By

Jacob Rosen

Justice Department Reporter

Jake Rosen is a reporter covering the Department of Justice. He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump's 2024 campaign and also served as an associate producer for "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

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Updated on: October 22, 2026 / 12:56 PM EDT / CBS News

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Norfolk, Virginia — L. Louise Lucas, a powerful Virginia state senator and vocal Trump critic who played a central role in the state's redistricting effort last year, was taken into federal custody Thursday and charged in connection with an alleged bribery and racketeering scheme, the Justice Department said.

According to a 45-page indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, Lucas and six other co-defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess marijuana, conspiring to launder money, laundering money and committing bribery by distributing large quantities of illegal marijuana under the auspices of her legal…