Virginia's GOP attorney general sets up 'election integrity unit.' Critics call it intimidation

The office of Attorney General Jason Miyares said the new unit of more than 20 attorneys, investigators, and paralegals "will provide legal advice to the Department of Elections" and "investigate and prosecute violations of Virginia election law."

“I pledged during the 2021 campaign to work to increase transparency and strengthen confidence in our state elections," Miyares said in a statement. "It should be easy to vote, and hard to cheat."

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin also promoted "election integrity" during his successful campaign for his job in 2021.

Trump and other Republicans have never proven that widespread voter fraud took place during his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden. Trump's efforts to overturn the results in key states – leading to the attempted insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021 – are the subject of investigations by a special congressional committee and grand juries in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

A number of legal officials, judges, and lawmakers, including some Republicans, have said that Trump's false claims about voter fraud are intended to undermine confidence in the political system.

Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida who specializes in American elections, responded to creation of the Virginia election unit by tweeting that this is "where conservatism is today: wasting taxpayer money on non-existent problems."

McDonald added that "undoubtedly whatever vote fraud will be 'found' will target communities of color and Democrats, while Republicans are ignored."

He and other critics also cited news reports that, in 2021, Youngkin's 17-year-old son tried to cast a ballot even though he was not old enough to vote.

"Where do I go to report this vote fraud?" McDonald tweeted.