Virginia Republican Representative Carrie Coiner recently accused Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones of making violent remarks regarding police officers during a phone call in 2020.
In a Monday interview, Coiner claimed that Jones suggested that having several officers die could potentially prevent further killings. Jones has denied this allegation, according to reports.
The interviewers pressed Coiner for clarification on a text exchange from 2022 where Jones apparently referenced a previous conversation. Coiner contended that discussions about revoking qualified immunity for police officers were intense and heated at the time. She expressed concerns about a bill aimed at removing this immunity, voicing her worries about the implications for families of police officers. “I believe people will be killed,” she emphasized.
Coiner recounted what she attributed to Jones, stating, “He said, ‘Well, if some of them die, they’ll go ahead, not shoot people and kill people.’ That’s insane,” she remarked. She explained that she believes such a removal would likely lead police officers to act more cautiously, thereby jeopardizing both their safety and that of the public.
The Daily Caller reached out to Coiner for confirmations regarding her statements, and a spokesperson affirmed she stands by her claims.
During his tenure in the House, Jones co-sponsored measures aimed at abolishing police officers’ qualified immunity. Coiner’s allegations also note inappropriate messages sent to her by Jones in August 2022, along with claims that he threatened former Republican Speaker Todd Gilbert with violent remarks. Reports suggest that Jones may have used his community service hours for political advantage following a reckless driving incident.
Jones later issued a statement of apology, acknowledging responsibility for his message about Gilbert, expressing that reading his own words made him feel “sick in his stomach” and that he was embarrassed.
The Daily Caller attempted to reach Jones for a comment but did not receive a reply prior to publication.
