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Who is Jay Jones? Virginia Democrat AG candidate texted about killing ex-Speaker Todd Gilbert; shocking details inside
Democratic candidates in Virginia have condemned Jay Jones after texts appeared to show the AG candidate speak about killing former Speaker Todd Gilbert.
Democratic Attorney General candidate in Virginia, Jay Jones, has come under severe fire over text messages sent by him. In one of the messages, he allegedly says he would ‘shoot and kill’ former Speaker of The Virginia House of Delegates Todd Gilbert, WUSA9 reported.
Jones' messages has drawn widespread condemnation from other Democratic candidates in the state. Abigail Spanberger, the former US representative and Democratic candidate for governor, said “I spoke frankly with Jay about my disgust with what he had said and texted... What I have also made clear is that as a candidate -- and as the next governor of our commonwealth, I will always condemn threatening language in our politics.”
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Democratic lieutenant governor candidate and state senator Ghazala Hashmi added “I have been very clear that political violence has no place in our country, and I condemn it at every turn. Jay must take accountability for the pain that his words have caused. We must demand better of our leaders and of each other.”
What did Jay Jones write in the text messages
Jones, in the text messages had written “Three bullets, two people. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot.” He continued “Gilbert gets two bullets in the head. Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets.”
Del. Carrie Coyner, a Republican from Chesterfield County, shared that Jones had also said he would ‘piss on the graves’ of Republicans and hoped for the death of their children.
Jones, meanwhile, issued a statement obtained by WUSA9. He said “I take full responsibility for my actions, and I want to issue my deepest apology to Speaker Gilbert and his family. Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry. I have reached out to Speaker Gilbert to apologize directly to him, his wife Jennifer, and their children. I cannot take back what I said; I can only take full accountability and offer my sincere apology.”
“Virginians deserve honest leaders who admit when they are wrong and own up to their mistakes. This was a grave mistake and I will work every day to prove to the people of Virginia that I will fight for them as Attorney General,” Jones added.
However, Republicans trained their guns on Joe with Delegate Geary Higgins saying “They shot the President. They killed Charlie Kirk. They threatened to kill Kim Taylor. They said they’d kill ME at my next rally, then my kids. Now we learn Jay Jones repeatedly said he wanted to kill Speaker Todd Gilbert. Is this what “letting your rage fuel you” looks like?”
Who is Jay Jones?
Jay Jones is a former Assistant Attorney General and lawmaker. He is a husband and father to two boys. He's running for Attorney General to ‘fight for Virginia families and stand up to Donald Trump’s dangerous agenda’, as per his page.
Jones has been a lifelong resident of Norfolk and his call to public service was apparently generations in the making. He is slated to face incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in the elections this November. Jones' comments come at a time when the political atmosphere in the US is charged after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10.
