Ethel Pascal, a CatholicVote volunteer from Great Falls, has publicly said that Jay Jones should not serve as the attorney general for Virginia. She asserts that he must be held accountable for alleged threats and lack of remorse expressed in violent texts purportedly sent in 2022.
“Jay Jones should never be the attorney general for Virginia and he must be held accountable dropping out of the race,” said Pascal. “His violent threats to kill a man and his two children is indefensible. Jones acknowledged he was wrong when he got caught, but Jones never asked forgiveness, showed remorse, or made restitution for the damage Gilbert’s family and Jones own family has endured for those words.”
In resurfaced 2022 text messages, Jay Jones told Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner that if he had two bullets, he would give “Gilbert … two bullets to the head,” placing then–House Speaker Todd Gilbert alongside Hitler and Pol Pot in his scenario. The texts also included statements wishing harm on Gilbert’s children and denigrating his family; Jones has since apologized publicly but faces ongoing calls to drop out of the AG race.
According to the Virginia Department of Elections, voter turnout in the 2021 attorney general race was approximately 54.9%, indicating significant engagement in down-ballot statewide offices compared to previous election cycles. Fairfax County, which encompasses Great Falls, reported a turnout exceeding 60%.
The National Association of Attorneys General states that attorneys general across the United States serve as top law enforcement officials, often influencing national policy on issues such as consumer protection and criminal justice reform. Their influence extends beyond state borders through multi-state litigation.
Pascal is known for her active involvement in local civic and advocacy efforts within Great Falls, Virginia. Her comments reflect the perspective of an engaged resident responding to developments in Virginia’s attorney general race.
