To Governor Glenn Youngkin, Attorney General Jason Miyares, Members of the Virginia General Assembly, and Members of the Virginia Press:

It has now been over nine weeks since I began raising the alarm about the confirmed abuse, neglect, and Medicare/Medicaid fraud taking place at Harrisonburg Health & Rehabilitation Center—and the larger crisis infecting long-term care facilities across Virginia. What I’ve received in return is silence, evasion, and now, censorship.

This week, Delegate Terry Austin’s office blocked me on Facebook after I left the following public comment on one of his many recreational photo ops:

“Glad to see you out enjoying the sunshine, Delegate Austin—because for the last two months, I’ve been trying to get your attention on Dale’s Law, a bill to stop elder abuse, neglect, and Medicare fraud in Virginia’s long-term care system. No response. Not even a nibble.
I guess it’s easier to go ‘Hooked on Fishing’ than hooked on accountability. Easier to pose with trout than to take a stand for vulnerable seniors. Easier to support outdoor traditions than support the people stuck inside underfunded, understaffed care facilities.
Here’s an idea: next time you’re out there fishing, maybe try reeling in some integrity. Because the folks suffering in silence across your district? They don’t need a photo op. They need a lawmaker who shows up when it counts.”

Shortly after posting that, I was blocked—not debated, not corrected, not engaged with. Just silenced. This came after his office claimed they had not received any emails from me, despite me using the address listed on the Virginia General Assembly website: deltAustin@house.virginia.gov.

Meanwhile, Senator Mark Obenshain continues to posture on social media about public safety and senior welfare while refusing to take meaningful action. Since his March 28 post, his office has done nothing to address the crisis—not a single bill, hearing, or follow-up. But his aide did find time to tell a grieving family member that pushing this issue as emergency legislation would be “too difficult.”

Tell me: What exactly is too difficult?
 • Protecting seniors from abuse?
 • Holding corporate owners accountable for Medicare fraud?
 • Prioritizing human lives over campaign donations?

Apparently, the General Assembly has no difficulty banning books, regulating bathrooms, or chasing culture war headlines—but the abuse and medical neglect of our most vulnerable citizens is a bridge too far.

And here’s where I turn to you—members of the press:

Where are you?
Where are the headlines?
Where are the investigative stories?
Where is the pressure that a functioning democracy relies on?

The facts are not in dispute:
 • Patients have suffered confirmed neglect and infection.
 • State regulators documented violations.
 • Not a single elected official has introduced emergency legislation.
 • Medicare and Medicaid fraud are being committed on your watch—with taxpayer dollars.

If the human cost hasn’t moved you, maybe felony fraud will.

This is your story.
This is your moment to stand for the truth, for transparency, and for the people who can’t shout for themselves.

So again, I call for immediate action:
 1. Revoke the license of Harrisonburg Health & Rehabilitation Center.
 2. Pass Dale’s Law, establishing mandatory staffing standards and nursing home admissions reform.
 3. Launch a full investigation into long-term care fraud, abuse, and the failure of Virginia’s oversight systems—including the roles of legislators who’ve chosen silence over service.

The people suffering in these facilities can’t wait. And the public shouldn’t have to wait for you to decide when it’s convenient to care.

Sincerely,
Victoria Jackson
Constituent | CNA | Long-Term Care Advocate
Author of Dale’s Law: The Virginia Long-Term Care Quality and Nursing Admissions Reform Act of 2025