PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Two months since State Sen. L. Louise Lucas' business office was raided by the FBI, the Virginia politician told News 3 Tuesday that she learned about the bureau listening to her phone calls from friends.
Lucas answered a call from News 3's Kurt Williams following reports that news outlets, friends, and other entities were informed that their phone calls with the senator had been monitored.
During the phone call, Lucas said she has not heard directly from federal authorities about this development, but she mentioned that her friends were contacted by the FBI and informed that their calls with the state senator had been monitored.
Lucas affirmed her earlier sentiment about the FBI raid, calling the investigation "politically motivated" and saying she has nothing to hide. She also stated that neither she nor her lawyer have been informed by the FBI about the exact reason for the raid.
"I can't tell you anything because I don't know anything," Lucas said.
Watch previous coverage: State Sen. L. Louise Lucas' business office raided by FBI in corruption probe
News 3 did not receive notice from the FBI regarding their monitoring of Lucas' phone calls. The FBI declined to comment on reports of Lucas' calls being monitored.
On May 6, the Norfolk FBI office confirmed they executed a court-authorized federal search warrant in Portsmouth. In video taken by News 3, members of the FBI's Evidence Response Team were seen taking photos at Lucas' business office that day. Security camera footage obtained by News 3 showed the FBI searching The Cannabis Outlet — a business co-owned by Lucas — around 10:15 a.m.
In a statement posted to social media on May 6, Lucas wrote, in part, that the raid on her business "fits a clear pattern from this administration: when challenged, they try to intimidate and silence the voices who stand up to them."
Watch: Security camera footage captures FBI raid at The Cannabis Outlet
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth-88), with whom Lucas worked on the commonwealth's failed redistricting effort, said he was deeply concerned in a statement sent back in May.
"Senator L. Louise Lucas has not been charged with anything! I am deeply concerned by today’s FBI raid," Scott said in a statement. "Given the politicization of this administration — an FBI led by Kash Patel and a Justice Department run by President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney — I think people should take this with a grain of salt and allow the facts to come out before jumping to conclusions."
Scott also questioned how national cable outlet Fox News was first on the scene for the raid — before local media learned about it.
Watch: State Sen. L. Louise Lucas approached by reporter during FBI raid
"Did they know about the raid beforehand? If so, who approved that? And what more information is there about what this raid was actually about? Virginians deserve answers before anyone rushes to political conclusions," Scott said.
Lucas, a Democrat, represents District 18 in the Virginia State Senate, which covers parts of Chesapeake and Portsmouth. The 82-year-old Portsmouth-native was first elected to this seat back in 1991. She currently serves as the President pro tempore of the Virginia State Senate, she is also the chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.
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