Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Glenn Youngkin

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Glenn Youngkin.

Glenn Youngkin is an American politician and businessman. He served as the 74th Governor of Virginia from 2022 to 2026. Prior to entering politics, Youngkin spent 25 years at The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm, eventually becoming its co-CEO in 2018. A member of the Republican Party, his election marked a shift in Virginia's political landscape.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2016: McAuliffe vetoes "Beloved Bill"

In 2016, Governor McAuliffe vetoed the "Beloved Bill", which would have allowed parents to opt their children out of educational material they deemed sexually explicit. The bill originated following a conservative activist's concern about the inclusion of "Beloved" in her son's AP English class.

Beloved: Pulitzer Prize Winner (Vintage International)

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2017: McAuliffe vetoes "Beloved Bill" again

In 2017, Governor McAuliffe again vetoed the "Beloved Bill", which would have allowed parents to opt their children out of educational material they deemed sexually explicit. The bill originated following a conservative activist's concern about the inclusion of "Beloved" in her son's AP English class.

Beloved: Pulitzer Prize Winner (Vintage International)

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2020: Comments on 2020 Election

Before the Republican convention, Youngkin "toed a delicate line when asked if Biden was legitimately elected". Amanda Chase, who advanced conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election, acted as a campaign surrogate for Youngkin after losing the Republican primary to him.

2020: Northam Signs Bill on Transgender Student Policies

In 2020, Governor Northam signed a bill regarding policies for transgender students, requiring that they address common issues in accordance with evidence-based best practices and protect students from bullying and harassment. However, the bill did not specify the exact policies, leading to later disputes over whether Youngkin's policies met these criteria.

2020: Northam signed bipartisan bill

In 2020, Northam signed a bipartisan bill that required that policies pertaining to transgender students be in compliance throughout all school districts with "model policies" developed by the Virginia Department of Education.

2020: Early release program expansion signed into law

In 2020, Ralph Northam, Youngkin's predecessor, signed legislation that expanded the early release program. It allowed inmates in Virginia to earn time off their sentences through good behavior credits, raising the cap on how many credits could be earned for most inmates. These credits could be used by inmates convicted of violent crimes to reduce any concurrent or consecutive sentences that had been imposed for nonviolent crimes.

2020: Northam signs law affirming transgender students

In 2020, a state law was signed by Youngkin's predecessor, Ralph Northam, requiring that all Virginia public schools adopt regulations affirming of transgender students. Youngkin has been critical of these protections, including opposing teachers using preferred pronouns and transgender girls playing on girls' sports teams.

2020: Early release program expansion approved by Northam

In 2020, the expanded early release program was approved by Governor Northam, going into effect on July 1, 2022. The newly available credits applied retroactively, potentially releasing approximately 550 inmates convicted of violent crimes.

April 2021: Officials clarify Virginia Math Pathways Initiative design

In April 2021, officials within the Northam administration clarified that the Virginia Math Pathways Initiative was not designed to eliminate advanced math classes at any grade level. This clarification came after concerns were raised regarding the program's potential impact on advanced math courses.

July 2021: Youngkin on Abortion Rights

In July 2021, while running for governor, Youngkin was caught on a hot mic stating that he would "start going on offense" against abortion rights if elected but would largely avoid the topic until then to win independent votes.

2021: "Beloved Bill" becomes focal point of gubernatorial election

In 2021, the "Beloved Bill" became one of the focal points of Virginia's gubernatorial election, with Youngkin identifying reviving the bill as one of the key promises of his campaign. The bill originated following a conservative activist's concern about the inclusion of "Beloved" in her son's AP English class.

Beloved: Pulitzer Prize Winner (Vintage International)

Check it on Amazon

January 21, 2022: Youngkin set up an email tipline

On January 21, 2022, Governor Youngkin established an email tipline for reporting "divisive practices" in Virginia schools, concurrent with his executive order against school mask mandates.

January 26, 2022: Youngkin's spokesperson defended the tipline

On January 26, 2022, a spokesperson for Youngkin tweeted that critics of the tipline had mischaracterized it and described the tipline as "a customary constituent service."

February 3, 2022: Youngkin explained administration response to tipline complaints

On February 3, 2022, Youngkin mentioned his administration was "responding" to complaints submitted to the tipline, without detailing potential actions against teachers.

March 23, 2022: Federal Judge Ruling on Mask Mandates

On March 23, 2022, a federal judge decided the lawsuit by ruling that school districts in Virginia could choose to require masking in areas frequented by the plaintiffs. The ruling did not overturn Youngkin's executive order or the state law and only applies to school systems attended by the plaintiffs.

April 2022: Youngkin signs bill on sexually explicit content review

In early April 2022, Youngkin signed a bill allowing Virginia school parents to review and opt their children out of any educational material containing "sexually explicit content," with alternative material provided. Democrats criticized the bill for taking control over education away from local school systems and for its broad definition of "sexually explicit content".

May 2022: Youngkin urges political diversity in college hiring

In May 2022, Youngkin sent a letter to the Council of Presidents overseeing Virginia colleges and universities, urging mandatory political diversity in their hiring practices. He also introduced a budget amendment requiring state public colleges and universities to promote "free speech and diversity of thought on [their] campuses."

May 2022: Youngkin Calls for Federal Intervention

In May 2022, following the leaked draft opinion of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Youngkin joined Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in calling on the federal government to intervene against protests targeting the homes of conservative Supreme Court Justices living in Virginia and Maryland.

July 1, 2022: Expanded early release program takes effect

On July 1, 2022, the expanded early release program approved in 2020 took effect. About 550 inmates convicted of violent crimes were set to be released due to the retroactive application of the new credits.

July 2022: Youngkin's amendment prevents inmate release

In July 2022, Youngkin's amendment, approved shortly before the inmates' planned release, prevented the release of approximately 550 inmates convicted of violent crimes, who had been informed of their impending release.

August 2022: Revising Virginia's educational standards

In August 2022, Youngkin enlisted the Thomas B. Fordham Institute to assist in revising Virginia's educational standards for history and social sciences. Subsequently, the Virginia Department of Education released a proposal for those revisions, which aimed to simplify and improve the state's educational standards, but it faced considerable opposition.

August 2022: Attempt to Withdraw from Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

In August 2022, the Youngkin administration announced its intention to withdraw Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by the end of 2023 without legislative approval, despite likely legal challenges.

September 2022: Youngkin administration announced repeal of transgender students regulations

In September 2022, the Youngkin administration declared the repeal of regulations for transgender students in Virginia schools, reversing a bipartisan bill from 2020.

November 2022: Lawsuit concluded with settlement

In November 2022, the lawsuit concluded with a settlement that granted the media outlets access to 350 of the emails, representing a small portion of the total number. The Youngkin administration revealed that it had closed down the tipline in September.

2022: Youngkin introduced amendment to limit early inmate release

In 2022, Glenn Youngkin introduced an amendment to the state budget, limiting the number of inmates eligible for an expanded early release program. The program allowed inmates to earn time off for good behavior. The amendment made inmates convicted of violent crimes fully ineligible for the expanded program.

2022: Bill to Reverse Admissions Reforms in Governor's Schools

In 2022, Youngkin advocated for a bill to reverse reforms in admissions processes at Governor's Schools like Thomas Jefferson High School and Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, which aimed to increase racial diversity. The bill, which characterized the use of geographic and socioeconomic factors as proxy discrimination, passed in the House but failed in the Senate. Separately, in 2022 Youngkin signed a bill banning Governor's Schools from discriminating based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

2022: Proposed Changes to School Funding

In 2022, Youngkin supported revising the funding model for Virginia public schools. He proposed that per pupil funding for students attending lab schools should go to the institutions operating those schools rather than to the public school boards of the districts where the students reside. However, this amendment was not adopted by the General Assembly.

2022: Youngkin vetoes bill on landlord code violations

In 2022, Youngkin vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have given judges the ability to mandate that landlords address code violations. He called the legislation "unnecessary" and said that tenants should share responsibility with landlords for maintaining safe living conditions.

2022: Democrats oppose budget signed by Youngkin

In 2022, although the budget signed by Youngkin passed with bipartisan support, several Democrats opposed it, arguing that too much of the state's record surplus was spent on tax cuts at the expense of funding for affordable housing, mental health services, gun violence prevention, and transportation.

2022: Marijuana Penalties and Regulations

In 2022, as part of a bipartisan budget deal signed by Youngkin, Virginia made possessing between four ounces and one pound of marijuana in public a Class 3 misdemeanor for a first-time offense. The budget deal also banned the sale of cannabis products shaped as animals, humans, vehicles, or fruits, to protect against accidental consumption by children.

2022: State budget includes investment in Virginia Housing Trust Fund

In 2022, the state budget signed by Youngkin included a $150 million investment in the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, which is devoted to providing affordable housing in the state. This was half the total investment proposed by Northam. Youngkin has expressed opposition to further investments in affordable housing.

2023: Youngkin's agreement to move Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals to Alexandria fails

In 2023, Youngkin announced an agreement with Ted Leonsis, the owner of Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals, to move the teams to Alexandria, VA. Virginia taxpayers were set to pay $1.35 billion for new stadiums, but the agreement did not gain approval from state lawmakers or local politicians, ultimately dooming the project.

2023: Youngkin Administration reverses course on voting rights for former felons

In 2023, it was reported that Governor Youngkin's administration quietly reversed the course of his predecessors, reinstating procedural hurdles to the franchise restoration process for former felons, which dramatically decreased the number of ex-felons granted the franchise. The administration responded that reviewing applications on a case-by-case basis was in line with the state constitution but did not specify the criteria being considered.

2023: Provisions of bill on sexually explicit content review take effect

In 2023, the provisions of the bill signed by Youngkin in April 2022, allowing Virginia school parents to review and opt their children out of any educational material containing "sexually explicit content", took effect.

2023: Attempt to Withdraw from Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

2024: Desire to Block California's Vehicle Emissions Standards

Around August 2022, Youngkin announced his desire to block a law set to take effect in 2024, which would require that Virginia follow California's vehicle emissions standards.

2024: Veto of Legislation to Permit Commercial Sales of Marijuana

In 2024, Youngkin vetoed legislation to permit commercial sales of marijuana in Virginia.

2050: Net Zero Carbon Emissions Target

Youngkin stated he would not have signed Virginia's Clean Economy Act (which calls for Virginia's carbon emissions to reach net zero by 2050) because he believes it would increase utility prices.