Virginia’s Incoming Governor, Attorney General to Join Lawsuit Against Biden Vaccine Mandate

Virginia’s incoming Governor, Glenn Youngkin (R), and Attorney General,  Jason Miyares (R), will join other Republican states and businesses in challenging the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates once they are sworn into office Saturday.

In a joint statement issued Friday, Youngkin and Miyares announced that when they take office, they will “quickly move to protect Virginians’ freedoms” by challenging the vaccine mandate they believe would “force hardworking Virginians to walk away from their paychecks.”

“While we believe that the vaccine is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19,” Youngkin and Miyares said, “we strongly believe that the federal government cannot impose its will and restrict the freedoms of Americans and that Virginia is at its best when her people are allowed to make the best decisions for their families or businesses.”

After the Jan. 15th inauguration, @GlennYoungkin and I will quickly move to protect Virginians' freedoms and challenge President Biden's unlawful CMS, OSHA, and Head Start Vaccine Mandates. pic.twitter.com/u5t8mwQrLy

— Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) January 7, 2022

Biden’s mandate, which would require either vaccination or frequent testing of staff at businesses with 100 or more employees, is currently being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court and could already be decided by Saturday.

The Supreme Court is also set to consider another measure requiring the vaccination of healthcare workers, which Miyares told WRIC is harming hospitals. “The bottom line is, right now, the vaccine mandates are harming hospitals and health workers right at the time that we need them the most and that is what caused the most alarm for me,” he said. “Several hundred would be seeking other employment. That’s not what we need right now in Virginia.”

Outgoing Attorney General Mark Herring (D) appears to be unhappy with Miyares’ intentions, while implying the incoming administration does not believe in vaccines, telling WRIC, “It’s a shame that there are individuals who do not appear to believe that protecting Americans is important, and instead are fighting to overturn this crucial vaccine policy. Vaccines work. Period.”

Virginia and this country are in the midst of the worst COVID surge since the pandemic began almost two years ago. Vaccines and boosters have proven to be incredibly effective in keeping cases mild and preventing hospitalizations or death – and are really the only way that we will ever move past this crisis. Throughout this pandemic, the Biden Administration has worked tirelessly to keep Americans, their families, and their communities safe and healthy. It’s a shame that there are individuals who do not appear to believe that protecting Americans is important, and instead are fighting to overturn this crucial vaccine policy. Vaccines work. Period.

Youngkin and Miyares will be sworn into office January 15 in Richmond, Virginia.

Breccan F. Thies is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @BreccanFThies.