Capitol Commentary Fighting Waste, Fraud and Abuse (copy) (copy) U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith Apr 27, 2026 Apr 27, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save People in Virginia’s Ninth District and throughout our country believe that the government needs to be more efficient.kAm%96J 2C6 C:89EPk^AmkAms6DA:E6 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 8C@H:?8 F?56C E96 q:56? p5>:?:DEC2E:@?[ 2 a_ac !6H #6D62C49 A@== C6A@CE65 E92E deT @7 p>6C:42?D 28C665 E92E E96 8@G6C?>6?E :D “2=>@DE 2=H2JD H2DE67F= 2?5 :?677:4:6?E]”k^AmkAmx D92C6 A6@A=6’D 7CFDEC2E:@? E92E @FC 8@G6C?>6?E ?665D E@ H@C< 36EE6C 7@C p>6C:42] (2DE67F= 2?5 7C2F5F=6?E DA6?5:?8 2E E96 6IA6?D6 @7 E96 p>6C:42? E2IA2J6C :D 2=H2JD 325 A@=:4J[ 325 8@G6C?2?46 2?5 325 7@C @FC 4@F?ECJ]k^Am kAm#646?E=J[ 7CFDEC2E:@? H:E9 H2DE67F= 2?5 7C2F5F=6?E 7656C2= DA6?5:?8 92D C624965 2 ?6H A62<]k^Am People are also reading… Former SCCH doctor indicted by federal grand jury on 7 charges Marion firefighters help battle Wytheville blaze, welcome long-awaited engine Oak Point teacher honored in Richmond ceremony Meet Jarek: Smyth County's Pet of the Week Medical debt eliminated for nearly 7K Smyth residents Hobart Smith Day celebrates Saltville, Appalachia's musical legacy Trump says federal gasoline tax to be reduced 'till it's appropriate' Celebrating Warriors: Project Graduation, Chilhowie partner for new endeavor Virginia Tech AD Babcock: Men's basketball needs help with NIL funding Work begins on $12.7M expansion of Mount Rogers Community Services' Marion campus 3 juveniles face charges following Smyth, Wythe pursuit on I-81 FBI searching Portsmouth office of state Sen. Louise Lucas Sugar Grove Elementary students experience the power of kindness Vandals target 19th-century Smyth County cemetery Social Security says these 2 baby names were most popular in 2025 kAmx? |:??6D@E2[ :?G6DE:82E:@?D D9@H65 $@>2=: 7C2F5DE6CD 23FD:?8 DE2E6 |65:42:5 AC@8C2>D E@ E96 EF?6 @7 3:==:@?D @7 5@==2CDPk^AmkAmp7E6C hg :?5:G:5F2=D H6C6 492C865 3J E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 yFDE:46[ >@C6 E92? e_ A=65 8F:=EJ @C 92G6 366? 4@?G:4E65Pk^AmkAmxE D9@F=5 36 ?@ DFCAC:D6 E92E 27E6C ?6HD 3C@<6 @7 E96 F?7@=5:?8 =2C86\D42=6 |65:42:5 7C2F5 D42?52=[ |:??6D@E2’D s6>@4C2E:4 v@G6C?@C %:> (2=K @AE65 ?@E E@ CF? 7@C C66=64E:@?]k^Am kAmpD A2CE @7 E96 %CF>A p5>:?:DEC2E:@?’D “(2C @? uC2F5[” ':46 !C6D:56?E ys '2?46 :D =625:?8 2? 2?E:\7C2F5 E2D< 7@C46 E@ 4C24< 5@H? @? DF49 7C2F5F=6?E @A6C2E:@?D]k^Am kAmx? >J C@=6 2D r92:C>2? @7 E96 w@FD6 r@>>:EE66 @? t?6C8J 2?5 r@>>6C46 $F34@>>:EE66 @? w62=E9[ x 92G6 ;@:?65 r@>>:EE66 677@CED E@ C@@E @FE 7C2F5F=6?E 24E:G:EJ :? |65:42:5]k^AmkAmx? C6DA@?D6 E@ E96 |:??6D@E2 D42?52=[ x 96=A65 =2F?49 2? :?G6DE:82E:@? H:E9 @FC 7F== r@>>:EE66 r92:C>2? qC6EE vFE9C:6 2?5 ~G6CD:89E 2?5 x?G6DE:82E:@?D $F34@>>:EE66 r92:C>2? y@9? y@J46]k^Am kAm(6 E96? 6IA2?565 @FC :?G6DE:82E:@?[ D66<:?8 :?7@C>2E:@? 7C@> 2 D=6H @7 3=F6 DE2E6D E92E 5:DA=2J65 4@?46C?:?8 42D6D @7 |65:42:5 7C2F5 :? C646?E J62CD]k^AmkAm%96D6 DE2E6D :?4=F56 r2=:7@C?:2[ |2DD249FD6EED 2?5 }6H *@C<]k^Am kAmpD A2CE @7 2 D6A2C2E6 :?BF:CJ[ x 96=A65 AFD9 E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 w62=E9 2?5 wF>2? $6CG:46D Www$X ~77:46 @7 E96 x?DA64E@C v6?6C2= W~xvX @? 86EE:?8 2?DH6CD E@ |65:42C6 7C2F5 :? r2=:7@C?:2]k^AmkAm{@D p?86=6D r@F?EJ :D E96 D:E6 @7 DFDA64E65 =2C86\D42=6 |65:42C6 7C2F5 :?G@=G:?8 9@>6 962=E9 286?4:6D 2?5 9@DA:46 286?4:6D]k^Am kAmp r2=:7@C?:2 DE2E6 2F5:E@C’D C6A@CE ?@E65 2 “C2A:5[ 5:DAC@A@CE:@?2E6 8C@HE9 :? E96 ?F>36C @7 9@DA:46 286?4:6D” :? E96 r@F?EJ] s2E2 7C@> E96 C6A@CE 2?5 ww$ D9@H65 E92E >@C6 E92? b`T @7 &?:E65 $E2E6D 9@DA:46 286?4:6D H6C6 :? {@D p?86=6D r@F?EJPk^AmkAm%92E ?F>36C H2D D@ =2C86[ x 2D<65 >J E62> E@ 5@F3=6 4964< E96 724ED[ 3642FD6 x 4@F=5?’E 36=:6G6 E92E :E H@F=5 36 b`T @7 2== 9@DA:46 286?4:6D :? E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am kAmqFE rq$ }6HD D2JD E96C6 2C6 C@F89=J `[g__ 9@DA:46D :? {@D p?86=6D r@F?EJ] p44@C5:?8 E@ E96 r6?E6CD 7@C s:D62D6 r@?EC@= 2?5 !C6G6?E:@?[ E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 92D d[g__ 9@DA:46 42C6 286?4:6D] %9FD[ b`T 2AA62CD E@ 36 4@CC64E]k^Am kAmu@==@H:?8 @FC AFD9 7@C ww$ 24E:@? :? r2=:7@C?:2[ r6?E6CD 7@C |65:42C6 U2>Aj |65:42:5 $6CG:46D Wr|$X p5>:?:DEC2E@C sC] |69>6E ~K 2?5 ':46 !C6D:56?E '2?46 2C6 6I64FE:?8 @? #6AF3=:42?D’ 2?E:\7C2F5 4CFD256]k^AmkAm|@C6 E92? c__ 9@DA:46D 2?5 ab 9@>6 962=E9 286?4:6D :? r2=:7@C?:2 92G6 366? DFDA6?565] {68:E:>2E6 r2=:7@C?:2 AC@G:56CD 92:=65 E96 %CF>A p5>:?:DEC2E:@? 7@C H@C<:?8 E@ 9@=5 7C2F5F=6?E 9@DA:46 2?5 9@>6 962=E9 286?4:6D 244@F?E23=6 E92E 92G6 6IA=@:E65 D6?:@CD 2?5 E96:C 72>:=:6D]k^Am kAmx 2> 4@>>:EE65 E@ F?4@G6C:?8 E96 6IE6?E E@ H9:49 7C2F5F=6?E 24E:G:EJ :D AC6D6?E :? 7656C2= AC@8C2>D]k^Am kAm|@G:?8 7@CH2C5[ x 2> 4@?7:56?E H6 42? 4@?E:?F6 E9:D :?G6DE:82E:G6 H@C<]k^AmkAm(2DE67F= DA6?5:?8 2?5 7C2F5F=6?E 23FD6 @7 E2IA2J6C 7F?5D 2C6 ?@E ;FDE :? 962=E9 42C6]k^AmkAmx? E96 ``gE9 r@?8C6DD[ x 96=A65 =625 2 D6A2C2E6 :?G6DE:82E:@? :?E@ E96 q:56?\w2CC:D “vC66? qFD v:G62H2J]”k^AmkAm%9:D C25:42= 6?G:C@?>6?E2=:DE 677@CE D@F89E E@ EC2?D:E:@? @FC D49@@= 3FD 7=66E E@ 6=64EC:4 3FD6D] %@ 5@ D@[ q:56?\w2CC:D 4C62E65 2 DF3D:5:K65 AC@8C2> E92E 925 =:EE=6 8F2C5C2:=D :? A=246]k^Am kAmp44@C5:?8=J[ >J r@>>:EE66’D C6A@CE 7@F?5 >2DD:G6 :DDF6D H:E9 E96 =24< @7 DF77:4:6?E AC@8C2> @G6CD:89E] $66>:?8=J[ E96 q:56?\w2CC:D p5>:?:DEC2E:@? H2D >@C6 :?E6C6DE65 :? CFD9:?8 7F?5D E@ 2AA=:42?ED E92? >2<:?8 DFC6 E96 3FD6D 24EF2==J H@C<65 2?5 H6C6 56=:G6C65 @? E:>6]k^AmkAmx H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 7:89E 282:?DE DF49 H2DE67F= DA6?5:?8 :? @FC 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E]k^AmkAm~E96C 24E:@?D x 92G6 E2<6? :?4=F56 >J DFAA@CE 7@C #6AF3=:42?D’ a_ad C6D4:DD:@?D A24<286[ 4FEE:?8 DA6?5:?8] xE H2D E96 7:CDE DF446DD7F==J 6?24E65 C6D4:DD:@?D A24<286 D:?46 `hhaPk^Am kAm%9:D A24<286 E2C86E65 “p>6C:42 {2DE” A@=:4:6D E92E D6?E >:==:@?D E@ H2DE67F= &?:E65 }2E:@?D AC@8C2>D[ 8@G6C?>6?E\7F?565 @G6CD62D {vq%" AC@8C2>D 2?5 4=:>2E6 24E:G:D>]k^Am kAmq@=5 24E:@? :D ?66565 E@ 4@?7C@?E E96 23F?52?E H2DE6[ 7C2F5 2?5 23FD6 :? @FC 8@G6C?>6?E]k^AmkAmpD 2 r@?8C6DD:@?2= =6256C :? E96 “(2CD @? (2DE6 2?5 uC2F5[” x H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 7:89E E@ 6?DFC6 &]$] 7656C2= AC@8C2>D D6CG6 E96 p>6C:42? A6@A=6[ 2?5 ?@E E96 32?< 244@F?ED @7 7C2F5DE6CD]k^Am 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Former SCCH doctor indicted by federal grand jury on 7 charges On April 29, a one-time doctor at Smyth County Community Hospital was arraigned on seven federal indictments related to an alleged sexual rela… Marion firefighters help battle Wytheville blaze, welcome long-awaited engine On April 25, a building familiar to many people burned. The building, most commonly associated with its stint as a Bob Evans restaurant, was d… Oak Point teacher honored in Richmond ceremony Tuesday, Hunter Trivette was honored as one of Virginia’s Regional Teachers of the Year as the Commonwealth named its Teacher of the Year from… Meet Jarek: Smyth County's Pet of the Week Smyth County Animal Shelter’s Pet of the Week is Jarek, who has been in the shelter’s care for 90 days with no interest. Medical debt eliminated for nearly 7K Smyth residents A regional non-profit working with the national Undue Medical Debt has eliminated medical debt for area residents that totaled $51,348,305. Tw…
Former SCCH doctor indicted by federal grand jury on 7 charges On April 29, a one-time doctor at Smyth County Community Hospital was arraigned on seven federal indictments related to an alleged sexual rela…
Marion firefighters help battle Wytheville blaze, welcome long-awaited engine On April 25, a building familiar to many people burned. The building, most commonly associated with its stint as a Bob Evans restaurant, was d…
Oak Point teacher honored in Richmond ceremony Tuesday, Hunter Trivette was honored as one of Virginia’s Regional Teachers of the Year as the Commonwealth named its Teacher of the Year from…
Meet Jarek: Smyth County's Pet of the Week Smyth County Animal Shelter’s Pet of the Week is Jarek, who has been in the shelter’s care for 90 days with no interest.
Medical debt eliminated for nearly 7K Smyth residents A regional non-profit working with the national Undue Medical Debt has eliminated medical debt for area residents that totaled $51,348,305. Tw…