Virginia's new AG removes 2 lawyers at public universities

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s new Republican attorney general has fired lawyers for two large public universities, his office said, marking more significant changes by Jason Miyares while ascending to his new job.

Tim Heaphy, counsel for the University of Virginia, and George Mason University counsel Brian Walther have been let go, Miyares spokeswoman Victoria LaCivita told The Washington Post. School counsel within Virginia's public colleges and universities are appointed by the attorney general.

Heaphy, who with UVA also confirmed his removal, worked at the school for about three years. He was on leave from the job to work as the top investigator for the U.S. House of Representatives panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, the newspaper said.

LaCivita said Heaphy’s firing had nothing to do with that investigative role. Rather, she said in a statement, Heaphy was a “controversial” hire and Miyares’ Democratic predecessor, Mark Herring, had “excluded many qualified internal candidates when he brought in this particular university counsel.”

“Our decision was made after reviewing the legal decisions made over the last couple of years,” LaCivita said. “The Attorney General wants the university counsel to return to giving legal advice based on law, and not the philosophy of a university. We plan to look internally first for the next lead counsel.”

A former Herring staffer didn’t immediately comment Sunday on the characterization of Heaphy’s hiring.

LaCivita offered no explanation as to why Walther was let go. Both Heaphy and Walther are Democrats, according to the Post. LaCivita also didn't say whether other counsels at Virginia’s public colleges and universities had been let go.

A former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of...