"Virginia Governor Pardons Father of Assaulted Girl, Sparks Conservative Support"

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has pardoned Scott Thomas Smith, a Loudoun County father whose daughter was sexually assaulted at school. Smith had been convicted of obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct after being forcibly removed from a school board meeting. The governor's pardon affirms Smith's "factual innocence" for disorderly conduct. The case drew national attention and became entangled in debates over transgender issues. The commonwealth's attorney criticized Youngkin's action as a political stunt, while Smith thanked the governor and vowed to continue fighting for parents and children affected by school policies. A state grand jury report found that the school system mishandled the sexual assault cases, leading to the transfer of the perpetrator to another school where he assaulted another girl.