🗞️ Story file #816
Virginia state senator indicted on drug and corruption charges
Oct 22, 11 AM ET to Oct 23, 4 AM ET · 1 outlet not rated for lean
- 39outlets carried it
- 🫏13 · 7 · 18🐘left · center · right
- 17 hourson the front pages
- 39front pages at once, at its peak
- 7 minof TV captions
- 5radio newscasts
👣 How this story traveled: from the front pages that broke it, out through TV, radio and the shows, into what people retold and what fact-checkers examined, and on into the saga it is part of. Everything here is matched to the story by our tools, so a link can be wrong; the trackers' pages say how each is made.
- Oct 22, 11 AM ETfirst on a front page: The New Republic
- Oct 22, 1 PM ETfirst on the radio: ABC News Update
- Oct 22, 2 PM ETfirst on TV: Fox News
- Oct 22, 10 PM ETpeak: on 39 front pages
📰 Spread
the front pages that ran it, hour by hour
📡 wire copy: 4 outlets ran the AP, Reuters headline nearly word for word (Chicago Tribune, Just the News, The Daily Signal, Yahoo News)
📌 linked by aggregators: Drudge Report Google News Political Wire
💬 quoted: “criminal marijuana enterprise” 2 “I've Gotten Too Old To Not Be Greedy” “Jim Crow” “enterprise”
🗣️ only one side says: 🫏 sen l louise 🐘 state senator
✏️ 17 outlets ran more than one headline on it (reworded, or a follow-up)
- ABC News (2 wordings): “Virginia state lawmaker indicted by DOJ in marijuana trafficking conspiracy” → “State lawmaker indicted in marijuana trafficking conspiracy”
- AP (3 wordings): “Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas is charged with drug trafficking and money laundering, DOJ says” → “Powerful Democratic Virginia state Sen. Lucas is accused of leading a marijuana criminal conspiracy”
- BBC (2 wordings): “Prominent Virginia senator charged over allegations she ran criminal marijuana scheme” → “Prominent Virginia senator charged over allegations she ran criminal cannabis scheme”
- Bloomberg (2 wordings): “Virginia State Senator Is Charged in Corruption Case, DOJ Says” → “Virginia State Senator Charged in Corruption Case, DOJ Says”
- Breitbart (3 wordings): “Democrat Virginia State Sen. Louise Lucas Accused of Leading Criminal Enterprise” → “Democrat Virginia State Sen. Louise Lucas Accused of Leading Criminal Marijuana Distribution Enterprise”
- Chicago Tribune (2 wordings): “Powerful Virginia Democratic state lawmaker L. Louise Lucas accused of leading a marijuana criminal conspiracy” → “Powerful Democratic Virginia state senator accused of leading ‘criminal marijuana enterprise’”
- Fox News (2 wordings): “Democrat lawmaker indicted on drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud charges” → “Virginia state senator indicted, accused of leading a marijuana distribution enterprise”
- Just the News (3 wordings): “Democratic Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas charged with drug trafficking, money laundering: DOJ” → “Virginia state senator invokes 'Jim Crow' after Feds indict octogenarian on drug trafficking charges”
- NBC News (3 wordings): “BREAKING: High-ranking Virginia state Democrat charged in public corruption case” → “High-ranking Virginia Democrat charged in public corruption case”
- Newsmax (2 wordings): “Dem Lawmaker Lucas Accused of Drug Conspiracy” → “Dem Lawmaker Louise Lucas Accused of Drug Conspiracy”
- Red State (3 wordings): “VA Democrat Powerhouse Louise Lucas Arrested” → “Virginia Dem Powerhouse Louise Lucas Arrested, Hit With Federal RICO, Drug, and Corruption Charges”
- The Daily Signal (2 wordings): “Top Democrat Virginia Lawmaker Charged by DOJ With Running Illegal Cannabis Operation” → “Sen. Louise Lucas Indicted on Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering Charges”
- The Epoch Times (5 wordings): “Virginia Senator L. Louise Lucas Charged With Federal Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering” → “Feds Indict Longtime Virginia State Sen. L. Louise Lucas on Drug Trafficking, Corruption Charges”
- The Hill (4 wordings): “Live updates: DOJ indicts top Virginia Democrat on corruption, drug ...” → “Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas charged with public corruption”
- The Western Journal (2 wordings): “Breaking: High-Ranking Virginia Dem Arrested on Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering Charges” → “Virginia Dem Charged with Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering Blames Jim Crow for Arrest”
- Townhall (4 wordings): “Top Virginia Democrat Arrested on Fraud and Drug Trafficking Charges” → “Virginia Democrat Decries Her Arrest As Political Targeting”
- Washington Examiner (3 wordings): “Democratic Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas indicted in alleged marijuana racketeering scheme” → “Democratic Sen. Louise Lucas indicted in alleged marijuana racketeering scheme”
Every outlet's first headline (39), left to right by AllSides rating
The Guardian
Virginia Democrat indicted on federal drug and money-laundering charges Oct 22, 4 PM ET
The New Republic
Feds Arrest Top Democratic Leader in Redistricting Fight Oct 22, 11 AM ET
ABC News
Virginia state lawmaker indicted by DOJ in marijuana trafficking conspiracy Oct 22, 11 AM ET
AP
Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas is charged with drug trafficking and money laundering, DOJ says Oct 22, 11 AM ET
Axios
Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas arrested on federal drug, corruption charges Oct 22, 1 PM ET
CBS News
Feds charge powerful Virginia Democrat in alleged drug scheme Oct 22, 11 AM ET
CNBC
Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a Trump critic, charged in marijuana racketeering case Oct 22, 12 PM ET
CNN
Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas indicted on drug and money laundering charges Oct 22, 11 AM ET
Mediaite
Trump DOJ Indicts Virginia Dem Who Helped Lead State’s Pro-Democrat Redistricting Push on Drug and Corruption Charges Oct 22, 1 PM ET
NBC News
BREAKING: High-ranking Virginia state Democrat charged in public corruption case Oct 22, 11 AM ET
PBS NewsHour
WATCH: Blanche and Patel announce charges for Democratic Virginia lawmaker Lucas Oct 22, 1 PM ET
USA Today
State Sen. Louise Lucas arrested on bribery, racketeering charges Oct 22, 12 PM ET
Yahoo News
Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas charged with drug trafficking and money laundering Oct 22, 11 AM ET
BBC
Prominent Virginia senator charged over allegations she ran criminal marijuana scheme Oct 22, 6 PM ET
Bloomberg
Virginia State Senator Is Charged in Corruption Case, DOJ Says Oct 22, 11 AM ET
Chicago Tribune
Powerful Virginia Democratic state lawmaker L. Louise Lucas accused of leading a marijuana criminal conspiracy Oct 22, 11 AM ET
Reuters
Top Democratic Virginia lawmaker charged by DOJ with running illegal cannabis operation Oct 22, 2 PM ET
Scripps News
Crime Virginia state lawmaker Louise Lucas accused of drug trafficking, racketeering AP via Scripps News Group Oct 22, 11 AM ET
The Hill
Live updates: DOJ indicts top Virginia Democrat on corruption, drug ... Oct 22, 11 AM ET
WSJ
Virginia Democratic Lawmaker Charged With Alleged Marijuana Conspiracy Oct 22, 11 AM ET
Just the News
Democratic Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas charged with drug trafficking, money laundering: DOJ Oct 22, 11 AM ET
The Epoch Times
Virginia Senator L. Louise Lucas Charged With Federal Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering Oct 22, 11 AM ET
Washington Examiner
Democratic Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas indicted in alleged marijuana racketeering scheme Oct 22, 12 PM ET
Breitbart
Democrat Virginia State Sen. Louise Lucas Accused of Leading Criminal Enterprise Oct 22, 3 PM ET
Fox News
Democrat lawmaker indicted on drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud charges Oct 22, 11 AM ET
IJR
Virginia Senator Louise Lucas Indicted in Marijuana Scheme Oct 22, 12 PM ET
New York Post
Feds indict prominent Virginia lawmaker and family for marijuana criminal ‘enterprise’ Oct 22, 11 AM ET
Newsmax
Dem Lawmaker Lucas Accused of Drug Conspiracy Oct 22, 12 PM ET- OAN DOJ: Va. Dem state senator indicted in alleged drug operation Oct 22, 2 PM ET
PJ Media
BUSTED: Feds Arrest Corrupt Virginia Dem — and Her Family Members, Too Oct 22, 2 PM ET
Red State
VA Democrat Powerhouse Louise Lucas Arrested Oct 22, 11 AM ET
The Daily Caller
‘I’ve Gotten Too Old To Not Be Greedy’: Feds Hit Virginia State Senator With Pot-Fueled Racketeering Charges Oct 22, 11 AM ET- The Daily Signal Top Democrat Virginia Lawmaker Charged by DOJ With Running Illegal Cannabis Operation Oct 22, 12 PM ET
The Daily Wire
Feds Arrest Powerful Virginia Democrat In Cannabis Corruption Probe Oct 22, 11 AM ET
The Gateway Pundit
NEW: Crooked, Trump-Hating Virginia Democrat Louise Lucas Responds After Getting Busted by Federal Authorities Oct 22, 2 PM ET
The Post Millennial
BREAKING: Feds arrest VA Dem Senate President Pro Tempore for drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud Oct 22, 11 AM ET
The Western Journal
Breaking: High-Ranking Virginia Dem Arrested on Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering Charges Oct 22, 12 PM ET
Townhall
Top Virginia Democrat Arrested on Fraud and Drug Trafficking Charges Oct 22, 11 AM ET
The Washington Sun
Feds Arrest Democrat Who Led Virginia’s Redistricting Push Oct 22, 11 AM ET
📡 Broadcast
TV, radio, and the shows that talked about it
📺 On TV
- DEM VA STATE SENATOR BUSTED OVER ALLEGED DRUG RING Fox News, 2 min
- VA. STATE SEN. L. LOUISE LUCAS INDICTED ON DRUG AND MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES CNN, 2 min
- STATE SENATOR ACCUSED OF LEADING POT EMPIRE Fox News, 35 s
- VA DEM STATE SEN FACES DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES Fox News, 30 s
- SEN LOUISE LUCAS ACCUSED OF LEADING CRIMINAL MARIJUANA DISTRIBUTION ENTERPRISE INVOLVING MONEY LAUNDERING Fox News, 28 s
- POWERFUL VIRGINIA DEMOCRAT INDICTED CNN, 18 s
- VIRGINIA DEMOCRAT INDICTED Fox News, 17 s
- TOP VIRGINIA DEM ACCUSED OF RUNNING DRUG SCHEME Fox News, 16 s
📻 On the radio
- NPR News Now, Oct 22, 9:10 PM ET: story 3 of 7
- NPR News Now, Oct 22, 7:10 PM ET: story 6 of 8
- ABC News Update, Oct 22, 4:32 PM ET: story 2 of 3
- NPR News Now, Oct 22, 3:10 PM ET: story 4 of 8
- ABC News Update, Oct 22, 1:05 PM ET: story 3 of 7
🧶 Retelling
what people online made of it
🦗 Nobody's retelling it online yet, as far as the daily reports of the last week can tell.
🗣️ names in it: Virginia L. Louise Lucas
🔎 Checking
what the fact-checkers looked into
🧐 No fact-checker has taken it on yet.
🧵 Persistence
the running story it belongs to
🌱 A story of its own so far: no saga yet.