Youngkin Pardons Parent in Transgender Bathroom Case

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a pardon for a Loudoun County father whose daughter was sexually assaulted in her school’s bathroom.

Scott Smith attended a public school board meeting as a “concerned parent” after his daughter was sexually assaulted by a male student wearing a skirt in the girl’s bathroom at the school they both attended.

During the meeting, Smith got into an altercation that police were called to and he was eventually convicted of disorderly conduct.

“Upon careful deliberation and review of the circumstances of the matter, I have decided it is just and appropriate to grant this absolute pardon that reflects Scott Thomas Smith’s factual innocence of disorderly conduct, for which he was convicted on Aug. 17, 2021,” Youngkin’s pardon read.

It also said Smith “has been publicly and falsely accused of ‘domestic terrorism’ and ‘hate crimes’ for attempting to advocate for his daughter, a victim of violent sexual assault.”

Smith’s trial was set to take place later this month.

“I want to thank Governor Youngkin for his declaration that I am innocent, and for his absolute and unconditional pardon,” Smith said in a statement released Sunday.

“While I was extremely confident in my lawyers’ abilities to defend me in court, I am grateful that the Governor recognizes that our justice system has been both weaponized and politicized to the point where my ability to receive a fair trial was in jeopardy.”

Controversial Case Led Youngkin to Victory

The case roused the anger of Loudoun County parents, who demanded resignations from the entire school board and the superintendent after an email exposed their coverup of the assault.

Many also blamed the school system’s changes to its policies driven by transgender activism from students. Those changes allowed students to change their name, pronouns, and use the bathroom that reflects their “gender identity”.

It was also revealed that the male student had previously sexually assaulted another girl before changing schools with no further preventative measures in place.

“You are so concerned with pushing race and gender that you sacrificed our children,” Patti Hidalgo Menders, president of the Loudoun County GOP Women’s Club, fumed at the meeting. “A girl was sexually assaulted in May, and you all knew about it. The predator was put back in schools to sexually assault another girl. You all should be fired.”

Youngkin repeatedly cited the case and called for an investigation into the school board’s actions as he campaigned for election.