The FBI on Wednesday searched the office of a Democratic Virginia state lawmaker as part of a federal investigation into alleged corruption and illegal marijuana sales, according to US media reports and federal law enforcement sources.
Longtime Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a prominent figure in state politics who campaigned for Democrat Abigail Spanberger during her successful 2025 campaign for state governor, is at the center of the investigation, sources familiar with the matter said, according to Fox News.
A federal law enforcement source said the probe was initiated by the FBI during the administration of former President Joe Biden. The FBI also conducted a SWAT-team raid at a nearby cannabis dispensary co-owned by Lucas.
At least three people were detained during the operations, according to the sources.
The state senator later arrived at her office while the searches were underway and told Fox News that she did not know why FBI agents were at the location.
"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," Lucas said in a statement.
"What we saw fits a clear pattern from this administration: When challenged, they try to intimidate and silence the voices who stood up to them," she wrote. "I am not backing down."
Democrats argue that the Trump administration has weaponized the Justice Department to go after his perceived political enemies, especially after US President Donald Trump announced last month that we was going after fraud, but "primarily in those Blue States" where Democrats dominate state government. Democrats say unprecedented corruption in the White House and Republican lawmakers is being ignored.
Over the last year, Lucas championed an effort to redistrict Virginia to benefit Democrats, outweighing partisan redistricting by Republican in other states, an effort that Trump blasted as "rigged."
Lucas has also long been an advocate for marijuana legalization in Virginia and is the co-owner of a cannabis business. The dispensary has previously faced scrutiny following reports alleging that some products were mislabeled or exceeded legal limits of THC-the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana-raising regulatory concerns under state law.
Earlier this year, Lucas introduced legislation to establish a regulatory framework for retail cannabis sales. The bill was approved by lawmakers and is now awaiting action from Spanberger.
