Virginia Attorney General Candidate Faces Controversy Over Violent Texts
When Fox News Digital inquired if Virginia Democratic candidate Jay Jones should consider stepping back from his attorney general campaign due to troubling text messages, the response from Democratic Senator Ron Wyden was sparse. Wyden described the texts as “horrifying,” but didn’t go further on whether Jones should withdraw, simply stating, “I’ll leave it at that, thank you.”
Another senator, Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut, admitted he wasn’t well-versed in the Virginia situation. As for Jones, when asked about resigning over the violent messages, Senator Chris Coons merely smiled and walked away.
Governor Youngkin: Jones Should Exit in Disgrace
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin expressed that Jones “must walk away in disgrace” following the fallout from the texts concerning earlier GOP leader Todd Gilbert.
Senator Mark Warner from Virginia sidestepped a reporter’s question regarding whether Jones’ messages were acceptable or if he’d be demanding returned campaign donations. Meanwhile, Senator Peter Welch from Vermont also opted not to comment on the issue.
In the texts that surfaced, Jones, who previously served in the Virginia House of Representatives, made alarming remarks about filming Gilbert. He wrote, “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” In another message, Jones added that if Gilbert was placed with “two of the worst people you know, he gets both bullets every time.”
Democratic Responses to Jones’ Statements
In a private exchange, Jones went so far as to wish harm upon Gilbert’s children, later stating that such grief might be beneficial to his political career. He later described his comments as “embarrassing and disgraceful,” offering apologies to Gilbert and his family.
Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, criticized the silent response from Democratic senators, calling it “astounding,” especially in light of the recent political violence in the country. He noted that there appears to be a troubling acceptance of political violence on the left, citing incidents where some celebrated violent actions against opposing figures.
Cruz remarked, “There’s a Democrat running for attorney general who intimated in a text that a Republican deserved to be murdered and also wished harm upon two children.” He added, “I wish some Democrats would have had the courage to clearly state that someone who endorses violence against children is unsuitable for public office.”
