The Democrats could very possibly lose control of the Virginia Senate after it was discovered that one of their candidates who won her seat lied about where she lived and about property she owns with her husband that was not listed on her disclosure form. In Virginia, you must live in the area for which you are running for a seat. Democrats are slated to control the state Senate 21-19, but it is now alleged that she lied about her residence that is out of the district.
Ghazala Hashmi could have been ineligible to run for office since she lived in another district. If so the Senate becomes tied at 20 all and the tie breaking vote would be cast by Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears. 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. But, four neighbors filed a complaint saying she lived at on Bosham Lane in Midlothian.
They provided a spreadsheet that showed they visited her address in Midlothian 62 times, including late at night and early the next day where they spotted her car at the real address. Hashmi is in a particular bind. If she did actually live in Chesterfield, she committed a felony by not listing the Midlothian address’s ownership since candidates are required to list ownership of property and it’s value on her disclosure form. She and her husband have owned the $600,000 dollar property since 1999.
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 answered “no.”
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELThe 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.”
Hashmi is a current senator representing the old Senate District 10, which includes Midlothian. But after once-a-decade redistricting this year, her house became part of a new District 12. But she decided to run in neighboring District 15, representing Chesterfield County and part of Richmond, and apparently rented an apartment to have an address there.
Her home of 24 years is not currently listed for sale, according to real estate websites. Her car, observed to be parked there regularly, is easily identifiable because it has special legislator plates.
Hashmi won her election against Republican Hayden Fisher last Tuesday with 62% of the vote. Fisher told The Daily Wire, “I plan to stop them from certifying the election. She’s disqualified, that means I ran unopposed as a matter of law.”
“There’s no question whatsoever that she does not live in that apartment,” he said. “She definitely clearly intentionally lied on that form. And she does not reside in the district so she should not represent it.”
“She made no genuine effort to actually move into the district, she just rented an apartment. Why don’t you just sell your house and move into the district? She just doesn’t even care. The arrogance is mind boggling,” he said.
The candidacy form was signed under penalty of perjury and notarized in Chesterfield County. Election fraud and perjury charges could be brought by Chesterfield County Commonwealth Attorney Stacey T. Davenport, a Republican. However, Davenport lost her reelection bid on Tuesday by less than 1%, and will be replaced next year by independent candidate Erin Barr.
