When I wrote my book on Free Speech in an Age of Rage, I never thought Virginia would become ground zero for rage politics. Yet, recently, the Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Abigail Spanberger, told supporters, “Let your rage fuel you.” Then her running mate, Ghazala Firdous Hashmi, seemed to declare the death of the Constitution and democracy … unless they are elected, of course. Now, a shocking series of statements by Jay Jones (the Democratic candidate for Attorney General) from 2022 has been released in which he talks about putting two bullets in the head of a political opponent, “pissing on the grave” of a dead Republican, and asking whether a Republican colleague and his wife were “breeding little fascists.”
In a series of texts, Jones was responding to the eulogies for a Democrat, Del. Joe Johnson, D-Bristol, who was known for working across the aisle with Republicans to achieve bipartisan results.
In messages to Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chester, Jones referred to “the glowing tributes from the Rs,” including by former Virginia House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert. Jones insisted that the deceased “leaked everything to your [Republican] caucus. It’s why Gilbert gave him such a glowing tribute.”
Jones then promised that “if those guys die before me, I will go to their funerals to piss on their graves. Send them out awash in something.”
He did not stop there. He stated, “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” To bring that menacing point home, he added: “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.”
Coyner replied with “Jay. Please stop.”
He responded with “Lol. OK, OK,” but later added, “I genuinely was [asking questions]. I wasn’t attacking you. I was trying to understand your logic.” When Coyner disagreed, Jones replied, “Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.”
In yet another message, Jones considered whether Gilbert and his wife Jennifer were “breeding little fascists.”
Notably, such claims of fascism were being raised in 2022 and directed against local Republicans by figures like Jones.
In fairness, these were not public comments, but they are still shocking in the use of rage rhetoric. It was notable that, even with the passing of this legislator at age 90, Jones’ inclination was to attack him for working with Republicans. While Jones may have thought some of it was funny, it does not appear to have been taken that way by the other legislator.
Such “rage rhetoric” is becoming all too common in politics and remains unabated even after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. In my book, I note that:
“As shown throughout our history, rage is addictive. It bestows a certain license to shed the confining expectations of reason and civility. … At times, our politics seem like a collective primal scream session where only the loudest prevail. Yet, for some, the license to rage goes beyond the amplification of their own views and becomes a demand for the silencing of others.”
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of the bestselling book “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”