Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation tell Virginia Scope that state Sens. Mike Jones, D-Chesterfield, and Russet Perry, D-Fairfax, left a ceremonial bill signing with Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday afternoon. Spanberger was conducting a ceremonial signing of gun-violence-prevention legislation.
According to multiple sources, a member of Spanberger’s staff approached Perry and Jones, who were seated in seats with their name placards, and asked to speak with them in the hallway.
Once in the hallway, the Spanberger staffer told Jones and Perry that the governor removed their bills from the ceremonial bill signing because they had participated in the “data center listening tour” that Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, is currently conducting across Virginia.
🚨 The location has changed to the Best Western Battlefield Inn in Manassas. Still 6-8pm on Monday 6/15. We are also excited to welcome @Kannanforva to join us! 🚨https://t.co/8XodNrCwCG https://t.co/E1R7XrJy91 pic.twitter.com/whhmcpgL2y
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) June 14, 2026
Virginia faces a major decision: should data centers keep receiving ~$2 billion a year in tax exemptions while families shoulder the costs?
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) June 13, 2026
Join @thedrmikejones and me on Tuesday. It's our duty to protect Virginians & we want to hear from you.https://t.co/2tqHpU80Fl pic.twitter.com/Y7yQyaCEfq
Virginia Scope observed Perry and Jones present in the room before the event started, but while Spanberger was speaking, both senators were no longer there.
“It’s a shame the governor decided to take these actions today,” Perry said in a statement to Virginia Scope. “I’ve never been publicly critical or disparaging of her and genuinely wish her the best. But it is my job as a senator, in a coequal branch, to fight for my Constituents. And I’m not going to stop listening to them and working for them, especially on issues as important in my district as data centers.”
Spanberger’s office has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Jones told Virginia Scope in a statement Tuesday night that he is just happy his bill was officially signed by the governor.
Lucas is at odds with the governor and the House of Delegates over a data center tax break. Lucas wants to end it early, while Spanberger and the House want to complete their commitment to the tax break.
The bills will still become law, as they were already officially signed by Spanberger earlier this year.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that the Speaker of the House, Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, who is aligned with Spanberger in the budget negotiations, said Lucas has sparked a civil war in the Democratic Party.
Budget negotiators met Tuesday afternoon, but there has been no word on how those conversations went. The House of Delegates, however, canceled the special session they planned for Thursday to approve a budget.
“No budget agreement has been reached yet, so there is no reason for members to show up Thursday,” Scott said in a statement Tuesday evening. “Our rules require 48-hour notice before reconvening. As soon as we reach an agreement with the Senate, I will notify members and we will return and pass a budget.”
Funding for the state runs out June 30 at 11:59 p.m.