Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has granted a pardon to Scott Smith, a father from Loudoun County who protested against the sexual assault of his daughter and the subsequent cover-up by the local public school. The announcement was made by Youngkin on Fox News Sunday during an interview with host Shannon Bream. The pardon was signed on Friday and is intended to rectify Smith’s conviction of disorderly conduct in August 2021, which stemmed from his outburst at the school board members regarding their handling of his daughter’s assault investigation.
During the interview, Youngkin expressed his conversation with Smith on Friday and the privilege he felt in informing him of the upcoming pardon. He emphasized that Smith should never have faced prosecution as he was simply a father protecting his daughter. Youngkin condemned the incident, stating that Smith’s daughter had experienced sexual assault in a school bathroom, and the authorities had failed to take appropriate action. Furthermore, he accused the school superintendent of attempting to conceal the incident.
According to Youngkin, Smith’s actions were entirely justified and representative of any concerned parent’s response in such a situation. He characterized Smith’s prosecution as a gross miscarriage of justice that needed to be corrected. This decision by Governor Youngkin serves as a significant development in the ongoing story. Further updates on this matter will be provided as they become available.