LEESBURG, Va. — Loudoun County's Commonwealth's Attorney Buta Biberaj is running for reelection. She made the announcement in front of the Loudoun County Courthouse on Monday with supporters and protesters present.
A group of protesters carrying signs saying 'Boot Buta' stood on the side as she made her announcement. Some of them would yell for her resignation.
“I ran for office to bring much-needed change to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office with a fairer approach to justice that focused our resources on protecting victims of violent crimes and investing in treatment alternatives to reduce recidivism.” Biberaj said in a press statement. “I’m proud that our work is delivering results for the people of Loudoun County - and I’m honored to announce my campaign for re-election.”
Biberaj, the first female elected into her position, has been a controversial figure in the county. Despite ongoing criticism, Biberaj said she wants to continue the work her office has accomplished so far to make the county a safer place.
She touted a drop in violent crimes, more funding for sexual assault prevention and victim support, and a more holistic approach to criminal justice reform. Biberaj also took aim at Governor Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, and Attorney General Jason Miyares, R-Virginia, for trying to make Loudoun County "political football."
"As I've stated before, they need to stay in their lane," Biberaj said. "I stood up against those who have tried to bring divisive politics from DC or Richmond because those are not Loudoun County values."
Contrary to her stance, community members against Biberaj said the county has gone down a wrong direction since she took office. She has been accused of mismanagement, providing a lack of training, bungling certain cases and high turnover rate amid heavy workloads.
Sean Kennedy of Virginians for Safe Communities said her office has improperly handled domestic abuse cases.
"Buta Biberaj needs to go," Kennedy said Monday. "We're here to show that the people of Loudoun County are not going to reelect her, and do not support her and her policies."
Biberaj received recent backlash after she announced that she wants to re-prioritize who prosecutes certain misdemeanor charges because her office has been inundated, according to a letter to local judges.
Biberaj announced in a letter, which was addressed on Dec. 30, that their attorneys will focus on the "prosecution of jury trials in Circuit Court, and crimes that are violent and pose greater harm to our community." This means that misdemeanors such as hit-and-runs and trespassing will be taken on local courts instead.
Biberaj said they need to focus on cases including DUIs and assaults in General District Court and violent crimes in the Juvenile Courts such as crimes against children. Taking on lower-level crimes impacts their availability, the letter stated.
"She's overloaded because she can't manage retain to staff. That's her fault," Kennedy replied.
Following her announcement, Biberaj responded to questions about the turnover rate and empty positions. She said the changes are part of a transforming department.
"Nobody hired me to do the same old job," she said. "I didn't take a job to do the same old job. I took the job to make transformative change, and to make transformative change, you have to change the culture. To change the culture, you have to change the people. Some people come. Some people stay. Some people go."
Biberaj also addressed new criticism that she might be using her position for political and personal reasons when she filed Freedom of Information Act requests for communications and documents about her office from board of supervisors, other county officials, political opponents and former prosecutors and reporters. Some of them include former Loudoun County prosecutor Nicole Wittmann, currently with the Office of Virginia Attorney General, and Elizabeth Lancaster, her current opponent for Commonwealth's Attorney.
"The idea that Buta Biberaj is targeting political opponents is unsurprising but should be outrageous and shocking," Kennedy added.
"When you have individuals making false reports and alleging there are documents and information, then I deserve to come to the people of Loudoun County and say let's get the information," Biberaj said.
So far, her campaign has been endorsed by 12 current and former Virginia leaders.
Her reelection is expected to be a contentious one.
In 2021, Biberaj said she was the target of multiple death threats.
Biberaj is a first-generation Muslim immigrant and has been portrayed by multiple far-right websites as an "immigrant" prosecutor who targeted the father of a school rape victim.
"I received multiple death threats directed specifically at me," Biberaj said at the time. "They've been mainly through telephone. I received one on my personal cell phone, which indicated the following phase... 'We're coming for you, b---!' We received a specific death threat to the office phone, and that was in the game that there was an intent to kill me," she said.
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