Former Delegate Jay Jones was inaugurated into the Virginia Attorney General’s office Saturday. His ascension as Virginia’s new top lawyer comes after a contentious campaign and a promise to make the commonwealth more welcoming and affordable.
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones said he’s ready for office day one, and he has a message for those still concerned with a texting controversy that saw him win by the smallest margin compared to Governor Abigail Spanberger and Lt. Governor Ghazala Hashmi.
“The responsibility that Virginians have placed upon me as the new Attorney General is not lost on me, and I’m really excited to get to work, to defend Virginia,” Jones told Radio IQ in an interview ahead of his inauguration Saturday.
Among Jones' first actions is to consolidate several offices into one called the Public Advocacy Division. But he’s also got his sights set on defending Virginia from, and going on the offensive against, President Donald Trump.
“The work continues to grow because of the chaos that’s coming out of Washington," Jones said. "And we need more attorneys to fight on our behalf.”
But those legal fights aren't cheap, and that means a request for financial and legislative changes from law makers.
Delegate Marcus Simon is on several committees that Jones’ office will likely have to answer that request.
“Previously we had an Attorney General who was cutting things that were high priority for us and also asking for more money," Jones said of former Republican AG Jason Miyares. "There was a disconnect. As long as it all aligns with our priorities, protecting consumers' affordability, protecting people’s rights, it’ll be well received.”
Jones’ day one actions include joining three lawsuits against the Trump administration; one that seeks to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, another that seeks to protect fired federal workers and a final suit that saw Virginia’s educational funding cut for protecting transgender students, a funding cut supported by former Attorney General Jason Miyares.
“As we take over, to make sure we are in the lawsuits we need to be in, that we are joining lawsuits that are already out there that make Virginia more affordable and protect our interests," Jones said. "And getting out of lawsuits that threaten our values, that threaten our freedom.”
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
