A government watchdog group has filed a complaint with the Virginia State Bar on Tuesday, claiming that Jay Jones (D.), candidate for Virginia attorney general, should lose his license to practice. This is the third petition filed by the group since the release of texts showing Jones fantasizing and wishing the death of a GOP legislator’s child.
The National Legal and Policy Center said Jones violated Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct when he sent texts in 2022 to Virginia State Delegate Carrie Coyner, saying Todd Gilbert, then-speaker of state house Todd Gilbert (R.), deserved “two bullets in the head” and that he wanted to “piss in the graves” of Republican colleagues over policy differences. Jones told Coyner that he wished Gilbert’s wife could see her own children die in order to influence her husband’s political views.
Paul Kamenar, NLPC counsel, told the Washington Free Beacon that Jay Jones should be disbarred because of his violent and outrageous rhetoric. “And even if Jay Jones were to be elected attorney-general, he would not be able to perform his legal duties if his license was suspended or he was disbarred.” He would at least be under the cloud of a negative disciplinary investigation by Virginia State Bar.”
The watchdog group’s complaints come as Jones’s campaign for the replacement of incumbent attorney general Jason Miyares’ (R.) continues its implosion in the aftermath of a National Review report that exposed his violent text messages. The Free Beacon reported that Jones, who once had a comfortable lead over Miyares in the polls, is now trailing behind his Republican opponent, and dragging down his Democratic ally Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger is clinging to a razor-thin advantage over her Republican opponent Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Earle Sears refused to disavow Jones in a debate on Thursday, but continues to promote Jones’ campaign by selling apparel.
The NLPC’s call for Jones’s law licence to be revoked is not the only one. The Center to Advance Security in America also filed complaints to the VSB, and the District of Columbia bar requesting that they revoke Jones’s law licenses due to his violent text messages. National Review reports.
The complaints against Jones could cause him trouble if he wins the November election. Jones must be admitted into the VSB to serve as the state attorney general. This is according to the Constitution of Virginia.
The NLPC called on the VSB also to investigate Jones’s deal to avoid jail after he was convicted in 2022 of reckless driving for driving 116 mph on a highway. Jones was ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community work as part of this deal, but he failed to disclose his affiliations with either of the two groups he served with. Jones completed 500 community service hours with Meet our Moment. This is a political action (PAC) that he founded to support Democratic candidates.
Scott Renick, , the New Kent County Commonwealth’s Attorney, told 7News Jones failed to disclose his affiliation with Meet our Moment in a letter he submitted to the court certifying he had completed 500 hours of service with the PAC.
Renick, the investigator who is looking into how Jones was able to fulfill his court-ordered obligation to perform community service, said: “It should be something that you do to give back to your community.”
Jones claimed the other 500 hours of his community service with the Virginia Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He represented in a lawsuit filed by the group against Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R.).
The NLPC stated in its complaint that “an investigation of Jones’ circumstances is warranted” to determine if he misled both the court and the ‘charities,’ he served, as well whether he actually provided 1,000 hours of service in the previous year, which equates to approximately 20 hours a weekly for a busy political lawyer.”
The Jones campaign has not responded to a request for a comment.
The post Bar complaints pile up against Jay Jones over violent texts aimed at GOP lawmakers appeared on.
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