On September 5, 2018, Trump Republican congressional candidate Scott Taylor dodged a subpoena to testify in Richmond Circuit Court. But Taylor’s paid campaign aides and their would-be election “spoiler” (Shaun Brown, indicted on pending federal corruption charges) could not dodge the underlying election fraud suit and verdict there. Taylor’s campaign aides circulated election petitions with numerous forged signatures, toward trying to derail the leading candidate opposing him, Elaine Luria, U.S. Naval Academy graduate, retired Navy combat veteran officer, Norfolk independent businesswoman, and Democratic nominee.
Ruling that Brown be stricken from the November 6 ballot because Scott Taylor’s campaign staff collected fraudulent signatures for Brown, the Richmond Circuit Court Judge pronounced after 3 ½ hour hearing: “There’s no doubt in my mind that there are instances of forgery, perjury and out and out fraud.” Like their leader, Scott Taylor, 6 persons tied to Taylor’s campaign refused to testify in Richmond: all signed statements against self-incrimination and refused to answer whether they attempted to defraud with known forged signatures and whether Scott Taylor himself directed his staffers to get Brown on the ballot as a “spoiler” for his much-feared opponent, Elaine Luria – which refusal to testify was supported publicly by Scott Taylor’s campaign spokesman (Scott Weldon), despite its appearance of guilt as a practical matter.
Moreover, the woes of Scott Taylor and his campaign associates are far from over. The Virginia State Police already is pursuing 2 separate investigations, and a special prosecutor has been appointed to conduct a criminal investigation. In a prepared statement post-hearing, Elaine Luria spotlighted tight-lipped Scott Taylor: “From the time this fraud became public knowledge, Scott Taylor has dodged responsibility for the criminal actions of his paid staff.”!
