A judge in Kent County, Virginia, has appointed a special counsel to investigate Democratic candidate Jay Jones’ reckless driving case from 2022. This decision comes after Kent County Commonwealth Attorney Scott Renick asked to step back from the case due to a conflict of interest he did not disclose.
Judge Elliott Bondurant approved the request, which adds a new twist to a case that seemed settled until Renick’s office reopened it recently. In 2022, Jones was caught driving at 116 mph in a 70 mph zone. He avoided jail time but was fined $1,500 and required to complete 1,000 hours of community service.
In January 2024, Jones informed the court that he had fulfilled his community service by volunteering 500 hours with the NAACP and another 500 hours with Meet Our Moment, a political action committee he founded. This connection raised concerns about the legitimacy of his reported community service hours.
Renick’s investigation began earlier this month, focusing on how Jones completed his community service. To meet the requirement in the given time frame, Jones would have needed to work about 10 hours a week for each organization while also managing a full-time job at Hogan Lovells and campaigning for other Democrats.
Jones is currently facing pressure from his Republican opponent, Attorney General Jason Miyares, who has called for him to withdraw from the race. Miyares criticized Jones for his past comments that suggested violence against political opponents and accused him of potentially misleading the courts regarding his community service.
As the investigation unfolds, Jones continues to lag behind Miyares in polling, which could have broader implications for the Democratic Party in Virginia.
