Virginia Attorney General Candidate’s Controversial Text Messages Surface

Virginia’s Democratic Attorney General nominee, Jay Jones, reportedly expressed his thoughts in text messages about the former Republican Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates in 2022.

On August 8, 2022, Jones reportedly sent a message to Republican Representative Carrie Coiner, voicing his dissatisfaction over how his colleagues were “eulogizing” a deceased former Democrat, Joe Johnson Jr.

In the messages, Jones seemed to lament his Republican peers’ tributes, indicating that he felt they were excessive. He even jokingly contemplated filming former House Speaker Todd Gilbert, implying that if something tragic happened to him, he might playfully remark on the incident.

Jones had recently resigned from his position in the state Capitol after a brief tenure representing Norfolk. He had expressed strong feelings regarding the recently passed Johnson, a moderate Democrat with significant influence in Virginia politics. In the wake of Johnson’s death, Republicans began releasing statements honoring his legacy, sparking comments in state legislative group chats.

At around 8 am, Jones communicated his feelings to Coiner, a former colleague. He seemed to dismiss Johnson’s political centrist stance and ridiculed the “glowing” tributes from Republicans that followed Johnson’s passing.

“It was for Mark,” he texted Coiner. Even so, this perspective didn’t stop him from joking about what he might say regarding Gilbert. He expressed frustration, saying he would be “angry at their graves to go to their funeral,” should Gilbert die in front of him.

He also mused about a hypothetical scenario: if he faced a choice involving Gilbert or “two dictators,” and there were only two bullets available.

Coiner reportedly urged Jones to “stop,” expressing her concerns about his remarks, particularly about violence.

In response, the Republican Attorney General Association (RAGA) issued a statement urging Jones to withdraw from the race for Attorney General. They condemned his comments as inappropriate for someone seeking to represent law enforcement.

RAGA criticized Jones, stating that there’s no room for political violence, especially jokes from elected officials. They claimed, “Jay Jones should drop out of the Attorney General’s race. His comments are not accepted by anyone who wants to represent law enforcement.”

Continuing their criticism, RAGA noted that the rhetoric from the left, including Jones, contributes to social division, urging Democrats to refrain from labeling Republicans with terms like “fascists.”