# Don Scott (Virginia politician)

Don Leonard Scott Jr. (born March 5, 1965) is an American lawyer, politician, veteran, and convicted but pardoned felon. A Democrat, he is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 88th district. He was minority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2022 to 2024. On January 10, 2024, he became Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. He is the first black speaker in Virginia's history.

## Early life and education

Don Scott was born on March 5, 1965 in Houston, Texas. He was raised in Houston, by a single mother of six children. Scott attended a magnet high school for aerodynamics before attending and graduating from Texas A&M University with a degree in agriculture.
Scott served as a naval officer until 1991 when he received an honorable discharge. He served on the destroyer USS John Hancock (DD-981). Following his time in the U.S. Navy, Scott obtained a JD from Louisiana State University Law School in 1994.

## Career
### Legal

In 2002, Scott took an entry-level position at KRA Corporation, a workforce development company. During his time at KRA, Scott relocated to Portsmouth, Virginia, and eventually became senior vice President at the firm.
In 2015, Scott was admitted to the bar and opened his own firm, where he practiced criminal defense, family law, and civil cases. In 2022, Scott joined Breit Biniazan Trial Lawyers as a partner.

### Political

Scott filed to run to represent the 80th district in the 2019 Virginia House of Delegates election after the resignation of Matthew James, who was appointed by Governor Ralph Northam to an executive position. Scott was unopposed in the primaries, and in the general election defeated Republican James W. Evans and Independent Ryan Benton with 66.01% of the vote.
In March 2020, Scott endorsed former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic Primary.
Scott was unopposed in the primaries, and in the general election defeated Republican Deanna Stanton with 66.07% of the vote.
In the 2021 general elections, Virginia Democrats lost 7 seats and control of the House of Delegates. Along with fellow Delegates Dan Helmer and Sally Hudson, both of whom were also first elected in 2019, Scott led a vote of no confidence to remove former Speaker and party leader Eileen Filler-Corn. However, the Democratic Delegates did not elect a new leader right away. The position was filled by Caucus Chair Charniele Herring, who sustained her own vote of no confidence, as acting leader until Scott was elected House Minority leader on June 1.

#### Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates

After Democrats won the majority in the 2023 Virginia House of Delegates election, Scott was nominated unanimously by his caucus to become Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, the first black speaker in Virginia's history.

## Personal life

In 1994, Scott was arrested on federal drug charges and served seven years in prison. Later, he acknowledged his mistakes, and said that the experience motivated him and showed him injustices of the legal system. He was pardoned for these offenses by President Joe Biden in January 2025.
In 2021, Scott donated a kidney to his next-door neighbor, Virginia Circuit Court Judge Johnny E. Morrison.