Maryland governor says Glenn Youngkin doesn’t support the FBI as states vye for new building

A competition between Virginia and Maryland to host the new FBI headquarters heated up this week with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore slamming Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s prior criticism of the agency.

“I’m the only chief executive of the two states that actually says, ‘I believe in the mission of the FBI and I don’t believe it should be defunded,’” he said during an interview with WTOP radio. “If I’m incorrect, I know Gov. Youngkin will correct me and he will come out publicly and vocally say, ‘I believe in the mission of the FBI, I believe the FBI should be funded, and I believe that the attacks on the FBI are unfair.’”

Many Republicans legislators — including Youngkin — took aim at the FBI last year after the agency executed a search warrant at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Some Republicans in Congress have since called for the FBI to be defunded.

“I think that should matter and I think it does matter,” said Moore, a Democrat.

Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter dismissed Moore’s remarks as a “partisan attack.”

“Virginia is well-positioned to support the FBI headquarters with a diverse workforce, extensive transportation network and close proximity to public and private sector partners,” she wrote in a Monday email. “Virginia’s competitive advantage is clear.”

The FBI’s raid stemmed from an investigation into whether the former president kept classified documents at the Palm Beach property. Trump is now facing 37 federal charges related to the mishandling of sensitive documents.

The day after the raid, Youngkin took to Twitter to slam the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice.

“A stunning move by the DOJ and FBI,” he wrote. “Selective, politically motivated actions have no place in our democracy.”

After news of Trump’s federal indictment broke last month, Youngkin similarly weighed in.

“These charges are unprecedented and it’s a sad day for our country, especially in light of what clearly appears to be a two-tiered justice system where some are selectively prosecuted, and others are not,” Youngkin wrote on Twitter, without naming the former president.

The FBI is currently headed by Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee.

Virginia and Maryland are vying to host the new FBI headquarters, which will be relocated from the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. Youngkin, as well as Virginia U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, made their final pitches in March to the General Services Administration.

If Virginia is selected, the headquarters would be based in Springfield. Maryland is advocating for the FBI to move to one of two sites in Prince George’s County — Greenbelt or Landover. All three sites are in the suburbs of Washington.

On Monday, a spokesperson for Kaine said there was no given time frame for when the states will learn which site has been chosen.

The two governors previously sparred in a more light-hearted way, with Moore challenging Youngkin to a basketball game in March.

“Let’s go one on one, winner gets the new FBI headquarters,” Moore wrote on Twitter, along with a clip of himself shooting hoops.

“Game on,” responded Youngkin, who posted a clip of himself sinking a 3-point shot.

Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com