Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares has announced that Charles “Chuck” Slemp III, the commonwealth’s attorney of Wise County and Norton, will become his chief deputy attorney general when he takes office January 15.
In a statement, Miyares said: ““I am excited to announce that Chuck Slemp will be my Chief Deputy. There is no doubt in my mind that he will serve the Commonwealth of Virginia with the same passion that he has for the people of Norton and Wise. He is a smart and dedicated public servant, and together we will hit the ground running on day one to bring Virginians much-needed change.”
In this new role, Slemp will manage the day-to-day legal services and administrative operations of the attorney general’s office.
Previously Slemp served as special assistant and scheduler to three other attorneys general — Jerry Kilgore, Judith Jagdmann, and Bob McDonnell. He was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for Wise County and Norton in 2015 and re-elected in 2019.
A statement from Slemp’s office said: “The appointment of Slemp as Chief Deputy Attorney General signals a shift in focus of the office. Attorney General-elect Miyares, a former prosecutor from Virginia Beach, promised to restore public safety and law enforcement issues as a priority during his administration.”
Slemp will resign as Commonwealth’s Attorney later this month. In a statement, Slemp said: ““This transition is bittersweet. It has truly been the greatest honor and privilege to serve as Commonwealth’s Attorney, to develop innovative programs addressing our region’s substance abuse crisis and other public safety issues, working with law enforcement officials, and being a voice for victims of crime in court. I am so proud of my team and what we have accomplished together in Wise over the last six years. I will miss my work family so much, but I am confident that the team will continue to serve the citizens of our community with excellence and distinction.”
In addition to prosecuting cases, Slemp has served on the Commonwealth’s Attorney Services Council, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Criminal Justice Conference, and as an adjunct professor at UVA-Wise, Mary Baldwin University, and Regent University School of Law. Slemp was named Young Lawyer of the Year by the Virginia State Bar in 2018 and Virginia Lawyers Weekly Leader in the Law in 2021.
Updated 12:02 pm.: Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Steven Craig Davis will become the new Commonwealth’s Attorney for Wise and Norton, according to a release from Slemp’s office. Davis also announced today that he will seek the Republican nomination for the office in the upcoming special election.