Virginia Democratic state senator suggests FBI search of her office was politically motivated

The top Virginia Democratic state senator says the FBI's raid on her office was meant to intimidate those who "stand up" to power. 

The lawmaker, Louise Lucas, led Democrats' successful efforts last month to redraw the state's congressional map to give her party more U.S. House seats and is the Virginia Assembly's Senate president pro tempe, which means she presides over the upper chamber in the absence of the lieutenant governor.

“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. 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,” Lucas said in a statement.

The statement also references the state's redistricting referendum, which is facing legal challenges from opponents. Lucas said in her that Virginia voters who voted for the redistricting were "sending a powerful message" that stopped President Donald "Trump's scheme to manipulate the 2026 midterm elections." 

Lucas said she is proud to have stood up to Trump and wouldn't be backing down. 

The search, according to NBC News, was part of an investigation into public corruption, which started during the Biden administration. It targeted Lucas' office in Portsmouth and a nearby marijuana dispensary that Lucas owns. While the Drug Enforcement Administration is involved in the investigation, an official told NBC that drugs aren't the primary focus. 

Lucas is a vocal supporter of marijuana legalization.