Pressed on Reid leak, Youngkin points to progress, not responsibility

Youngkin took questions from reporters Friday following his budget presentation but left after addressing just a few inquiries about the growing controversy involving Reid.

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Youngkin talking to the press on May 2.

Pressed on Reid leak, Youngkin points to progress, not responsibility

RICHMOND — Gov. Glenn Youngkin took questions from reporters Friday following his budget presentation but left after addressing just a few inquiries about the growing controversy involving Republican lieutenant governor nominee John Reid.

The governor was pressed by the Washington Post on whether he believes he caused the controversy. He did not directly respond to the question.

The press gaggle followed Youngkin’s announcement that he would sign 135 of the 172 budget amendments sent to him by the General Assembly. His office had notified reporters in advance that he would take questions after the announcement.

As Youngkin neared the end of his remarks, his staff began setting up a rope line between the governor and the press, preparing for the gaggle.

He spent nearly 30 minutes taking questions from reporters on the budget. When WRIC’s Tyler Englander attempted to ask the first question about Reid, Youngkin deferred, saying he wanted to finish budget-related topics first.

Reporters asked two additional budget questions before Englander was given the floor again. Before taking the question, Youngkin reiterated his intention to wrap up budget discussions.

“We're not going to go anywhere. So I'm not rushing off,” Youngkin said. “So thank you – any other comments on this topic? I just want to make sure everybody's got what they need,” he said.

After concluding his budget remarks, Youngkin was asked by Englander if he believes he had betrayed Reid.

“Let me just back up. There's been a lot that's going on over the last week, and so let me just be really clear where we are. This is John Reid's decision. He is the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, that was announced last Tuesday, and he is the Republican nominee for governor, and he has clearly made up his mind that he's going to stay in and so he is the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, and I think the debate can stop there, because that's the answer,” Youngkin said. “What we do know is that Virginia is doing incredibly well, and I believe it is doing incredibly well because of the common sense Republican approach to reducing taxes, to building opportunity by growing jobs and attracting companies, to making our communities safer by standing up for for victims and making sure we prosecute those that do bad things – that our education system is truly leading where we are rebounding out of K-12. We have record investment. We are watching Virginia lead on how to be innovative around K-12 education.”

Englander followed up by asking whether Youngkin plans to campaign for Reid on the trail.

“Yeah, we're going to, I am. I have said that I will support the nominees and their ticket. And at the end of the day, Republicans need to win, and that's the bottom line. And so again, backing up, the fundamental progress we have made in Virginia over the course of the last three years and four months has been monumental, and it is rested on some clear building blocks that I believe have transformed Virginia into one of the leading states in America.”

“There are winning states and there are losing states,” Youngkin continued. “And we are a winning state. And I think it's really important that voters understand that we can't go back to what we had in 2020 and 2021, we've got to continue to press forward with common sense practices and governing and decisions so that we can continue to deliver all of the great opportunity that I think Virginia is seeing today.”

Cameron Thompson of WTVR asked the governor to clarify the status of Matt Moran, who previously led Youngkin’s PAC, Spirit of Virginia.

“Matt stepped aside earlier this week, and he understood that with all of this going on, it was really hard for him to dedicate 100% of his focus to the really important work going on at Spirit of Virginia,” Youngkin said. “And we have announced that Becca Glover, who was part of our administration for a long time, will be stepping in as executive director of our PAC. I think Becca will do a really, really good job. She's trusted. We know her. She was part of our administration for a long time, and so she knows the kinds of things that are most important to us, and we've got to get on with winning, and this is what we have to do.”

Youngkin’s staff moved to end the gaggle, but Laura Vozzella of the Washington Post interjected with another question.

“Hold on, he said he would stay,” Vozzella said.

She asked whether Youngkin accepted responsibility for the controversy and whether his team had leaked news of him asking Reid to step down to The Richmonder, “which called John Reid for a comment before his campaign manager even got across town to see the pictures that Matt Moran had,” Vozzella said.

“I said very clearly that I first learned about this last Thursday night,” Youngkin said. “I was briefed on Friday morning, and John and I spoke Friday morning, and that's it. That is what I've said to everybody. That's the truth. And I think all the suggestions that there's anything else beyond that are actually pretty preposterous.”

Vozzella asked one final question about the rope line, but the governor did not respond.

Republican gubernatorial nominee, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, and Attorney General Jason Miyares, who is seeking reelection, were not present at the event.

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