Potential False Residence Claim Could Cost Virginia Democrats State Senate Control

Earlier this month, Democrats secured a sweeping victory over local elections in Virginia, taking control of the state House and Senate.

However, it has come to light that an elected Democrat Senator may have lied about her residency, leading to her removal from office.

Ghazala Hashmi had an apartment listed as her residence within Senate District 15.

Neighbors have complained that she does not live there.

Additionally, Dailywire discovered that Ghazala Hasmi owns real estate worth nearly $600,000 outside Senate District 15.

Last week, Virginia Democrats gained a majority in the state House and narrowly maintained their lead in the state Senate with a one-seat margin. However, this balance is threatened as winning Senator Ghazala Hashmi faces allegations of falsifying her district residence. If found… pic.twitter.com/AwjtY1YQ8K

— The State of Politics (@TSOPPC) November 12, 2023

Dailywire has more on the story:

Virginia Senate candidates are required to live in the district they are running for, and Hashmi filed candidacy paperwork saying she lived in an apartment on Boulder Lake Drive in North Chesterfield in Senate District 15.

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But four neighbors filed a complaint saying she actually lives outside the district on Bosham Lane in Midlothian, and they provided a spreadsheet saying they had driven by the house 62 times during the month of October to document her residency. The notes include her car being there late at night and early in the morning, and her leaving the house shortly after 8 a.m. It also includes photographic evidence.

Putting Hashmi in a particular bind, if she did live in the Chesterfield apartment, then she may have committed a felony by concealing her ownership of the Midlothian home on sworn election forms.

The Certificate of Candidacy Qualification, which she signed March 14, 2023, says, “I now reside at the address shown below in the district in which I seek office,” under which she listed the North Chesterfield apartment.

The form also asks, “Do you or a member of your immediately family, separately or together, hold an interest valued at more than $5,000 in real property? DO NOT INCLUDE your principal residence.” She checked “no,” and did not list the Midlothian home. Real estate records show that she and her husband have owned that — worth nearly $600,000 — since 1999.

The form says “knowingly making any untrue statement or entry in this document is a felony under Virginia law. The punishment is a maximum fine of $2,500 and/or confinement for up to ten years. Also, you lose your right to vote.”

The Democratic Party is the party of criminals!

🚨🔍 More Questions Arise: Election Integrity in Spotlight as Controversy Surrounds Virginia Senate Control 🗳️🏠

🚨- 🔍 Allegations shake Virginia Dems' control: Winning senator Ghazala Hashmi faces residence controversy.
🚨- 🏠 If deemed ineligible, enter Republican Lt. Gov.… https://t.co/vAJcDWFfua

— Devin Butcher (@DevinWButcher) November 12, 2023

Democratic Senator Ghazala Hashmi, the first-ever Indian-American and Muslim to be elected to the Virginia State legislature, may lose her seat due to allegations of false residency claims. This could give Republicans a controlling influence in the Senate. pic.twitter.com/xpjMkrG8va

— 🔥Desiree🔥 (@DesireeAmerica4) November 12, 2023

The Associated Press News shares more on the Virginia election:

Virginia was one of just four states holding legislative races this year, and it’s something of a microcosm of other closely divided states that will be critical in next year’s presidential election. That fueled outsized interest in the expensive, hard-fought legislative races, as both parties closely monitored the results for signs about voter moods heading into the 2024 campaign.

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With a full statehouse majority, Democrats will have even greater leeway to thwart Youngkin’s policy agenda, though they will have to work with him to advance their own.

Every General Assembly seat was on the ballot this year, with the most competitive seats based in Hampton Roads and the suburbs of Richmond and Washington. Democrats flipped the House of Delegates and held the majority they’ve had in the Senate since 2020.

Candidates made their case to voters this cycle on the economy, the environment, public safety and schools, but no issue was more hotly contested than abortion in the last state in the South without new restrictions since the end of Roe v. Wade.

The results in Virginia — along with a win for abortion rights supporters on an Ohio ballot measure and Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s reelection in Kentucky — will comfort the national party as President Joe Biden and other Democrats are expected to prioritize abortion rights in next year’s campaign to energize their voters.

Republicans need to energize our voting base if we are expected to win any coming elections.

Hate Democrats as much as you want; they are good at getting their people motivated to vote.

We need that.

Our RNC needs reform and fresh leadership to drive us to victory.