Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee running for Virginia attorney general this fall, has come under scrutiny by state Republicans after a local news outlet unearthed his 2022 reckless driving conviction and the opportunity he took to avoid jail time.

The politician completed 1,000 hours of community service, half of which were for his political action committee, Meet Our Moment, and the other half he spent volunteering with the NAACP Virginia State Conference. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported the conviction on Wednesday.

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Jones received the vehicular offense after he sped down a Virginia interstate in January 2022 at 116 miles per hour, nearly double the speed limit. He would have faced one year in jail for reckless driving, but his lawyers struck a deal that allowed him to pay a $1,500 fine and complete the 1,000 hours of community service.

Court records show Jones fulfilled those obligations, but Virginia Republicans are not satisfied.

Incumbent state Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, criticized his opponent for using community service to advance his own political aspirations.

“Instead of taking accountability for his actions, it appears that my opponent submitted a letter to the Court stating that he performed 500 hours of ‘community service’ for his own PAC, which isn’t a charitable organization under state code, to dodge potential jail time,” Miyares wrote on X.

“This raises serious, troubling questions about Jay Jones’ judgment, his ability to uphold the law, and, ultimately, his qualifications for Attorney General,” he said.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) also weighed in on the race, urging voters to cast their ballots for Miyares in November because Jones is unqualified for the job.

“The job of attorney general is too important to leave to someone who would recklessly break the law and endanger the lives of others, and then mislead the Courts and the public by claiming he performed community service while working on his own political operation,” the term-limited governor said.

“We need to get to the bottom of what Jay Jones was actually up to, but it’s clear he cannot be Virginia’s top cop,” he said.

In response to the report, Jones said he made a “mistake” and made up for the offense.

“Several years ago, I made the mistake of speeding for which I am regretful,” he told multiple news outlets. “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.”

The driving offense came weeks after Jones left his seat in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2022. Before his departure, he lost the June 2021 Democratic primary election for Virginia attorney general against then-incumbent Mark Herring, whom Miyares defeated in November 2021.

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After winning the Democratic primary this summer, Jones is set to face off directly against Miyares for the first time next month.

The race is hotly contested, with an August poll from Roanoke College showing Jones with a 3-point lead against Miyares. A separate poll, conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University and released in September, showed Jones with a 6-point advantage against Miyares. The election will be held on Nov. 4.