Richmond, VA — Starting today, Virginia state police and sheriff’s deputies will see a noticeable increase in their paychecks thanks to a bipartisan budget passed by the General Assembly earlier this year. Along with raises for school teachers and other state employees, the much-needed raises for law enforcement will help retain officers and fill vacancies in departments across the commonwealth. 

But despite the clear need for pay raises, the Virginia GOP’s candidate for attorney general, far-right delegate Jason Miyares, broke with members of his own party to oppose this pay increase for law enforcement officers and voted against the budget deal. This is not the first time Miyares voted to deny funding for law enforcement. Last year he opposed a budget that gave bonuses to police officers across Virginia. 

While Miyares is trying to sell himself as Virginia’s “top cop,” his record in the General Assembly tells a different story when it comes to supporting law enforcement and public safety. Miyares voted against a universal background checks bill, rejected the red flag bill, opposed the one handgun per month rule, and voted against a bill to let local governments impose their own gun restrictions -- measures that will all make communities safer. When he had a chance to support a bill that would strengthen police training, he voted against it. 

“Jason Miyares had multiple chances to increase funding for police officers, but all he’s had to offer them are empty words,” said Democratic Party of Virginia Communications Director Grant Fox. “If Miyares won’t support legislation to make our communities safer from gun violence and reform our criminal justice system while supporting law enforcement, why should Virginians trust him to do any of that as attorney general?” 

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