The incoming Spanberger administration, writes Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation, “is structured to consolidate power in Richmond, expand bureaucratic reach, and normalize government intrusion into family life, healthcare, education, and the economy.”
From a Thursday Family Foundation Action Letter:
Governor-elect, Abigail Spanberger, is quickly making her selections for cabinet and senior staff appointments. But these are not just routine staffing decisions, they are signals of the kind of administration and government she intends to implement. And the signal coming from Richmond is deeply troubling for Virginians who value limited government, individual liberty, parental rights, and constitutional restraint.
As the saying goes, personnel is policy. When you look carefully at who is being placed in charge of health care, labor, education, public safety, elections, and the overall legal strategy of the Governor’s Office, a consistent theme emerges: centralized authority, aggressive regulation, and ideological governance, with little regard for the proper limits of government power.
Below are some of (not all) Governor-elect Spanberger’s troubling appointments:
Jessica K. Looman, Secretary of Labor – previously ran the Biden administration’s Wage & Hour Division and is from Minnesota – “the land of 10,000 Somali schemes” – where she once served as Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Sesha Joi Moon, Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – was the former “chief brand strategist” for Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas; served under former Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the chief diversity officer for the House of Representatives; and advised the Girl Scouts USA.
Mark D. Sickles, Secretary of Finance – a long-time member of the Virginia House of Delegates and was responsible for passing the so-called Virginia Values Act that elevated sexual orientation and gender identity to special protected classes and the redefining marriage amendment.
Adam Ebbin, Senior Advisor at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority – a long-time member of the Virginia Senate; staunch advocate for Marijuana legalization; and was also responsible for passing the so-called Virginia Values Act that elevated sexual orientation and gender identity to special protected classes and the redefining marriage amendment.
Health and Human Services Failure Experts
Traci J. Deshazor, Secretary of Administration – most recently served as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services for the City of Richmond during the 2024 water crisis, responsible for water bottle distribution.
Marvin B. Figueroa, Secretary of Health & Human Resources – previously served in the Northam administration and is closely tied to Medicaid expansion and COVID lockdowns and mask mandates.
Cameron Webb, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Health – previously served on Biden’s COVID response team; was the Director of Health Policy and Equity at the University of Virginia medical school; and brings an explicitly political résumé to what should be a science-driven agency.
Continuation of Northam-era Policies
Stanley M. Meador, Secretary of Public Safety & Homeland Security – previously led the FBI Richmond field office and was allegedly involved in the drafting of the memo that treated Catholics as radicals.
Jeffrey Smith, Secretary of Education – served as Superintendent of Hampton City Schools at the time the school division was implementing elements of the Northam-era transgender policies.
Matt McGuire, Counsel to the Governor – served under former AG Mark Herring who among other things refused to defend Virginia’s Constitution that held marriage is between one man and one woman, but defended Northam executive orders to unlawfully close the doors of churches in 2020.
Why This Moment Matters
This administration is structured to consolidate power in Richmond, expand bureaucratic reach, and normalize government intrusion into family life, healthcare, education, and the economy. The Family Foundation will continue to monitor these agencies, expose overreach, defend parental rights, and equip Virginians to speak up.
Republished with permission from Bacon’s Rebellion
