Over opinionated with Josh Scott

Hate and Rage: Virginia Democrats #94

• Josh scott • Season 3 • Episode 24

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Headlines don’t prepare you for the chill that comes from reading violent words aimed at real families. We take a hard look at Virginia’s turbulent moment: the leaked 2022 texts tied to AG candidate Jay Jones, the outrage they sparked across party lines, and what that says about character, trust, and the basic safety we expect from those who want to lead. We also unpack Abigail Spanberger’s “let your rage fuel you” remark—what she likely meant, why language matters anyway, and how charged words can ignite more heat than light in a climate already on edge.

From a faith-informed perspective, we draw a bright line: political fights must never cross into fantasies of harm. We revisit what the Attorney General’s office exists to do—protect the vulnerable, pursue justice with integrity, and remain neutral in law enforcement—and why that demands careful speech and a steady temperament. Along the way, we make space for accountability and grace: apologies can be heard, but voters are right to weigh patterns, timing, and change.

If you live in Virginia, early voting is open—lock in your vote, bring a friend, and help your family make a plan. More than horse-race talk, this conversation is about the civic culture we’re building together: disagree fiercely without dehumanizing, choose hope over rage, and ask more of our leaders—and ourselves. If this resonates, subscribe, share the show with a neighbor, and leave a review with one thought: what kind of words should define Virginia’s future?

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SPEAKER_00:

Hello everyone. Welcome back to Overopinion Edit. I was gonna try to get back into the Life of David series today, and I believe later this week we will. I don't plan on this podcast being that long. Hopefully it will not be. But I had to address some things in Virginia politics. Um we have an election next month. Early voting is open now until uh pretty close to the election. I forget the official day. Every locality has one early voting precinct that you can go to vote. I encourage you to go vote now. I encourage you to encourage your family members to go vote now. Lock in your vote. You don't want to be on election day and something happened, an accident, a medical accident, a car accident. Go have your voice heard today. Lock in your vote. Very, very important. Important. Um, well, so if y'all haven't followed the Virginia elections that closely, or if you're just relying for me on all your news, please don't do that because I don't have the resources. And I'm primarily a religious podcast, but a spiritual biblical podcast. But um there have been some old text messages from 2022 from the Democratic nominee for Attorney General Jay Jones. Jay Jones has uh been caught texting a former colleague in the House of Delegates when he was a delegate and saying some horrible things. This was leaked to the press. And I'm gonna read you these text messages, and I'm just gonna warn you if you are with kids now, um, you don't want them to hear this. You don't. This is a very adult episode, and uh I'm just warning you now, pause it or come back to it. I'm gonna start uh reading this text messages. Uh these are screenshots from his former delegate and colleague. And um so what she puts is in blue. I'll read you what she's writing and then what Jay Jones is writing. She I I forget her name, please forgive me. She is a former Republican delegate, she's a more moderate of what is what I have been told. Um so just the arrogance of this guy, even though she's a moderate, she's a Republican, and you're texting the opposite party this. I mean, I'm not saying you can't be friends on the other side, you can't. But saying horrific things like this, it's horrible. Now God can forgive anyone, and God can forgive J. Jones. We've all said things we don't like. But when I read you these statements, and when we go over why he apologized, it feels like he apologized because he got caught and he wants to save his campaign. I'm gonna read you uh his his text messages from their screenshots, uh the female delegate, Republican, I forget her name. Uh please forgive me. They say nice things about everyone, LOL. He responds, If those guys die before me, I will go to their funerals to piss on their graves. Send them out, wash I washed in in something. She responds, Jay Jones. Like, calm down, man. Okay. Three bullets. I'm sorry, two people. Uh, I'm gonna talk down. Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head. Todd Gilbert is the former Republican Speaker of the House of Delegates, guys. He's saying if he had two bullets and three people, Hitler and Pol Pot, he would shoot Todd twice in the head. He goes on to say, spoiler, put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know, and he receives both bullets every time. She he responds, Jay, please stop. He put LOL. Okay, okay. She responds, It really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them. So it seems like he's done this before. That's what that says. You you weren't simply asking questions and you know it, she says. I was genuine, Jay replies. I wasn't attacking you, I was trying to understand your logic. She responds, you weren't trying to understand. You were talking about hoping Jennifer Gilbert's children would die. He responded, Yes, I have told you this before. So he's telling this he's telling his friend, the Republican moderate delegate, yeah, I I've I've told you this before. I want the Speaker of the House, his children to die. He wants Todd Gilbert to die and his children to die. Let me reread this. Yes, I've told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move policy. She responds. There isn't. I I point blank ask you more than free times, and you dug in the in that you mean it. I honestly am questioning a lot today. Meaning like, uh yeah, maybe you should stop threatening the speaker of the house and and maybe you should stop saying that he will want his children to die. He responds, I mean, I do think Todd and Jennifer are evil, and that they're breeding little fascist, yes. Um so he thinks uh former Speaker of the House, Todd Gilbert, is and his wife Jennifer Gilbert are evil and they're breeding little fascists, and he hopes that they get killed so that Todd will change his opinion on gun rights. This man, Jay Jones, is running to be your attorney general. The attorney general is supposed to be a man that defends the weak, that defends those who have been taken advantage of in heinous cases like rape and murder. Not only that, but dealing with uh cases against monopolies or just um being wronged. Guys, this man wants to be your attorney general, your defender, your advocate, while at while calling for our quote unquote joking and wishing that the former speaker of the house and his children would die so he could pee on their graves. And so our so he would change the mind of the speaker so he would vote against the Second Amendment. Guys, that is horrible. Um I want to play you a clip about from the Attorney General, Jason Meneeres, uh, as he talks about this at a press conference.

SPEAKER_05:

Thank you all. Been asked a lot by a lot of people about my reaction to the revelation of the text messages. And politics aside. Just to speak to you as a human being. You have to be coming from an incredibly dark place. Not about a stranger, about a colleague, someone that you have started with, someone that you have worked with. I said that my role as attorney general is to be the people's protector. One of my main jobs is to stop violence. I can imagine now that we're in a debate. That's advocated for violence. The job of the Attorney General is unique among the three today why job to be elected. The law enforcement must always be neutral and nonpartisan. They must be done with character and integrity. This is the only way every Virginia can trust that they are state. He is willing to create his integrity. J Jones is disqualified itself as a potential attorney general opportunity. Before this last week, we all need J Jones records of the lines of ordinary Virginia. But now he's also made no secret about radical understanding of power.

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J.

SPEAKER_05:

Jones wished for the final death of the Speaker of the House of Delegates. And he said he wanted he said he wanted not one, but two bullets for the Speaker. That conduct is disqualifying. But the Speaker's children. And he said that kind of grief and pain would be a good thing. That conduct is disqualifying. What's shocking for me is Jake Jones knows Todd's children. All of us have. We served in that body. We've seen them run and laugh and play in the offices and the hallways of the General Assembly building.

SPEAKER_00:

I'm gonna pause that. Can you imagine? Even though he's a different member, I know he's a different party. He's in a different party. He brings his kids, he's seen them laughing and running in the chamber. And he says that Todd and his wife was raising little fascists, and he hoped that they would die, so he he would change his position on gun rights. Guys, that's evil to see two children and say, I hope they die. So that this so he would change his position. I have many disagreements with many Democrats, but I don't want any of them to die. And believe it or not, I'm not trying to say I'm holier than thou. I'm not. I'm a sinner just like anyone else. I am. Um And I'm thankful for the blood of Christ. I'm not I don't want this to be some I'm beating you with a pulpit type of thing, or I'm I'm holier than thou because I know that I'm not. Um But I can't imagine wishing a political opponent to die. Not only that, wishing that their little children would die. I'm sure there are if I was in the House of Delegates, I'm sure there's many people that would aggravate me on both sides, but especially the Democrat side. But I wouldn't want their kids to die. Those are made in the image of God and God loves them. And guess what? God loves the people that don't vote the same way that you do. So maybe we should stop demonizing each other. I have to correct one of my family members all the time, and it's getting hard when we have Jay Jones and we of this world saying he wished that the uh former Speaker of the House would get shot and his kids would die. But this person will keep telling me that he thinks all elected Democrats are demonic. Or how I don't agree with him. But it gets harder when you have someone like Jay Jones saying this nonsense. I know that there are good people in government that are Democrats that I disagree with completely, and I think they're completely wrong, and I think the way that the look at the world and the way they look at the Bible are wrong, but I still believe there are good Christian Democrats. Not only voters, but I would I still believe, even though it's hard, because I have to, that there are probably some good Christian Democrats in Congress. I've even heard Morgan Griffin say that that they're wrong, but they still have some that love Jesus in Congress. It may not be much, but I still believe it. So we have to stop demonizing each other. It's not good for the country, it's not good from our commonwealth. Now that doesn't mean I don't believe the Democratic Party is demonically influenced, because I actually do. But I refuse to condemn my fellow countrymen with a blanket brush of demonic, of demonic entities or hateful. But when it comes to Jay Jones, I do I'm not saying that he's demon-possessed. I don't believe that. When I say demonic, I mean influenced by the demonic spirits of this world. And guess what? The opposite of life is death. God brought life into the world, and Satan brought death into the world. As he attempted Eve to eat the apple in Adam as well. So, yeah, to say that you wish that the speaker's children would die, um, yeah, I I believe that's evil. I do believe there's some demonic entities there. That doesn't mean that he's personally demonically possessed, or that he's super influenced around a demonic force. I'm not saying that. I'm saying the God of this world, uh lowercase g. And the Bible uses this language, so don't call me blasphemous. Lowercase G God of this world, Satan, um has um definitely influenced this world. And death, the devil loves death. I won't keep playing this um attorney general's remarks.

SPEAKER_05:

The idea that you could picture their children in the mind and wish them dead. That conduct is disqualifying. And he said it'd be worth it for these children to die to advance his political views. As a father, I have to conclude perhaps Jay Jones thinks it would be a good idea if my own children would die in advance of his political views. If you're a Virginia mother, are you sure Jay Jones wants to take for their children? That he condones violence, advocates for violence in a way that I simply do not understand. More like he doesn't understand. I've been a prosecutor and I've been obviously serving as attorney general. I've met quietly one-on-one with victims. There is no cry like the cry of a mother that a lost her child. None.

SPEAKER_00:

So I'm gonna play you a clip from former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, and I understand the context, and I'm not trying to take her out of context, but her words are still not good, and they're unbecoming of a future governor, I believe. Especially when we see th the increase of political violence, the murder of Charlie Kirk, the horrible words of Jay Jones, to her credit. She did disown him, but she also said that uh Virginia needs an attorney general that will fight for the people, and he will. Um now she did discredit his words and said it was horrible. But I'm gonna play him. I don't want to just take a small clip. I mean it is a clip, but I don't want to just take it completely out of context, so I'll let you hear the entire clip. But this was this is still really bad, guys. Even with the context, it's not good. I understand and I agree she's not calling for violence, but in the world we live in right now that is violent and very politically violent against those of us on the right, um, and I understand there's violence toward people on the left, but let's be real, we we know where most of the violence is coming from. I want to play you a clip of former uh congresswoman and CIA agent Abigail Abigail Spanberger as she makes her run for Richmond and makes her run to be the next governor of Virginia. Alright, that's all we need. Let your rage fuel you. And was she talking about getting people out to try to motivate and vote? Yeah, I understand what she was trying to say, but those words are dangerous even if her mom advised her to use them. It seems after the murder of Charlie Kirk that Democrats have not really tuned down the rhetoric. Now, maybe she said this before the Kirk incident. I don't completely remember. But she didn't apologize for it. Um I'm gonna play you an ad. I think it's an absolutely great ad. I played it for my wife and she said, Man, that's like a presidential ad. It is. And with the amount of money that Winsome Earl Sears, the Republican candidate for governor, has compared to Abigail, she doesn't have nearly as much money. But they did put together this ad. I'm gonna show you.

SPEAKER_02:

Do I think Dr. Jennifer?

SPEAKER_00:

Man. Man, is that not that's a good ad. And it's true. Um let your rage fuel you. Um, so guys. You know, when I look when I look at what's unfolding right now in Virginia with Jay Jones resurface messages and the fury around Abigail Spamberger's let your rage fuel you remarks, I do feel something deep in my heart. Dread, frustration, all the above, a fierce hope that we can choose better. Because what has come to light as shocking in these text messages from 2022, Jay Jones showed us about a shocking he wanted he showed us how he was wanting a wanting his political opponent shot, invoking violence toward his children. He talked about two bullets to the head, that was his exact words. These are not offhand remarks, they reflect a mindset that should trouble every voter who cares about civility, decency, and the safety of public life. When those texts were made publicly, condemnation came from all sides, from Republicans and Democrat officials alike. Leaders even within his own party, Jay Jones has since apologized, saying he feels embarrassed, ashamed he should, and taking full responsibility. But an apology, no matter how how sincere, doesn't erase words like those. The normalization of violence in public discourse. Then there's Abigail Spanberger using of the phrase let your rage fuel you. On the face on its face it might have been intended to motivate civil engagement, get out the vote, write postcards, knock on doors. But language is powerful. Rage is a combustion fuel. When a public figure tells her supporters to let their rage fuel them, she's asking them to harness emotion, anger, hurt, resentment as an energizing force, especially when we see the evil that happened in Utah just three weeks ago. And in a moment like this, when frets are being made, when tempers are flaring, it's dangerous. One Virginia delegate Kim Taylor, whose campaign has been fretting directly linked Spanberger's words to the climate hostility. Spanberger led later claimed the rage comment was taken out of context, saying she meant it in the context of activism and engagement. But we should all agree leaders must choose their words carefully nowadays. So here so here where I come from tonight, I want better for Virginia. Not just better campaigns or better controversies. I want better leadership, better discourse, better society. Virginia is supposed to be for lovers, not for haters, not for frets, not for chance of violence, not for turning every disagreement into a moral war. I believe in a Virginia where you can disagree fiercely and passionately, but still see the humanity in each other. A Virginia where whose households know that their words echo in the people's hearts and their minds long after the microphones are turned off. We cannot pollute our public life with violent metaphors and in expect phrases and then act surprised when someone crosses that line. We can't Whoever you support, whatever end you hope, we must demand from our leaders more than brutality of civility. We must insist that they resist the temptation to stoke anger and fear for political gain. Virginia is better than this. You are better than this. We are all better than this. So tonight I ask you, check in on your own heart. What fuels you when you log in, when you send the tweet, when you make your post, when you talk to your neighbor, talk to them as your fellow American, your fellow Virginian, and if not else, a man to man made in God's image, or a woman to woman made in God's image. Is it hate that fuels you or is it hope? Let's choose hope. Let's choose people over polarization. Let's demand from our commonwealth a politics that builds and not destroys. Because the fight for Virginia isn't a war to see who destroys more, it's a work to see who uplifts more. And I know in my heart, and I know you do too, that we can do better for our commonwealth. Virginia is for lovers, not haters. And I want to read you the Bible verse of the day, Mark 4 and verse 22 from the New International Version. For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and for whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. Guys, I love you all. And I understand that President Trump has made bad comments before, and some of them irresponsible and took it out of context. That's why I want to give you the entire context of what Abigail Spanberger said. I still believe it's irresponsible. Um, she hasn't respond uh apologized for those comments that I know of. And I will say this President Trump shouldn't use some of the languages he does. So I don't want you to call me a hypocrite for saying you call you're calling out Jay Jones and Abigail, but you won't call out Trump. And listeners of the show will know I have on more than one occasion criticized Donald Trump. I I did back in 2024 when he was running for election about a whole podcast criticizing him on his weakness, on his weak position on abortion. So don't come here saying I'm a hypocrite. I'm not trying to be a hypocrite, but I believe Virginia deserves better. God bless you all. I hope around Wednesday I get to the Life of David series, I believe, part four. Um, God bless you all. Go vote, go drag out everybody you can to vote, do what you can, get involved with your local GOP and be a light. Because guess what? There's still a lot of Republicans that need Jesus. Trust me on that one. There's a lot of Republicans that need Jesus. Um, and be a good light in this world. God bless you all and have a great day.

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Josh Scott

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