In a shocking revelation, Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general in Virginia, is under fire after leaked text messages revealed fantasies about violence against former Republican Delegate Todd Gilbert. The messages, first reported by National Review, were accidentally sent to a former Republican colleague, Carrie Coyner, in which Jones expressed a desire to see Gilbert and other historical figures associated with violence receive fatal retribution.
In the exchanges, Jones suggested that he would attend the funerals of Republican lawmakers to “piss on their graves” and specifically stated, “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” equating Gilbert with notorious figures like Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot. Coyner, visibly troubled by Jones’s remarks, urged him to stop discussing harm to others, emphasizing that such rhetoric is unacceptable regardless of political differences.
The conversation escalated further during a phone call, where Jones reportedly maintained that significant public policy changes only occur when policymakers “feel pain” akin to the suffering of parents losing children to gun violence. In a deeply troubling comment, he suggested that Gilbert’s family should endure similar tragedies to alter his political views, prompting Coyner to terminate the call in disgust.
Following the publication of the messages, Jones acknowledged their authenticity, contending that they were misused by his opponent, incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, as part of a smear campaign. He stated, “Violent rhetoric has no place in our politics,” and accused Miyares of leveraging Trump-aligned media to distract from the issues at stake in the campaign.
This incident underscores the increasingly toxic environment in political discourse, where expressions of violence and hostility are becoming alarmingly common. As the Virginia attorney general race continues, it raises critical questions about the need for civility and respect in political dialogue. Jones’s comments serve as a reminder of the responsibilities that come with public office and the impact of words in a deeply divided political landscape.