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Original source:
https://tips.presswhatmatters.com/view.php?code=FWG3DU
📝Tip Description
CLAIM: Lawson owned land in City Center, sold it to Ferguson, and then W.M. Jordan received the construction contract. These three are heavily intertwined with city leadership, and the potential for corruption is evident.
Notes:
John R. Lawson (Executive Chairman, W.M. Jordan Company): Native of Newport News. Longtime leader (joined 1975, president/CEO ~1985, now Executive Chairman) of the family-founded construction/development firm based in Newport News. The company handles major regional projects, including construction management, real estate development, and public-private work. Lawson is highly influential locally—boards include TowneBank, CHKD, Christopher Newport University (CNU), Hampton Roads Alliance, Peninsula Airport Commission (PAC), etc. He has developed significant land holdings in the area (e.g., Tech Center project near Jefferson Ave./Oyster Point).
Skip Smith (C.J. "Skip" Smith III, VP Real Estate Development at W.M. Jordan): Leads real estate development projects for the firm, including large-scale mixed-use and industrial work.
Lindsey Carney Smith (PAC President/Chair, lawyer): Partner at a local law firm (Carney Patterson Meade or similar). Married to Skip Smith. Active in community leadership (CNU Board of Visitors, etc.) and appointed to the Peninsula Airport Commission (PAC), where she has served as Chair. John Lawson has also been listed on PAC-related boards/packets.
#W.M. Jordan
#Lindsey Carney Smith
#Skip Smith
🤖AI Investigator Analysis
Anonymous tip suggests potential corruption involving John Lawson, Lindsey Carney Smith, and Skip Smith in Newport News, VA.
Key Points
- John Lawson sold land to Ferguson, then W.M. Jordan received the construction contract.
- The three individuals are heavily intertwined with city leadership.
- Potential for corruption is evident.
Investigation Leads
- Verify ownership and sale of land between John Lawson and Ferguson.
- Investigate potential conflicts of interest between W.M. Jordan and city leadership.
Public Interest: This tip may indicate corruption and favoritism in Newport News, VA, affecting public trust in government and business.
Red Flags: None identified
📎Evidence Items (3)
W. M. Jordan Company, a major general contractor headquartered in Newport News, Virginia.
While an exact, up-to-the-minute count of every single individual task order or subcontract is not always aggregated into a single number, federal records indicate that W. M. Jordan Company has been awarded over $819.5 million in total federal government contracts and subcontracts since its federal registration.
$950 Million MACC (2021): W. M. Jordan was one of a select group of companies awarded a massive Multiple Award Construction Contract (MACC) for large general construction projects (including new construction, demolition, repairs, and renovations) in the NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic area of operations. This contract runs through August 2026.
$334 Million MACC (2019): An indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to handle large construction projects within the Hampton Roads area.
$47.7 Million Delivery Order (Late 2025): A task order awarded for the construction of a Child Development Center at NSA Hampton Roads.
$37.7 Million Delivery Order (Late 2025): A design-build project for a new 40,000-square-foot Human Performance Training Center at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.
$29.3 Million Task Order (2021): A design-bid-build contract for a Ships Maintenance Facility at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, which involved renovating floors to accommodate relocated workshops.
