Robert Wittman

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - With less than a week until Electio. Day, more political ads are emerging over Shannon Taylor’s handling of the Henrico Doctors NICU baby abuse investigation.

A new ad is from the man she’s challenging, Rob Wittman.

The ad makes you think this woman named Lisa S. was part of the abuse case and then rails against Taylor for cutting a deal with convicted baby abuser Erin Strotman.

We tried contacting Lisa S, or Lisa Smith, and didn’t get a response.

But we were able to do some research and here’s what we were able to find.

Lisa S. does have twins who were treated inside the NICU.

But public records indicate that happened some 20 years ago.

Strotman’s abuse unfolded between 2022 and 2024, and she would have been just a toddler when Lisa’s children were in the NICU.

As for that alleged sweetheart deal for Strotman, remember she pleaded no contest to nine charges of felony child abuse.

Strotman did enter into a plea agreement and the judge gave Strotman the maximum sentence of three years.

We got a copy of it. Part of the plea agreement requires Strotman to never practice nursing or any related healthcare job again, nor work with minors or vulnerable adults.

The judge could have rejected the agreement, but did not, and Taylor has said the families actually involved in the case were on board with the agreement.

Based off our research, we will label this ad as “Mostly False or Misleading.”

“Boy, in this area they are both guilty and Democrats and Republicans are equally responsible for the negativity in politics. And facts? What do facts mean anymore? Who has facts,” said Larry Sabato, UVa Center for Politics Executive Director.

In it, she claims to have protected people’s life savings and touts what she would so if she got to Congress.

Court records show Taylor’s office has prosecuted at least 31 cases involving financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.

And her office has prosecuted numerous cases involving fraud charges including construction fraud, business fraud and elder abuse.

She also claims her opponent, nine-time incumbent republican Rob Wittman, got up to 40 times richer in Congress.

Financial disclosure forms show Wittman’s net worth growing during his time in office.

But lawmakers disclose their financial holdings under the Ethics in Government Act using predefined monetary brackets rather than exact dollar amounts.

This system provides a broad estimation of personal wealth while keeping specific bank or brokerage balances private.

Based off our research we will label this ad as “Mostly True or Needs Context.”

Our friends at the Virginia Public Access Project label this district as leans Republican.

Political analysts now call this race a toss-up.

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