Virginia’s Democratic attorney general nominee has faced legal challenges following a reckless driving incident where he was caught speeding at 116 mph. Jay Jones, a former delegate from Norfolk, was subjected to the usual penalties for such an offense, which can include up to a year in jail. However, he managed to avoid prison time by logging 1,000 hours of community service instead, as revealed in documents reviewed by Fox News Digital.
Jones received several court date deferments before the judge agreed to this alternative punishment. His community service hours were divided equally between his political action committee, Meet Our Moment, and the Virginia chapter of the NAACP, with both groups attesting to his participation. Lesley Shinbaum Stewart, who signed off on the letter from Jones’s PAC, identified herself as its executive director. Interestingly, she has been described in reports as Jones’ “unofficial chief of staff,” raising questions about the connection between his campaign and the PAC.
The financial relationship is noteworthy. Since 2020, Jones’s campaign reportedly paid Stewart’s consulting firm over $100,000. Just days after she submitted the verification letter for his community service, Jones issued a payment of an additional $6,000 to her firm. This raises a critical question about the legitimacy of such service hours being counted toward community service requirements, especially given Virginia law specifies that court-ordered service should involve work for non-profit or government agencies.
Rev. Cozy Bailey of the NAACP emphasized in his own letter that Jones’ contributions were beneficial to their organization. Yet, the documents provided do not include any time sheets or detailed records confirming the purported hours volunteered. Fox News Digital has inquired with New Kent County authorities about any existing documentation that could provide clarity on these claims.
Scott Renick, the New Kent Commonwealth’s Attorney, stated that Jones’s case occurred during a period when many minor offenders were being directed toward community service as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. This shift was attributed to factors such as crowding in facilities and mandatory health measures. Renick also pointed out that New Kent has a high number of speeding cases due to the straight nature of Interstate 64, indicating that the county is particularly impacted by such traffic violations.
A source familiar with the case noted that completing 1,000 hours of community service would require almost 20 hours of service per week, an ambitious undertaking for someone who has maintained a busy professional life, including a role as a Justice Department prosecutor during the Biden administration. His professional commitments were highlighted in legal documents that sought repeated postponements of his court appearances, citing various reasons such as scheduling conflicts with his job in Washington.
In the months leading up to his required court date, Jones’s attorney successfully pushed for delays. At one point, his attorney informed the court there was a “mutual understanding” that his presence was unnecessary on a given day, leading to further postponements. After requesting a delay due to his wife’s travel that created childcare issues, the hearing was rescheduled multiple times until it ultimately fell in January 2023, when his attorney filed letters verifying his community service hours.
In addition to the community service, Jones paid fines totaling $1,601 and reportedly completed an 8-hour online remedial driving course, illustrating an effort to address the repercussions of his reckless driving charge.
The situation has gained traction, prompting inquiries into the interplay between political action, accountability in community service, and the integrity of the judicial process in his case. The relationship between Jones, his PAC, and the NAACP warrants closer examination, particularly regarding the criteria and verifications involved in fulfilling community service obligations.
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