Griffith says some cameras have a place but opposes collecting every plate
Morgan GriffithU.S. representative (R) from Virginia's 9th District, running for reelection
Rep. Morgan Griffith told WSLS that some cameras have a place and that looking for someone with an outstanding arrest warrant is acceptable, but that collecting every license plate or facial-recognition image of drivers on the highway is not appropriate.
“I do think there's a place for some of the cameras, but we don't want to get to George Orwell's 1984. If you're looking for Morgan Griffith because there's a warrant out for my arrest, okay. But just collecting every license plate or every image with facial recognition that drives down the highway, that's not appropriate. That's not what America was founded on.”
Original video
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
WSLS 10 video report on the 9th District race with interview clips of Rep. Morgan Griffith and challenger Joy Powers. Griffith's full answer on Flock cameras runs from 01:26 to 01:47.
Reporting
About this source
WSLS preview of the race between Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith and Democratic challenger Joy Powers. It reports that several counties and law enforcement agencies in the 9th District canceled or paused Flock camera systems and quotes both candidates on the cameras.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
WSLS reported in a preview of the 9th District race that several counties and law enforcement agencies in the district had canceled or paused their Flock camera systems. The station wrote that Griffith said surveillance technology has a role but must have limits.
After the quotation
His Democratic challenger, Joy Powers, told WSLS the rollout was an invasion of privacy and called for federal and state legislation.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Griffith says some cameras have a place and accepts using them to find a person with an outstanding arrest warrant, but objects to collecting every license plate or facial-recognition image on the highway. Accepting narrow use while rejecting blanket collection fits Mixed or conditional.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseNanette Barragán says the lack of federal limits on plate-reader data "is not acceptable"
“Right now, there are few meaningful federal limits on how this kind of data is collected, stored, or shared. There is also a failure to hold companies accountable or put strict rules in place on the use and collection of data. That is not acceptable. When there are no real limits on who can access this data, it becomes easier for agencies like ICE to use it against immigrant families and working communities, the very people our public safety systems should be protecting, not putting at risk. This is about more than privacy. It is about whether people can go to work, visit a doctor, or move through their communities without being tracked and having that information used against them. We can have public safety and privacy. What we cannot have is a surveillance state that tracks people without accountability, and I will keep pushing in Congress to close that gap.”Read statement
Robert Murray asks to move his Flock position to "Ban or remove"
“Please change my answer to "Ban or remove"”Read statement
Delegate May Nivar welcomes Henrico and Goochland moving away from Flock and calls for safeguards
“I’m encouraged that Henrico and Goochland have each decided to move away from Flock cameras after hearing residents’ concerns about privacy and accountability. Public safety and privacy are not competing values. Law enforcement needs effective tools, but those tools must be used responsibly and with appropriate safeguards. ... As the General Assembly revisits this issue next session, we must work toward the right balance between public safety, privacy, accountability, and the authority of local communities to make decisions that reflect their residents’ values.”Read statement
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Griffith says some cameras have a place but opposes collecting every plate
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/4925-rep-morgan-griffith-told-wsls-that-some-cameras
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Griffith says some cameras have a place but opposes collecting every plate". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4925-rep-morgan-griffith-told-wsls-that-some-cameras