Virginia lawmakers expressed outrage Tuesday over a report on flaws in the selection of Greenbelt as the site for the new headquarters of the FBI.
The inspector general of the General Services Administration published a report Monday that noted “inaccurate information” and other issues in an agency official overruling an advisory panel’s recommendation to relocate the FBI in Springfield, Virginia, and selecting the Maryland suburb instead.
“To allow one individual to swoop down and unilaterally reverse every judged criterion and upend a unanimous decision boggles the mind and in no way could be considered fair or transparent,” Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat representing the Springfield area, told The Washington Times.
Virginia state Sen. Jeremy McPike, a Democrat representing Quantico, said the overruled selection criteria showed that Springfield had a “more organic connection” to FBI activities.
“Clearly, someone put a thumb on the scales,” Mr. McPike said. “Virginia would be the best place for the FBI, and I hope there’s still an opportunity for that to happen.”
Congressional Democrats and FBI leaders demanded an investigation in November 2023 after a Biden administration appointee in the GSA overruled a three-member panel’s recommendation that the agency relocate to Springfield. The FBI has sought to replace the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building, its longtime headquarters near the White House.
The GSA inspector general’s redacted findings noted improperly weighted cost estimates, missing cellphone records and a lack of data justifying racial equity claims that Biden appointee Nina Albert cited to quash the FBI’s desire to be closer to its training facility in Quantico.
Ms. Albert, now the D.C. deputy mayor for planning and economic development, did not respond to a request for comment. The IG report found she did not violate federal ethics guidelines in reversing the site selection process.
Officials in Prince William County, which includes the town of Quantico, called on the GSA to reboot the site selection process.
“It is my hope the facts that have come to light can lead to the process being re-opened, investigated, and for the decision to be ultimately reconsidered to align with the recommendation of the panel,” said Kenny A. Boddye, a member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors overseeing the Occoquan District.
The offices of Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, Virginia Democrats, said in a joint statement that they are “still carefully reviewing the GSA OIG’s report and considering next steps.”
The office of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, declined to comment.
Despite identifying flaws in the selection process, the GSA inspector general did not recommend canceling the Greenbelt project or restarting the site search. The new headquarters are projected to open in 2036 after a lengthy construction period.
Maryland Democratic leaders — Gov. Wes Moore, Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, and Reps. Steny H. Hoyer and Glenn Ivey — emphasized in a joint statement that the report found “no conflict of interest in the selection of Greenbelt.”
“Nothing in this report disputes the GSA’s selection of Greenbelt as the future home of the FBI,” they said. “We look forward to welcoming the FBI to Maryland and moving this project forward.”
Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan, a Democrat, called his city a “shovel-ready site” with clear construction advantages over Springfield.
“While the challenges identified in the IG’s findings are important, Greenbelt remains the most cost-effective location and responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” Mr. Jordan said. “It will have a significant impact on economic growth in Prince George’s County.”
Deshundra Jefferson, chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, called that reasoning “terribly flawed” based on Springfield’s convenient location between the District and Quantico.
“I’m struggling to understand why GSA is moving forward with the decision to relocate to Greenbelt knowing that the site selection process was tainted,” Ms. Jefferson said.
• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.