Dogwood Daily: Unite the Right rally organizer arrested

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood Daily. We’ve got a round-up of all of today’s Virginia news coming right up.

But first…

2020 marks the 100th anniversary since the federal government legalized a women’s right to vote with the 19th Amendment. A task force in Virginia is organizing several exhibitions and events to commemorate.

Five things you need to know today …

1. Unite the Right rally organizer arrested– Elliott Kline, one of the organizers of the Unite the Right rally, is in custody after he turned himself in for contempt of court on Monday. Kline was found to be in contempt of court after he failed to turn over evidence for a civil suit that has been filed against organizers of the deadly 2017 rally. The federal lawsuit alleges there was a conspiracy to commit acts of racist violence and seeks a court ruling prohibiting future violations and financial judgments. -WSET 
   
2. Landowners file lawsuit against Federal Energy Regulatory Commission– Last week, landowners in the planned path of the Mountain Valley Natural Gas Pipeline filed a lawsuit against the company and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of “eminent domain” laws and whether FERC has the constitutional authority to seize private land. The pipeline project is nearly complete, but construction is currently on hold while the Mountain Valley Natural Gas Pipeline waits on several environmental permits. -WVTF 
   
3. Taylor announces candidacy for old House seat– Republican Scott Taylor announced that he is ending his campaign against Sen. Mark R Warren (D). Instead, Taylor announced he will run for his old seat in the House of Representatives, which he lost to Rep. Elaine Luria (D) in November. Luria is one of seven freshman Democrats who announced their support for the impeachment inquiry against President Trump in September. Taylor is entering the field with another GOP candidate, Ben Loyola, who is a retired Navy captain. -The Washington Post 
   
4. Virginia Beach City Council approves Second Amendment designation– Virginia Beach City Council voted to become a “Second Amendment Constitutional City” Monday evening. The council did not go so far as to declare itself a gun “sanctuary” city, which would have encouraged law enforcement to ignore gun safety laws. While Virginia Beach is one of several hundred cities to pass such laws, the decision drew heightened attention as the city experienced a mass shooting in May that left 12 people dead. -WAVY 
   
5. Alexandria to purchase Freedom House– The city of Alexandria announced plans to purchase and restore the Freedom House, which once served as a slave pen before the Civil War and now serves as a museum. City officials shared the announcement, ending months of negotiations with the site’s previous owner, the Northern Virginia Urban League. The city plans to expand the exhibits at the location, which tell the building’s tragic history. Between 1828 and 1836, the property served as headquarters for one of the nation’s largest slave-trading businesses. -The Washington Post