Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones this week announced the creation of a standing legal team inside his office whose job is to challenge federal government actions in court.
The Federal Accountability Unit will be staffed by four new attorneys working across the Office of the Solicitor General and the Civil Litigation Division, and will be led by Deputy Solicitor General Megan Keenan.
Jones’s office described it as the first cross-functional team of its kind there and said it gives the office permanent capacity to identify emerging threats, respond quickly, and take legal action. Jones specifically called out “overreach” of President Donald Trump’s administration in his announcement.
“I have a fundamental responsibility as Attorney General to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority,” Jones said. “I promised to put Virginia first, and the Federal Accountability Unit will take on Trump administration actions that hurt Virginians, from tariffs that exacerbate the cost crisis, to the damage left behind by [the Department of Government Efficiency]. My team will be ready to act when Trump holds critical funding hostage, when federal policies threaten Virginia workers and families, or when the President attacks our democracy.”
The unit’s portfolio also covers elections, healthcare, immigration, environmental protections, consumer issues, constitutional rights, and economic policies. The team plans to file litigation, defend the state in federal cases, and coordinate with attorneys general in other states on multistate suits.
“We understand the weight of this work and the stakes for Virginians,” Keenan said. “We will move quickly, defend the Commonwealth, and meet unlawful action with the full force of the law. Our charge is to anticipate and counter emerging threats, build the strongest cases possible, and ensure the state is prepared when its interests or its people are put at risk.”
Virginia Senate Republicans criticized the announcement in a post on the caucus’s X account.
“What Virginia Democrats call ‘federal overreach’ is really just enforcing the laws on the books,” the caucus wrote. “Jay Jones’ entire job is to enforce the law and keep Virginians safe. He has completely abandoned that responsibility.”
The attorney general’s office said the unit builds on work already underway and that Virginia has joined dozens of multistate cases since Jones took office involving federal workers, public funding, essential services, economic issues, and constitutional rights. Applications for the four positions are posted on the state’s jobs site.
Jones, a Democrat and a former member of the House of Delegates, was sworn in Jan. 17 after defeating Republican incumbent Jason Miyares in November.
A Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times that “the Department of Justice will continue to defend the policies of this administration, based on the facts and the law.” The White House did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
We had a problem loading this article. Please enable javascript or use a different browser. If the issue persists, please visit our help center.