Top Gop Nominee In Virginia Race Defiant After Youngkin Advisor Denies ‘extortion’ Claims

The run for Virginia’s Republican nominee for lieutenant politician is pushing backmost amid a firestorm of contention and Republican infighting successful Virginia, which has pitted nan nominee against Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

A root acquainted pinch nan conversations told Fox News Digital that a Youngkin advisor attempted to solicit business from nan lieutenant governor nominee conscionable days earlier allegedly attempting to extort him.

John Reid, nan Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, is refusing to driblet retired of nan title aft being pressured to do truthful by nan politician because of lewd photos he allegedly posted connected a Tumblr account.

In a video posted connected Sunday, Reid, who is gay, denied that nan Tumblr relationship pinch lewd photos belonged to him. He said he would not backmost down from nan title and accused nan Youngkin-linked Spirit of Virginia governmental action committee, which is tally by Matt Moran, of attempted "extortion." Reid besides said Spirit of Virginia offered to acquisition nan antagonistic investigation against him gathered by Republican-aligned America Rising PAC and to bring an extremity to nan antagonistic coverage.

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Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (Right) explained that he wanted Lt. Gov. nominee John Reid to measurement down from title because allegations were a "distraction," but added that nan "decision is John’s and up to John." (John Reid Campaign/AP)

Reid’s squad revenge a cease-and-desist missive against Moran connected Monday. Moran has since revenge an affidavit successful which he denied attempting to extort Reid's team, saying, "I ne'er attacked John and did not frighten aliases coerce him" and "I communicated what I genuinely believed was successful his champion interests successful my judgement." 

Moran said he was "clear successful nan gathering that I had acted connected nan accusation arsenic a friend and workfellow of John Reid, and adamantly contradict nan characterization of nan meeting." 

However, audio of an April 25 speech pinch Moran and Reid’s team, which was obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital, casts uncertainty connected Moran’s characterization of nan conversation.

During nan conversation, Moran stated that "if John were to measurement speech … I would spell bargain it each from America Rising, if that's what you want. The run could spell bargain it each from America Rising."

At different constituent successful nan conversation, Moran states that "it is successful nary one's champion liking for immoderate of this to continue" and that if Reid "stays successful nan race, it is going to continue."

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The Virginia State Capitol (AP Photo/Steve Helber/File)

"That hurts our candidates up and down nan ticket," said Moran, adding, "Him getting retired of nan title is nan only measurement it stops, and then, yeah, it perfectly would person to extremity forevermore aft that."

Additionally, a root acquainted pinch nan conversations told Fox News Digital that Moran sounded nan Reid run services from his advertising company, Creative Direct, successful a speech connected April 21.

Youngkin has explained his determination to inquire Reid to measurement down by saying that "explicit societal media contented for illustration this is simply a distraction" and "it’s a distraction for campaigns, and it’s a distraction from group paying attraction to nan astir important issues."

He noted, however, that "the determination is John’s and up to John."

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Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

A spokesperson for Reid’s run claimed successful a connection to Fox News Digital that "the threat was clear" successful nan April 25 speech and that "Moran’s affidavit denying it is not accurate."

The spokesperson added that "it’s profoundly unfortunate he chose to create this distraction for nan statement aft failing to unafraid business for himself from nan campaign."

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In consequence to these accusations, Moran referred Fox News Digital to Wednesday's X post successful which he said, "I've known John Reid for years and see him a friend" and that "over nan past 9 days, I was actively supporting and assisting John arsenic nan Lt. Governor nominee of nan Republican Party." 

"Let maine beryllium clear, facts matter, and they will show nan accusations against maine are unfounded," Moran said. 

The X station Moran shared included a missive from his attorney, George Terwilliger, successful which nan lawyer stated that "the facts, evidence, and witnesses would show that Mr. Moran ne'er attempted to extort, coerce, aliases unit Mr. Reid straight aliases indirectly, but alternatively arsenic a seasoned master endeavored to supply sound proposal regarding nan viability of Mr. Reid's candidacy to personification he counted arsenic a friend."