COURT WIN: Virginia Judge Rules Against Leftist School Board for Destroying Records
In a big win for Restoration News, a judge found the Essex School Board violated the Freedom of Information Act on two counts.
Essex School Board member Garlyn Bundy failed to turn over requested documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to Restoration News. In response, we filed a lawsuit against the Virginia school board and the judge ruled in our favor after learning Bundy destroyed the record we requested. Now Bundy could be facing criminal charges, removal from office, and prohibition from ever holding elected office again in Virginia.
Garlyn Bundy is one of five members of the Essex County School Board in Virginia's Northern Neck region. In July 2025, the Virginia State Police confirmed there was an active investigation of the school board regarding the alleged misappropriation of funds. At the time, Bundy was at the center of the controversy as chairman of the school board.
Under Bundy's leadership, the Essex County School Board was forced to return nearly half a million dollars to the Virginia Department of Education due to improper reporting of special education funding. In 2025, the school board faced a deficit of $1.4 million owed to the Essex Board of Supervisors—a large chunk of its $20 million budget. The superintendent at the time was put on administrative leave and ultimately retired and a new school board chairman was elected. Bundy remained on the board after she stepped down, and she was reelected to the board for another four-year term in November 2025.
During the FOIA case against Essex School Board on April 3, 2026, Bundy admitted she was forced to step down from her position as chair by her colleagues in June 2025. During the board's June 29, 2025 meeting, Bundy read a public statement that caused quite a stir. She made allegations of impropriety against the assistant superintendent, Doranda Scott, and other board members. After the meeting, Scott's attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bundy demanding she apologize and stop "making false statements regarding Ms. Scott." That letter revealed that another individual, Dr. Gene Quarles, authored the statement read by Bundy at the school board meeting. At the time, Quarles and his wife were subject to a "stay off property" order from Essex schools due to prior alleged aggressive behavior.
Restoration News made a FOIA request for all communications between Bundy and Quarles. Initially we were told all documents related to our FOIA were produced. Then Bundy's personal attorney stated Bundy's personal email account was not subject to FOIA—an improper interpretation of the law. Restoration News told Bundy's attorney that any communications related to school board business must be produced—even from her personal account.
The judge agreed and ruled in favor of Restoration News. He found the Essex School Board to be in violation of FOIA on two counts: Not producing records in a timely manner and non-production of records.
The taxpayer will have to foot the bill for Bundy's actions since the judge also awarded plaintiff's attorney's fees be paid—she cannot be held personally liable. The whole school board is on the hook for Bundy's actions since the board is a "body corporate" and can only be sued collectively, not individually in this situation.
Criminal Charges and Removal from Office
On the witness stand, Restoration News' attorney Tim Anderson questioned Garlyn Bundy about why all records weren't produced. Among the documents initially received was a copy of the statement Bundy read at the school board meeting when she was forced to step down. Yet the specific email Quarles sent to Bundy, to which the document was attached, was never turned over to Restoration News.
Bundy further explained that she reached out to the Virginia School Boards Association saying, "they pretty much basically advised me of what I should say or how I should express myself." Then she reached out to Quarles who helped her draft the statement and then he emailed it to her.
Attorney Anderson asked Bundy why she didn't produce that email. Bundy said, "In my personal email account . . . I basically delete as I receive certain things . . . I delete quite often." Attorney Anderson responded, "Is that what happened in this case?" and Bundy replied, "Oh, absolutely."
Virginia code 18.2-472 states that if any public officer destroys any record "in his keeping and belonging to his office, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and shall forfeit his office and be forever incapable of holding any office of honor, profit, or trust under the Constitution of Virginia."
Garlyn Bundy's destruction of public records isn't merely FOIA violation, it's a crime. By deleting emails pertaining to her role as an elected public official, she has not only undermined the public's right to information but now faces potential criminal charges and removal from office.
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