Race for Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney: Ramin Fatehi vs. John Butler and Where is the Money Coming From?
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Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi Has a Well Funded Challenger
JUSTICE, MONEY AND RACE. Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi (pronounced FAT A HAY) has served as a prosecutor in Norfolk since 2012. He is a rare former public defender as well as being aa state and federal prosecutor in a world where prosecutors are celebrated.
The defense of being “tough on crime” has been used for decades to win against anyone who speaks loudly about root causes, disproportionate impact on Black communities or issues of police brutality.
Under a “statement of principles” on his site, Fatehi “goes there” on race.
“The legacy of systemic racism—from redlining to segregation to community disinvestment—continues to harm people and undermine public safety. Children should be treated as children, and the School-to-Prison Pipeline should be shut down,” the third and fourth principles declare.
Below: Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi, center, with two of his strongest supporters: Rep. Scott and Speaker Scott.
Crime is down in Norfolk but sitting Commonwealth’s Attorney Fatehi has a well financed challenger in John Butler, an Assistant Attorney General under former Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring. Butler is supported by several monied interest (see below) as well as Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander. Over $700,000, and counting, has been spent on the race.
Fatehi is supported by Rep. Bobby Scott and Virginia House Speaker Don Scott. Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Fatehi is a rare progressive prosecutor who has never dialed down his language on race and the justice system. The question is: Did that make him a target?
The cold bottom line fact is that the prison industry makes money from how many people can be fed through the system and how many beds can be filled in detention centers. Progressive prosecutors across the U.S., many of them Black, have been targeted with creative and rare prosecutions (Marilyn Mosby, Tish James) and become the focus of anyone disinterested in systemic change in the justice system.
“Ramin is a proud Democrat, a progressive prosecutor, and Norfolk’s champion for criminal justice reform. Ramin has led the charge in Norfolk to fund Virginia’s first Witness Protection Program, to decriminalize and legalize marijuana possession, to abolish cash bail, to abolish the jury trial penalty, and to make the justice system honor the principle that Black Lives Matter,” reads a paragraph at the top of Fatehi’s web page. — Lauren Victoria Burke
Where is John Butler’s Money Coming From?
By Jamar Billingsley ⚖️ Jon Butler, longtime prosecutor now challenger for Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, has raised a record-breaking $558,897 between Jan. 13 and March 31, 2025, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. With $462,159 cash on hand at the end of the quarter, Butler’s campaign has one of the biggest campaign funds ever seen in a Virginia prosecutor’s race.
But while those numbers are impressive on paper, many folks around Norfolk are asking a real question: Where is all this money coming from? Butler told a community meeting recently, “This isn’t about money—it’s about momentum.”
He says people are investing in a vision of justice that finally works for everybody. But the list of big donors doesn’t always match that message. According to VPAP, Marathon Development Group gave $20,000, and individuals like Miles Leon, David Goode, and Charles McPhillips each gave $10,000 or more. That kind of cash from wealthy donors makes some in the community uneasy.
I hear people saying, “If this campaign’s really built on conversations and concerns, why’s the money coming from deep pockets?” It’s a fair question when you think about the folks who’ve been left behind by the system for years. WAVY-TV reported this is one of the most expensive races around, and donors are, “opening their wallets like never before.” But when money talks this loud, it can drown out the voices of everyday people.
Two weeks ago, Butler and incumbent Ramin Fatehi met at a community forum. Butler said, “It’s time to depoliticize the office. We’ve got to stop making decisions based on ideology and start looking at what’s best for the people.”
But here’s the thing — when you have this kind of money backing you, people want to know if those ideals are for real or if the money’s steering the ship.
Norfolk voters aren’t just picking a name on a ballot. They’re deciding who can truly bring justice to a city that’s been ignored for too long. And right now, a lot of those voters are asking themselves: Who’s really behind this money? And more importantly, who’s really behind the people?
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