Virginia Democrat attorney general candidate Jay Jones is under fire after his reckless driving past and the questionable steps he took to avoid jail time were brought to light this week by a local Virginia newspaper.
His opponent, Republican Incumbent Jason Miyares, is “alarmed” and questions Jones’ qualifications for the office.
On Wednesday, The Richmond Times-Dispatch uncovered Jones’ history of reckless driving. On Jan. 21, 2022, Jones was pulled over by a state trooper in New Kent, Virginia for driving 116 miles per hour–46 miles per hour over the speed limit–on Interstate 64 at 12:55 a.m.
The speeding resulted in a reckless driving conviction which, as a Class 1 Misdemeanor in Virginia, could have led to up to a year in jail and up to $2,500.
Jones told Fox News Digital that it was a “mistake” to go nearly double the speed limit. “I accepted responsibility for my actions, paid the fine, and fulfilled my responsibility to the court, which was accepted by the New Kent County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the judge,” stated Jones.
To avoid jail time, Jones’ paid a $1,500 fine, and his lawyers provided documentation detailing 1,000 hours of community service in 2023, according to the Times-Dispatch.
Jones spent 500 hours serving his own Political Action Committee, Meet Out Moment, and 500 hours spent at the NAACP Virginia State Conference according to the court records obtained by The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
In a statement issued to The Daily Signal, Attorney General Jason Miyares said Jones’s actions were “troubling.”
“Our laws are not suggestions. This new information raises serious, troubling questions about Jay Jones’ judgment, his ability to uphold the law, and, ultimately, his qualifications for Attorney General.”
The offices of Virginia governor, lieutenant governor, and state attorney general will be up for grabs in the off-year elections on Nov. 4. Early voting has already begun.
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