State Senate Republicians on Attorney General’s report on investigation of Virginia Parole Board

On January 25, 2023, State Senate Republicans expressed disappointment and outrage over the information uncovered by Attorney General Jason S. Miyares’s investigation of the Virginia Parole Board during the administration of former Governor Ralph Northam.

“This report was far worse than any of us could have possibly imagined,” noted Senate Republican Leader Thomas K. Norment, Jr. (R-James City). “The reckless and deliberate disregard for the Code and the Parole Board’s own policies and procedures ranks among the most outrageous conduct by government officials I have seen in my three decades of service.

“The report attributes actions to former Chair Bennett and the former members of the Parole Board that were a direct assault on our system of justice,” said Senator Mark
D. Obenshain (R-Rockingham), former Senate Courts of Justice Committee Chair. “The findings in this report point to a Board run amok, and the statistics are
staggering: violating the rights of victims 83 times and failing to notify Commonwealth’s Attorneys 66 times in just a two-month period, resulting in four capital murderers, 31 first-degree murderers, and eleven rapists being released.

“These actions violated the public’s trust, and there must be consequences.”

“The Attorney General’s report includes important legislative and policy recommendations,” Senator Norment noted. “For those recommendations requiring legislative action, the General Assembly should act on a bipartisan basis as soon as possible. Additionally, we must demand accountability for these egregious actions and
derelictions of duty. Therefore, I respectfully ask Judge Bennett to avoid legislative action regarding her status by immediately submitting her resignation from the bench.”

Attorney General Miyares releases report on Virginia Parole Board