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'A dad standing up for his daughter': Glen Youngkin praised for pardoning Scott Smith

Governor Youngkin, in a statement on Sunday, September 10, expressed his relief at 'righting' what he considered a 'gross miscarriage of justice'

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: In a recent turn of events, Scott Smith, a father who faced legal repercussions for protesting his daughter's sexual assault by a transgender student at a Virginia high school, has received a pardon from Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Smith had been handed a 10-day suspended sentence for disorderly conduct after he was forcibly removed from a school board meeting while advocating for justice for his daughter, who had been a victim of sexual assault by a student at Stone Bright High School. This same student later went on to assault another girl.

Glenn Youngkin pardons Scott Smith

Governor Youngkin, in a statement on Sunday, September 10, expressed his relief at correcting what he considered a grave injustice, stating, "We righted a wrong. He should've never been prosecuted here. This was a dad standing up for his daughter."

He emphasized the urgency of Smith's actions, given that his daughter had suffered a sexual assault within the school premises, and no immediate action had been taken to address the issue, describing it as a "gross miscarriage of justice."

The governor's decision to pardon Scott Smith comes on the heels of widespread public outcry over the case, leading to significant consequences within the Loudoun County school system.

The county's Superintendent lost his job, and the District Attorney, reportedly backed by George Soros, was removed from the case due to mounting pressure.

Governor Youngkin also alleged that the school had attempted to cover up the incident and stressed the importance of parental involvement in decisions concerning their children's education.

"Mr Smith did what any father would do, what any parent would do, which is stand up for their child," Youngkin stated in an interview with Fox News Sunday. "I spoke with Mr Smith on Friday, and I had the privilege of telling Mr Smith that I will pardon him, and we did that on Friday."

What happened to Scott Smith's daughter?

The incident that sparked this controversy occurred in May 2021 when Smith's daughter was sexually assaulted in a restroom stall by another student. Shockingly, a teacher present at the scene did not intervene, despite noticing two pairs of feet in the bathroom stall.

The assailant remained at large for three hours after the incident, during which time the school's principal, Tim Flynn, attempted to take legal action against Scott Smith, who had arrived at the school.

The male student, who was wearing female attire on the day of the attack, had been allowed into the girls' restroom due to the school's policy regarding gender identity. This transgender policy facilitated his entry into the girls' bathroom as he said he did not identify as male, where the assault occurred.

It is worth noting that the suspect was only arrested two months later but went on to commit a similar assault at a different school, Broad Run High School, on October 6.

A month after the initial incident, Scott Smith attended a Loudoun County schools meeting, during which officials defended the school's gender-fluid bathroom policy, where the rape had taken place. Smith's passionate response to this defense was recorded and widely shared on social media, leading to his removal from the meeting by the police, resulting in injuries.

Soros-backed DA removed from case

Smith faced two misdemeanor charges following this incident, disorderly conduct and obstruction, with the latter charge being later dismissed. He continued to fight against the remaining charge, and part of his effort included raising concerns about District Attorney Buta Biberaj's apparent bias in the case.

Biberaj, known for her progressive views and reportedly supported by Democrat megadonor George Soros, was accused by Smith of trying to make an example of him.

While the judge did not find "sufficient grounds" for a direct conflict, he acknowledged Smith's argument as persuasive and subsequently ordered the removal of the prosecutor from the case.

Further scrutiny of the Loudoun County school system revealed that Superintendent Scott Ziegler participated in covering up information related to the May 2021 attack. He was terminated following a grand jury investigation that found he had ignored complaints.

Jessica, the victim's mother, revealed that the family had been pressured into silence about the incident and had been unaware that the attacker had been allowed back into school.

"We were silenced for many months," Jessica Smith told the Daily Mail, "We were told not to say a word that could jeopardize our daughter's case."

Their shock deepened when they learned that the boy had a history of inappropriate behavior, including sending explicit photos to a classmate in fifth grade, leading to an investigation but no arrest. Additionally, he had been repeatedly suspended for fistfights and other misbehavior.

"There should have been more done to help, not a coverup," Jessica added.

Governor Glenn Youngkin praised for decision on Scott Smith

Governor Glenn Youngkin's decision to pardon Scott Smith has been met with widespread support, with many commending him for prioritizing the rights of parents to protect their children.

As one person posted a clip of the initial arrest on X, they captioned the video, "On May 28, 2021, Loudoun County dad Scott Smith’s daughter was s*xually assaulted in her high school bathroom by a transgender."

The tweet further explained, "In August of 2021, Smith was convicted of disorderly conduct after he blew up at a school board meeting for their lack of action. Today, Smith was pardoned by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin."

"Good. A father should never be prosecuted for standing up for his child," concluded the tweet.

"Spot on move by Governor," commented on the update post.

"The Governor's stand is commendable and sets a positive precedent," someone else added.

"Gov. Glenn Youngkin puts Parents First!" another chimed in.