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WASHINGTON — Condemnation for Jay Jones from fellow statewide Democratic candidates after texts appear to show the attorney general candidate comparing the former Speaker of The Virginia House of Delegates Todd Gilbert saying he would shoot and kill him and comparing the Republican to Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot.
Abigail Spanberger, the former U.S. representative and Democratic candidate for governor, said Jones must take accountability for what he texted.
“I spoke frankly with Jay about my disgust with what he had said and texted,” Spanberger said on Friday. “… 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.”
Jones had served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for District 89, which covers parts of Norfolk, from January 2018 until January.
The text messages were shared by Del. Carrie Coyner, a Republican from Chesterfield County. Coyner said the conversation happened on Aug. 8, 2022, after Jones had left office as a delegate.
“Three bullets, two people,” Jones allegedly asks Coyner in the texts. “Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot.” At the time Gilbert was the speaker of the House of Delegates.
“Gilbert gets two bullets in the head,” Jones continues. “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets.”
Friday evening, WUSA9 obtained a statement from Jones:
“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.”
Coyner also said Jones had made threats against Gilbert’s wife and said he would “piss on their graves” at the funeral of his former GOP colleagues.
On Friday, Coyner called the text conversation, “disqualifying.”
“Jay Jones wished violence on the children of a colleague and talked about shooting Todd Gilbert,” Coyner said Friday. “It’s disgusting and unbecoming of any public official.”
Democratic lieutenant governor candidate and state senator Ghazala Hashmi joined the bipartisan chorus condemning Jones for the text messages.
““I have been very clear that political violence has no place in our country, and I condemn it at every turn,” the Democrat from Richmond said. “Jay must take accountability for the pain that his words have caused. We must demand better of our leaders and of each other.”
Jones is slated to face incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in the November election.