Virginia AG Candidate Avoids Prison Despite Reckless Driving

The Democratic candidate for attorney general in Virginia managed to dodge prison time after driving at 116 mph, utilizing repeated court delays and connections with his own political action committee and the NAACP, as revealed in documents acquired by Fox News Digital.

Former Delegate Jay Jones, a Norfolk native, was clocked driving at 116 mph on Interstate 64 in New Kent, Virginia. Although he could have faced up to a year in prison, Jones received multiple postponements for various reasons. Ultimately, a judge agreed to substitute harsher penalties for 1,000 hours of community service.

In January 2024, Jones’s Political Action Committee, dubbed Meet Our Moment, was actively campaigning to recruit Democratic candidates for his office.

Reckless Driving Confession

Jay Jones acknowledged his speeding incident, referring to it as a “mistake.”

Interestingly, documents indicate that since 2020, Jones’s campaign had paid over $100,000 to the consulting company run by Leslie Simbaum Stewart, who is noted as his “unofficial chief of staff.” Shortly after a key letter was submitted, Jones made an additional payment of $6,000 to the firm. Attempts to reach Simbaum Stewart for comments were unsuccessful, and the Jones campaign has not responded to numerous inquiries.

Virginia law allows for court-ordered community service to include unpaid work for nonprofits or government entities, although it remains unclear if the registration of Jones’s PAC satisfies those criteria.

Community Service Support

Pastor Cozy Bailey, representing the NAACP, mentioned in a separate letter that Jones’s volunteer efforts, totaling 500 hours, had notably benefitted their organization. However, the letter lacked documentation of specific service hours, prompting Fox News Digital to question if such records were available with the federal law firm in New Kent.

New Kent Commonwealth Attorney Scott Rennick noted that speeding and reckless driving cases had surged in their area, partly attributed to the straight nature of I-64. He explained that many defendants, due to pandemic-related issues like facility congestion, were channeled toward community service instead of facing jail time.

A source familiar with the situation mentioned that fulfilling 1,000 hours of service would require nearly 20 hours a week over a year, which seems challenging considering Jones’s busy schedule, having previously served as a Department of Justice prosecutor during the Biden administration.

Legal documents indicated that Jones’s lawyers had asked for delays in court hearings, citing his busy work commitments as well. Just days before his initial court appearance, Jones informed the court that he believed his presence was unnecessary, leading to further postponements until late April.

Chronology of Court Delays

In fact, the court date was rescheduled multiple times due to various reasons, including personal matters affecting his lawyer. Prior to an October hearing, Jones informed the court of circumstances requiring him to be physically present in Washington. His wife’s travel required further requests for delays, pushing a new hearing to December 5.

On January 23, 2023, Jones’s lawyer filed two documents verifying his community service engagement with the PAC and NAACP. Additionally, he paid a fine of $1,601 and completed an eight-hour online driving course around that time.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Virginia NAACP, Jones’s campaign, and his lawyer for more information.