The Jay Jones scandal is deepening as the Virginia Democratic attorney general nominee faces new scrutiny over disturbing comments about police and fellow lawmakers. According to a Virginia Scope report, Jones told Virginia House Rep. Carrie Coyner (R) that police might “move on” and “stop shooting people” if “a few of them died.”
Coyner said the comments came during a “heated” phone call about qualified immunity, a legal protection for police officers that allows them to make split-second decisions without fear of personal liability. Jones, she said, believed that ending qualified immunity would force officers to “act differently” and reduce deadly incidents.
Jones denied making the statement, saying, “I did not say this. I have never believed and do not believe that any harm should come to law enforcement, period.” But Coyner’s account adds to the growing list of controversies surrounding Jones, who previously sent text messages about “shooting” GOP House Speaker Todd Gilbert and “pissing on their graves,” referring to Gilbert and other Virginia Republicans.
“Jay Jones wished violence on the children of a colleague and joked about shooting Todd Gilbert,” Coyner said. “It’s disgusting and unbecoming of any public official.”
Even some Democrats are calling for accountability. MSNBC host Joe Scarborough said, “He should probably be forced to withdraw from the race, and ‘probably’ is doing a lot there.”
Jones, who was also convicted of reckless driving in 2022 for speeding at 116 mph, faces Republican incumbent Jason Miyares in the November 4 election.
