Legacy Press is rallying support for Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones following the leak of a text message that threatens his campaign.
Major publications like New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Bloomberg have chosen not to cover Jones’s concerning private message and associated scandals, which also include exploiting reckless driving incidents for political gain. These stories haven’t appeared on their sites, and there’s been little public response or commentary from political figures, including President Donald Trump, about the situation. It’s surprising, really. You’d think there’d be more reaction.
CNN also overlooked the scandal, offering a muted headline: “Virginia Democratic candidate for Attorney General faces pressure on resurfaced text messages,” without actually revealing the contents of the message.
Axios did provide a brief mention, noting a headline about Jay Jones and a GOP ad campaign surrounding the controversial “Two Bullets” text, yet, like the others, it failed to detail the message’s content.
Reports on this situation broke recently, hitting just in time for October’s political atmosphere. It appears Jones has somehow used a reckless driving incident to further his political ambitions by reducing community service hours tied to his campaign committee, according to the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Back in January 2022, state troopers had noted Jones driving at 116 mph in a 70 mph zone shortly after leaving his seat at the Virginia delegation. Court documents revealed that his legal team delayed the case multiple times, eventually securing a “deferred disposition” that allowed him to avoid up to a year in prison by agreeing to perform community service.
Jones ultimately faced a $1,500 fine in 2023 and completed 1,000 hours of service, registered under a group with ties to the Virginia Election Commission, though this wasn’t an official nonprofit organization.
Republican Attorney General Jason Miyarez remarked on the situation, asserting that Jones’s message raises “serious and troubling questions about his judgment and qualifications for the role.” Miyarez elaborated that it seemed like Jones was evading accountability by presenting a letter affirming that he’d performed community service for his own PAC, which, according to him, doesn’t align with state charity regulations.
Just two days later, another report disclosed a message from Jones to Republican Representative Carrie Coiner where he made violent comments toward former Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert, indicating he would give Gilbert “two bullets” and urinate on his grave.
In response, Jones issued an apology, taking “full responsibility” for his remarks. He expressed regret, saying that reading his own words made him “sick to his stomach,” and emphasized his embarrassment. He stated that he had reached out personally to Gilbert and his family to apologize.
Jones concluded his apology by emphasizing the need for accountability and vowed to prove to Virginians that he could be a trustworthy leader.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger criticized Jones’s comments but didn’t call for his resignation. Meanwhile, various local Democrats, including those in Virginia Beach, voiced their support for him.
Previously, Jones had lost the 2021 Democratic primary for Attorney General but secured nominations in June 2025.
