GOP Candidate on Criminal Probation

Virginia voters will be heading to the polls in November to choose who they want to serve in the House of Delegates. In June, each party will choose the candidates for that race. One of the candidates for the House is facing criticism on a number of fronts.

On March 4, Tim Griffin, a Republican candidate for the 53rd District, revealed he’d been arrested. According to the Conservative, he took a trip to Chincoteague Island in Maryland to check out the wild ponies that live in the conservation. While he was there, he touched one of the animals, which was illegal, and an officer issued him a citation. He claimed that he thought the whole thing was taken care of. However, he was mistaken and taken into custody. Griffin told his supporters the judge dismissed the case after he paid the fine, which was less than $200.

The National File obtained court records that indicated the saga isn’t over. According to the report, Griffin refused to pay the initial citation for two years. Then, he didn’t show up for an October 2020 court date. A Maryland judge issued a citation for the candidate’s failure to appear, which led to a warrant for his arrest.

In October 2022, an Allegheny County, Maryland, police officer pulled him over and took him into custody. In December, he pleaded guilty to the charge against him and was sentenced to a year of probation and ordered to pay $77.50. He didn’t pay the fine in a timely manner, and the court reportedly had to send him two threatening notices before receiving payment. He is still on probation, and the judge did not dismiss the case.

Griffin is also facing criticism for allegedly violating Virginia’s voting laws by using an address that wasn’t his legal residence to vote. Residents of the district believe he is not eligible to run for office and want him removed from the race.