Virginia's new GOP attorney general fires University of Virginia counsel working for Jan. 6 committee


New Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) fired Tim Heaphy, the top lawyer at the University of Virginia, who was on leave to work as the top investigator for the House select committee investigating he Jan. 6 Capitol siege, The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Sunday.
Miyares spokeswoman Victoria LaCivita noted that the new attorney general also fired the counsel for George Mason University, Brian Walther, calling it "common practice for an incoming administration to appoint new staff that share the philosophical and legal approach of the attorney general." Heaphy and Walther are both Democrats. "The decision had nothing to do with the Jan. 6 committee or their investigations," LaCivita said, but was made "after reviewing the legal decisions made over the last couple of years." She claimed Heaphy was a "controversial" hire in 2018.
Virginia Democrats disputed all those characterizations. "No attorney general has treated these positions as political," state Sen. Scott Surovell (D) told the Post. "This is purely payback for Jan. 6 — there is no other reason that makes any sense," he told the Times. "In our state, we normally leave those decisions to the school's board of visitors and president."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Virginia attorneys general oversee a range of lawyers across the state, including the top lawyers at public colleges and universities. "The posts are typically held by career lawyers who are rarely replaced when new attorneys general take over," the Times reports. Surovell said he could think of no such examples from recent history.
Michael Kelly, chief of staff to former Attorney General Mark Herring (D), said Heaphy was the first choice of University of Virginia's administration, a well-qualified attorney with decades of experience and two degrees from the university. "Far from being controversial, his hire was celebrated by the university community and leadership," he said.
The University of Virginia and George Mason referred questions about the firings to Miyares' office. "University leaders are grateful to Tim for his outstanding service to our community and disappointed to see it come to an end," said Brian Coy, a spokesman for the University of Virginia. "If you have further questions about this matter, I would check with the attorney general's office, as this was their decision to make."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Book reviews: 'Clint: The Man and the Movies' and 'What Is Wrong With Men: Patriarchy, the Crisis of Masculinity, and How (Of Course) Michael Douglas Films Explain Everything'
Feature A deep dive on Clint Eastwood and how Michael Douglas' roles reflect a shift in masculinity
-
Recreation or addiction? Military base slot machines rake in millions.
Under the Radar There are several thousand slot machines on military bases
-
How is AI reshaping the economy?
Today's Big Question Big Tech is now 'propping up the US economy'
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs report
Speed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest