Virginia Attorney General Candidate Apologizes for Past Violent Texts
A Democratic hopeful for the position of Attorney General in Virginia has recently said sorry for old text messages that painted a picture of political violence. The texts from him suggested that a notable Republican should be shot twice in the head.
These alarming messages have placed the Democratic prospect, a man named Jay Jones, in a difficult position in a campaign that has been marked by aggressive tactics. Voters in Virginia have already begun casting their votes for the upcoming general election.
Neither Jones nor his campaign denied the legitimacy of the text messages. Jones took it upon himself to apologize publicly to Todd Gilbert, the intended recipient of these gruesome messages. Jones confessed that he was "fully responsible" for his behavior. At the time these texts were sent, Gilbert held the position of speaker of Virginia’s House of Delegates, a role he no longer occupies.
Bipartisan Backlash
Since the texts have come to light, Jones has not been spared from criticism, coming from both sides of the political aisle. Jones is in the race against the current Republican holder of the position, Jason Miyares, in his quest to become Virginia’s lead prosecutor.
Miyares didn't mince words when addressing the issue, openly questioning Jones' suitability for the position. He expressed his shock at the violent nature of the messages, especially coming from a colleague.
Following the text exchange, Jones had a phone call with Republican House Delegate Carrie Coyner. During the call, Jones imagined a scenario involving Gilbert’s children meeting a tragic end in their mother's arms.
Miyares, speaking from his experience as a prosecutor and attorney general, stated that he has personally met with victims of violent crimes. He emphasized the unique pain of a grieving mother who has lost her child.
Despite the controversy, Gilbert, who recently transitioned from state legislator to federal prosecutor, has opted to remain silent on the issue.
Political Impact
The revelation of these text messages has caused a stir in the campaign. Both parties are trying to capitalize on this situation in the closely fought statewide races, which could be indicative of the political landscape leading up to next year's midterm elections. This incident adds to the growing concern of political violence in the country, following the unfortunate demise of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and former Minnesota Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.
Other Democratic candidates running for office in Virginia have been forthright in their condemnation of Jones. The Democratic candidate for governor, Abigail Spanberger, has openly expressed her disgust at Jones' messages, urging him to take full responsibility for his words. She pledged to always oppose violent rhetoric in politics.
Ghazala Hashmi, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, echoed Spanberger's sentiments, stating that there is no room for political violence in our country. She further added that higher standards of conduct need to be expected from our leaders.
Call for Withdrawal
The Republican Attorneys General Association has called for Jones to step down from the campaign due to his "disgraceful" text messages. The chairman of the group, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, stated that such messages are unacceptable, especially coming from someone hoping to represent law enforcement. He stressed that there is no room for political violence, even in jest, especially from someone in a public office.
At the time of sending these texts to Coyner, Jones was not an elected official. He had previously served as a state legislator but had stepped down the previous year. In his messages, Jones mentioned shooting Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot, with Gilbert being the target of two bullets. Jones' alarming messages were met with a plea from Coyner to stop, to which Jones simply responded with a dismissive "Lol ... Ok, ok."
Reflecting on his past actions, Jones admitted that reading his old messages made him feel physically ill. He confessed to feeling embarrassed, ashamed, and regretful. In an attempt to make amends, he reached out to Gilbert to apologize to him, his wife Jennifer, and their children. Jones acknowledged that he cannot undo his past actions but can take full responsibility and offer a heartfelt apology.