NORFOLK, Va. — In an email reviewed Friday by News 3, former Del. Tim Anderson decried Norfolk planning commission's recent recommendation to deny conditional use permits for Armed Forces Brewing Co. and asked for the public's support at an upcoming council meeting.
Anderson's email asked for recipients to sign up to speak at the council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12. It also listed councilmembers' email addresses.
"The woke left activists have organized and are highly resisting the Armed Forces Brewing Company operations in Norfolk," Anderson wrote in the email. "A full cancel culture campaign is underway attempting to cancel the business by demanding Norfolk City Council not approve operation permits because one minority owner is Robert O’Neil (The Navy SEAL who shot and killed Osama bin Laden)."
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Conditional use permits for Armed Forces Brewing Company recommended for denial
The veteran-owned business, which has taken the place of O'Connor Brewing Co. in Norfolk's Ghent neighborhood, is alleging bias on behalf of planning commissioners after denial of the permits.
On Tuesday, Dec. 5, the law group representing Armed Forces Brewing Company sent a letter to the Norfolk City Attorney alleging council abused the process of approval during a planning meeting in November.
The attorneys at Anderson Law say that some of the the planning commissioners were "out of line and expressed arbitrary bias," according to the letter. Lawyers claim the council questioned the CEO of the Armed Forces Brewing Company, Alan Beal, about his military history and his political beliefs.
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"[O'Neil] has made comments on his private social media channels that have offended some on the self-proclaimed progressive activists and they are further trying to cancel this business because of this pro-America, veteran based, military loving themed national brewery," Anderson's email continued.
City council meets again on Tuesday at 3 p.m. The issue of Armed Forces Brewing is second-last on the agenda.
