Gov. Youngkin pardons Loudoun County dad Scott Smith after arrest at school board meeting

WASHINGTON (7News) — It's been a long journey for Scott Smith and his family since his daughter was assaulted by another student in a bathroom at Stone Bridge High School on May 28, 2021, in Loudoun County.

Smith, the father of a sex assault victim at a Loudoun County high school, has received a pardon for his disorderly conduct conviction from Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. The conviction stemmed from an incident at a board of education meeting at Loudoun County Public Schools in 2021.

"What happened to me can never happen to another American again and it was kind of a bittersweet moment for me to accept this pardon," said Smith, who lives in Leesburg, Va.

He spoke exclusively to our I-Team Investigative Reporter Scott Taylor in a one-on-one interview. Watch below:

Smith's attorney, William M. Stanley Jr. of the Stanley Law Group PLLC, also issued a statement on behalf of Smith. Read the full statement here or see below:

Gov. Youngkin's office also released a statement on the pardon:

"Governor Glenn Youngkin has granted an absolute pardon to Scott Smith, the Loudoun County father who was wrongfully prosecuted and convicted for standing up for his daughter at a 2021 Loudoun County School Board meeting after she was sexually assaulted at school.

“Scott Smith is a dedicated parent who’s faced unwarranted charges in his pursuit to protect his daughter. Scott’s commitment to his child despite the immense obstacles is emblematic of the parental empowerment movement that started in Virginia,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “In Virginia, parents matter and my resolve to empower parents in unwavering. A parent’s fundamental right to be involved in their child’s education, upbringing, and care should never be undermined by bureaucracy, school divisions or the state. I am pleased to grant Scott Smith this pardon and help him and his family put this injustice behind them once and for all.”

In his commitment to the parents and students of Loudoun County, the Governor issued an executive order on his first day in office to initiate an investigation into the sexual assaults in Loudoun County. Following the Attorney General’s incriminating investigation into the sexual assault cover-up, Superintendent Ziegler has been fired. Under Governor Youngkin’s leadership and actions, Loudoun County parents are getting the accountability and transparency they deserve."

In August of 2021, Smith was arrested and eventually convicted of two criminal charges after an incident got out of hand with Loudoun County Sheriff deputies at the board of education meeting.

Smith told 7News he was only attending the meeting to listen.

"I think it's pretty clear and convincing to the public that what happened to me that day should have never happened," added Smith.

His conviction of resisting arrest was eventually tossed out. He was set to appeal his disorderly conduct conviction later this month, but now Gov. Youngkin has given Smith a pardon.

"What would you say to Gov. Youngkin about what he has done for you and your family?" asked Taylor.

"I really appreciate what he has done because when he campaigned, he made it very clear that if he was elected he would do what he could to get to the bottom of what happened to not just my family but everything that was going on in Loudoun County," said Smith.

READ | Father of LCPS sex assault victim says grand jury report confirms lack of transparency

The Smith family is expected to begin laying out several lawsuits against Loudoun County officials in the very new future.

After Youngkin pardoned Smith, Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj released the following statement:

“This political stunt by Governor Youngkin is an unprecedented and inappropriate intervention into an active legal case,” Biberaj said. “He chose to interfere in the legal process but not for justice but for political gain. If the Governor truly believed that the evidence would show that the Republican sheriff lied about the facts and wrongfully arrested Smith, that the Magistrate wrongfully issued the arrest warrants, and that the Republican Special Prosecutor was wrongfully prosecuting him, Youngkin would have permitted the case to go to trial and let the truth be told. That is the system in America. The justice system does not work when a Governor becomes the judge and jury.

“With early voting less than two weeks away, the Governor’s decision to issue the pardon is an intentional attempt to influence the elections. I will proudly stand with law enforcement to ensure that they protect our citizens, that they are safe on the job, and that anyone who harms our law enforcement is held accountable. I will also continue to stand with victims of sexual assault to ensure cases are fully prosecuted, which is why my office tripled the number of prosecutors dedicated to domestic violence and sexual assault cases. It is deeply disappointing that Governor Youngkin continues to play politics and try to divide Loudoun County.”