Anti-gay Va. politico gets recall effort delayed after judge recuses himself

LEESBURG, Va. — A recall effort against a Loudoun County supervisor known for anti-gay rhetoric is temporarily on hold after a judge recused himself.

Petitioners are seeking to oust Republican Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio under a rarely used Virginia law that allows a trial on an elected official’s alleged neglect of duty or incompetence.

The petition alleges Delgaudio used county staff to solicit donations for his conservative advocacy group, Public Advocate of the United States, which is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Get the Daily Brief

The news you care about, reported on by the people who care about you:

Subscribe to our Newsletter

At a hearing Tuesday, Judge Burke McCahill said all Loudoun County judges are recusing themselves and that the state Supreme Court will appoint a judge to hear the case.

Last year, Delgaudio was formally censured by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in the wake of a grand jury report that suggested he misused county funds and his staff.

Article continues below

The action followed a grand jury investigation that Delgaudio misused county resources for personal and political gain. The grand jury concluded its investigation but did not bring an indictment against him.

Delgaudio is also the target of a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Denver over alleged copyright violations by Delgaudio and his Public Advocate group for using a same-sex couple’s engagement photo in an anti-gay mailer.

The suit was brought by the SPLC on behalf of the couple and their photographer.