court documents describing the allegations under investigation.

Despite the ongoing investigation, Lucas appeared to return immediately to legislative work. Lucas participated virtually in a Joint Commission on Healthcare meeting the morning after the raids and was “in good spirits” Wednesday night according to local reports.

Democratic leaders across Virginia rallied behind Lucas while also questioning the conduct and timing of the federal operation.

State Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D) said the raid should be viewed within the broader context of what he described as escalating politicization inside Trump’s Justice Department.

“Senator L. Louise Lucas is an outspoken and historic figure in Virginia politics and has not been charged with a single crime,” Surovell said. “President Trump has made clear that he intends to target the Commonwealth of Virginia for voting against him in 2024 and has already obliterated the Department of Justice’s historical independence to attack our state and his enemies.”

Attorney General Jay Jones (D) also urged caution as details about the investigation remain limited, while raising concerns about the credibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia under Trump and pointing to what he described as a broader pattern of politically driven prosecutions.

“Several previous actions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia have undermined public confidence in that office,” Jones said. “These include the failed prosecutions against President Trump’s stated political enemies, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James that were both dismissed by a judge well before trial.”

“We simply do not have sufficient information about the reported FBI activity in Portsmouth,” Jones added. “I urge everyone to exercise restraint in judgment until the relevant facts are known in this matter.”

Questions surrounding the raid intensified after Fox News aired live footage from the scene and described the searches as part of a “major FBI corruption investigation” before any public court filings had been released.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the searches were part of “a criminal investigation,” but declined to discuss the nature of the allegations, whether Lucas herself is a target or any additional details about the probe.

Democrats and pro-democracy advocates have pointed to the highly public nature of the operation as further evidence of what they see as increasingly politicized law enforcement tactics under Trump’s administration.

For now, however, many central details remain unknown. No indictment has been announced, no affidavit has been unsealed and federal authorities have released only a brief statement confirming that agents were conducting the raid.