Susanna Gibson, a Democrat Running for Virginia House of Delegates, Denounces Sharing of Private Videos as a Violation of Law and Privacy
RICHMOND, VA – Susanna Gibson, a Democratic candidate running for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, has condemned the release of private videos featuring her engaging in sexual activities with her husband, which were posted on a pornographic website. The campaign for Gibson, who is contesting a district just outside Richmond, Virginia, issued a statement on Monday denouncing the sharing of the videos, deeming it a violation of the law and her privacy. Gibson strongly criticized the exposure of these videos as “the worst gutter politics” and expressed her determination not to be intimidated or silenced by her political opponents.
The videos of Susanna Gibson came to public attention when screenshots from the explicit content were shared with The Associated Press. This revelation adds an explosive dimension to the legislative contest in Virginia, which carries significant implications for the balance of power in the Virginia General Assembly. The race has garnered substantial spending and national interest, despite being an off-year legislative election.
Currently, Democrats hold a four-vote margin in the Virginia Senate, while Republicans control the Virginia House of Delegates by the same margin, with four seats vacant. The ongoing legislative battles are intensified, especially with Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin seeking to advance his conservative agenda with full control of the state government.
Gibson has strongly condemned the exposure of these videos, labeling it an “illegal invasion of my privacy designed to humiliate me and my family.” Her attorney, Daniel P. Watkins, emphasized that disseminating these videos constitutes a violation of Virginia’s revenge porn law. This law criminalizes the malicious dissemination or sale of nude or sexual images of another person with the intent to coerce, harass, or intimidate.
Watkins cited a 2021 Virginia Court of Appeals ruling that deemed it unlawful for an individual to secretly record their partner during a consensual sexual encounter, even if the video was not shown to others. The court ruled that consent to being seen is not equivalent to consent to being recorded.
Susanna Gibson, a 40-year-old nurse practitioner and mother of two, won the Democratic primary in June and is now facing Republican businessman David Owen in one of the most competitive districts in Virginia. Owen issued a statement in response to the situation, expressing his focus on his campaign.
Prominent Virginia Democrat Senator L. Louise Lucas promptly came to Susanna Gibson’s defense following the news of the videos, vowing to make it the most substantial fundraising day of her campaign.
The electoral contest between Gibson and Owen is taking place in the 57th District, which encompasses Richmond suburbs in Henrico and Goochland counties. In the 2021 election, the district favored Glenn Youngkin by a margin of 51.2% to 48.3%. However, in the 2022 congressional midterm elections, the district exhibited a narrower split, with 50% voting Democratic and 49.1% voting Republican.
Susanna Gibson’s decision to run for office was influenced by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Screenshots of Gibson’s activities revealed that she had an account on Chaturbate, a legal website that allows viewers to watch live webcam performances featuring nudity and sexual activity. In the videos, both Gibson and her husband, John David Gibson, engaged in sexual acts and at times asked viewers for donations in the form of “tokens” or “tips” to access a private show.
These Chaturbate videos are streamed live on the site and are often archived on other publicly accessible platforms. Recurbate, one such platform, archived over a dozen videos under Gibson’s Chaturbate username in September 2022, a month after she announced her candidacy. The most recent archives were from September 30, 2022, although the exact date of the livestream remains unclear.