Virginia attorney general candidate apologizes: "I cannot take back what I said"

Virginia Attorney General Candidate Apologizes: 'I Cannot Take Back What I Said'

A recent controversy has hit the Virginia attorney general's race with Democratic candidate Jay Jones at its center. A batch of previously unreleased text messages sent by Jones in 2022 surfaced, revealing his shocking and disturbing comments towards a Republican lawmaker. The messages were so heinous that they included a chilling threat to shoot the legislator and kill their children.

In a dramatic and unapologetic statement, Jones acknowledged the severity of his words but refused to retract them. Instead, he expressed remorse for his actions, saying he was "ashamed" by his behavior. This apology has left many questioning the sincerity of his regret, as it appears to be a half-hearted attempt to salvage his candidacy.

The fallout from this incident is already being felt in Virginia, with many Republican voters and pundits denouncing Jones' comments as egregious and unacceptable. The situation raises questions about the accountability of politicians and their willingness to admit when they have crossed the line.

As the debate over Jones' candidacy continues, one thing is clear: his future prospects for public office look increasingly bleak. His refusal to take back his words has sealed his fate, and it remains to be seen whether he will ultimately be able to recover from this scandalous episode in his campaign.

Ugh, I don't know about this guy... He's got some serious apologizing to do, but his apology just sounds like a bunch of empty words . I mean, threatening to shoot someone and their kids? That's not just a mistake, that's a whole different level of crazy! And now he's just "ashamed" by it? Like, how can you be ashamed of something that's in your heart? It just feels like he's trying to save his career instead of actually taking responsibility for what he said.

And can we talk about the fact that these text messages were previously unreleased?! That's some serious hypocrisy right there. He's only apologizing now because they've been exposed, not because he genuinely regrets what he said. It's like he thinks he can just apologize and move on like nothing ever happened? Not buying it, dude!

I'm soooo disappointed in Jay Jones right now ... I mean, who makes a threat to kill someone's kids? That's just insane! It doesn't matter if you're running for office or not, that kind of behavior is never acceptable. And the fact that he's not taking back his words, even after apologizing for being ashamed... it just seems like a weak attempt to save his own skin.

I think what really gets me is how this whole situation is highlighting the accountability issue in politics . If you're going to make these kinds of comments, you need to be willing to take responsibility for them and apologize sincerely. Jones' actions are sending the wrong message, especially to young people who look up to him as a role model.

It's not just about this one incident, either... it's about the kind of person you are when things get tough . Can you put aside your own interests and do what's right? I don't think Jones has shown us that he can do that, unfortunately .

I feel bad for Jay Jones . I mean, who hasn't said something stupid at some point, right? Like that time I accidentally sent a text to my ex saying 'you're still hot'... yeah, not my finest moment . But seriously, threatening to shoot someone and their kids? That's just off the charts . Not even the best politician can get away from something that outrageous. Poor Jones, it looks like his campaign is toast . Guess you could say he's 'attorney'-ally sorry for himself .

I don't think apologies like this are that effective... or do they even work? I mean, what's the point of saying you're ashamed by your actions if you're not willing to take full responsibility for them? It just seems like a PR stunt to me. And honestly, who can trust someone who doesn't seem truly sorry for putting their kids in harm's way? It's all about getting votes and staying in power, not about doing what's right. This whole thing is just so... shady

man...this whole situation is just so heavy ...i mean, how can someone say the things jay jones said and then apologize for not apologizing? it's like, does that even count as an apology? or is it just a half-baked attempt to save his reputation?

i think what bothers me most is the lack of accountability here...if jones is truly ashamed of his behavior, shouldn't he be willing to take responsibility for it and admit that he crossed a line? because refusing to do so just makes him look like he's more concerned with salvaging his own career than actually doing what's right.

it's times like these that make me wonder: can we ever really know someone's true intentions? or are we always just seeing through a facade of sincerity?

This whole situation with Jay Jones is a total mess . I mean, you can't just apologize for being disgusting and expect people to forgive you immediately . He's trying to pass off those threatening messages as 'ashamed' behavior, but come on, that's not an apology, that's just damage control .

And let's be real, if he was really sorry about what he said, he'd take those words back, period . Instead, he's trying to salvage his reputation and it's just gonna fall flat . The Republican voters aren't going to let him off the hook that easily, and honestly, neither should they .

The real issue here is accountability, plain and simple . Politicians need to own up to their mistakes and apologize sincerely, not just when it's convenient for them . Jones needs to take a long, hard look at himself and figure out what he's gonna do next .

This guy's apology just sounds like a weak attempt to save face. I mean, come on, you can't just apologize for being "ashamed" by your own behavior and expect everyone to believe it. It's not gonna cut it. He needs to be more specific about what he actually did wrong and how he plans to prevent something like this from happening again. And let's be real, his whole 'I'm so sorry I said those things' vibe just doesn't sit well with me.

OMG I'm literally shaking with rage right now!!! how can someone be so calculating and then just apologize half-heartedly like that?? I mean I get it, we all mess up and say something stupid or hurtful but to not take responsibility for your actions and just try to wriggle out of it is UNACCEPTABLE!!! and what's even more infuriating is that he's still running for office despite this scandal... like how are people supposed to trust him now?? I mean I know we're all human and we make mistakes but come on, Jay Jones you've got some serious soul-searching to do!!!

I'm so done with politicians who can't even apologize properly . Jones' response is like, totally cringeworthy - all the feels, but none of the commitment. It's like, 'Sorry I said those mean things, but I'm not actually taking responsibility for my actions.' Not cool, dude. And honestly, it's weird that he thinks a simple apology is gonna save him from this mess. The damage is done, and his campaign is already tanking

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...5e9f60-7a95-11ec-baa0-f8c6ddcd7f43_story.html

I'm not sure what's more concerning, the fact that Jones said some pretty disgusting stuff or that he thinks a half-hearted apology is gonna cut it. Politicians need to understand when they've crossed a line and take responsibility for their actions. This whole thing stinks of an attempt to salvage his campaign rather than actually owning up to his mistakes.

I'm really worried about Jones' apology right now . I mean, can you blame the voters for being unsure if he's genuinely sorry or just trying to save face? He keeps saying he's ashamed of what he said, but taking back his words is a whole different story . It's not like he's owning up to his mistakes and apologizing sincerely, it's more like he's trying to distance himself from the controversy without actually making amends. And that's really gonna hurt his campaign . I think this scandal has made him a lost cause for sure.

This whole situation is just heartbreaking... I feel so bad for the kid's kids . You can't put a price on the safety of children. How can you threaten to hurt them and then apologize half-heartedly? It's like he thinks it's okay to go back to his old ways, but that's not how it works in politics or in life.

I think this is a perfect example of why we need more accountability in politicians . If someone says something bad, they should own up to it and take responsibility for their actions. This kind of apology is just lip service, if you ask me . It's like he's trying to save face rather than actually making things right.

I'm not sure what the future holds for this candidate, but one thing's for sure - his campaign has already taken a huge hit . And honestly, who can blame the voters? They deserve better .

I gotta say, the guy's apology just came across as really insincere... like he's trying to save face but can't shake off the whole 'I'd kill for that politician' vibe . You can't just apologize for something that's so extreme and then expect everyone to forget about it? It feels like a weak attempt to salvage his campaign, but honestly, who wants to vote for someone with such thoughts in their head ? I think he'll be lucky if he doesn't get dropped from the ticket at this point...

I'm really surprised by Jay Jones' response to the whole situation... it's like, he acknowledges that what he said was wrong but doesn't actually take responsibility for it . It feels like a half-hearted apology at best. I mean, can you imagine if this was someone else and they were running for office? The public would be all over them, demanding they step down. But with Jones, it's almost like he's trying to spin the situation or get some sympathy from voters . Newsflash: taking a threat to kill someone (or their kids) seriously doesn't require an apology, it requires an immediate resignation .

I mean, can you blame people for being skeptical about Jay Jones' apology? Like, seriously, saying you're "ashamed" of your behavior but refusing to actually take it back is just a fancy way of saying "I'm not sorry enough". It's like he's trying to make himself sound more apologetic than actually apologizing. And let's be real, shooting someone and killing their kids? That's not something you can just apologize for and move on from. You either gotta own up to it or take responsibility for your actions... or get out of politics altogether.

I don't think apologizing isn't enough when you're talking about something as serious as threatening someone's life. I mean, imagine if someone said that to your family... it's just not okay. And yeah, maybe Jay Jones is trying to salvage what's left of his campaign, but at this point, I'm just not sure he can recover from this. It feels like a really big deal and not enough people are willing to give him another chance. The whole thing just feels so... entitled? Like, how can you just apologize for being ashamed when the harm is still there?

Ugh, can't believe what I'm reading about Jay Jones . He's gotta be outta his mind, saying those things and now apologizing half-heartedly? It's like he thinks a simple "I'm sorry" is gonna fix everything . Newsflash, dude: words don't cut it when you've threatened someone with violence! What really gets me is that he's not even taking responsibility for his actions... it's all just about salvaging his campaign . I mean, I get that politicians are supposed to make mistakes, but this is some next-level stuff . It'll be a miracle if Jones recovers from this one .

ugh this is so messed up the fact that these messages were sent in 2022 and now are coming out makes me think jay jones was trying to avoid being held accountable for his actions instead of owning up to them like a real leader should anyone who talks about shooting someone needs help ASAP this kind of behavior is not something you just grow out of, it's a sign of deeper issues that need to be addressed

I'm so worried about Jay Jones... I mean, who makes comments like that? The thing is, it's not just the threat itself, but the fact that he can't even apologize properly. Apologizing means acknowledging what you did wrong and promising to do better in the future. But in his case, it sounds like he's trying to save face instead of taking responsibility for his actions.

It makes me think about how politicians are so used to being in power that they forget who they're supposed to be serving. It's not just about them getting re-elected; it's about doing what's right for the people. I'm not sure if Jones can recover from this, but I do hope he takes some time to reflect on his behavior and thinks about how he can make things right.