Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj to run for re-election
Loudoun Co. Commonwealth's Attorney Buta Biberaj seeks reelection
Loudoun County’s Commonwealth Attorney Buta Biberaj just announced her campaign for re-election outside the Loudoun County Courthouse. However, this didn’t come without controversy and concern. FOX 5's Sierra Foz reports from Leesburg with more details.
LEESBURG, Va. - Loudoun County’s Commonwealth Attorney Buta Biberaj announced her campaign for re-election Monday outside the Loudoun County Courthouse. However, this didn’t come without controversy and concern.
FOX 5 has learned Biberaj wants the Board of Supervisors to provide her with details about any communication they’ve had regarding the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office with her current and former political opponents as well as journalists who have done hard-hitting reports about her.
"If you look at those FOIA requests, it’s FOIA for the truth," Biberaj said. "There have been leaks from the Board of Supervisors for the last three years, and they’ve also made the determinations that they have facts they’ve never shared, data that they’ve never shared. Now I think the people of Loudoun County think they need to understand what is the information they’re relying on."
Last week, Biberaj filed four different requests for information. She wants to see all documents between June 2019 to present day where the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors had conversations about her office with reporters as well as past and current political opponents.
Loudoun County Board of Supervisor Kristen Umstattd sent Biberaj a letter asking her to reimburse both the county and state for the value of any county and state resources she used to file, what she believes, are political and personal requests.
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FOX 5 asked Umstattd why Biberaj is suspicious of the Board of Supervisors.
"She certainly would be aware that two members of the Board of Supervisors: myself and Supervisor Michael Turner have endorsed Elizabeth Lancaster, her opponent for the Democratic Primary," Umstattd said. "She would be aware that Phyllis Randall, I think on FOX, has stated that she would not support Buta for re-election, so she would be aware there are concerns among at least three of us on the board towards how she has conducted herself while she has been in office."
Chairman Phyllis Randall shares the same sentiment as her colleague. She told FOX 5 over the phone she is most concerned about Biberaj wanting to receive information about third-party complaints.
"I can’t imagine what that client would feel like for Ms. Biberaj to now have that e-mail to know that a client has complained about her or a victim has complained about her and that’s what she’s asking for," Randall said. "Ms. Biberaj is asking about cases she has managed. That’s disturbing, but the truth is it’s such a broad request."
An e-mail shows Biberaj allegedly mentioned she was making these requests as a private citizen, but she used her government e-mail and signed off as the Loudoun County commonwealth’s attorney.
The Board of Supervisors told FOX 5 it is their legal obligation to respond to Biberaj’s requests, and they are working on them now. A source said it could add up to more than $10,000.
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According to the Associated Press, Biberaj and other reform-minded prosecutors won office in 2019, in part with huge financial assistance from a political action committee funded by liberal donor George Soros.
Earlier this year, Biberaj said her office will stop prosecuting some misdemeanor cases, claiming the office is "inundated" and prosecutors need to focus on violent and felony crimes.