Ben Shapiro: Exposing the Moral and Political Crisis in Virginia’s AG Text Scandal
- Staff Writer
- Oct 13
- 4 min read
Top Points
Ben Shapiro framed the Virginia text scandal as a moral and political crisis: On The Ben Shapiro Show, he argued that the leaked messages from Democratic AG nominee Jay Jones revealed deep moral corruption and a dangerous normalization of violent rhetoric in politics.
Shapiro condemned the media and Democrats for hypocrisy and double standards: He said that if a Republican had sent similar texts, the media and Democratic leaders would demand resignation, but when a Democrat is caught, they minimize the issue and protect their own.
Conservatives and Trump supporters hold the moral high ground by standing for accountability and law and order: Shapiro urged Republicans to use this moment to highlight their commitment to integrity, personal responsibility, and leadership grounded in principle, contrasting it with what he described as the left’s moral decay.
Full Report:
On his podcast The Ben Shapiro Show, Ben Shapiro turned a spotlight on one of the most explosive controversies in Virginia politics this year. The resurfaced 2022 text messages between Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones and Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner have ignited a firestorm. In those texts, Jones used violent imagery and made disturbing references to shooting his political rival.
Shapiro treated the revelations not simply as a political scandal but as a moral crisis that reveals how far political discourse has fallen. He said this was a perfect example of what happens when one party excuses behavior it would never tolerate from the other.
The Texts Reveal True Character
Shapiro explained that the texts expose something far deeper than bad judgment. They were private messages, sent between colleagues, where Jones joked about violent outcomes against political opponents. Shapiro noted that what people say behind closed doors reveals their true nature.
He argued that Jones’s public apology after the texts were exposed rang hollow. If someone is genuinely remorseful, they apologize before being caught, not after the evidence becomes public. Shapiro said the apology reflected political survival instinct, not moral clarity. He added that voters should pay attention to the character of those seeking positions of power, because private impulses often become public policy.
The Hypocrisy of Standards
A major focus of Shapiro’s commentary was what he called the glaring double standard in political accountability. He pointed out that if a Republican candidate had sent texts even remotely similar to these, the media would have erupted in outrage and the left would have demanded an immediate resignation. Yet when a Democrat is caught, many reporters and commentators minimize the incident or attempt to justify it as frustration taken out of context.
Shapiro emphasized that this selective outrage proves that the left does not actually believe in equal moral standards. He said Democrats claim to champion civility and tolerance but often excuse violent rhetoric when it comes from their own ranks. He accused mainstream outlets of trying to protect Jones rather than hold him accountable, showing again why conservatives no longer trust the press to tell the full story.
He also noted that some Democrats offered weak condemnation, calling the texts “unacceptable” while refusing to demand that Jones drop out of the race. Shapiro said this is not true moral leadership but a calculated political move to limit damage before the election.
The Political Consequences
Shapiro told his audience that this controversy goes beyond one man’s behavior. It represents a broader moral decay in the Democratic Party, which he said has become comfortable using anger and hatred as political tools. He argued that Republicans must seize this moment to remind voters what genuine leadership and integrity look like.
He explained that this scandal gives conservatives a clear moral advantage. It allows them to show that law and order, respect for human life, and principled governance are still central to their movement. For Trump supporters, it reinforces the idea that the Republican Party stands for accountability, while the left continues to shield its own from consequences.
Shapiro also warned that this should be a wake-up call for voters. If a candidate for attorney general privately jokes about violence, what does that say about his judgment and fitness to uphold the law? He said Virginians deserve leaders who protect life, not mock it in private messages.
Conclusion
For Ben Shapiro, the Virginia text scandal is more than a headline. It is a moment that lays bare the moral and cultural divide between the two parties. He urged conservatives to keep pressing for consistency, truth, and accountability, even when the media refuses to do so.
In Shapiro’s view, this is a defining moment for voters who are tired of hypocrisy and political decay. He argued that conservatives, and especially Trump supporters, must continue to lead with conviction and moral clarity. The text scandal, he said, is not just about politics. It is about who we are as a nation and whether voters are willing to stand up for the principles that keep America decent and strong.
References
Associated Press. (October 5, 2025). Trump's GOP seizes on violent rhetoric from Virginia AG candidate as high-stakes elections loom. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/0fd7ae664a91d4a2698b16a97e255794
The Washington Post. (October 3, 2025). Jay Jones's 2022 text messages roil race for Virginia attorney general. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/10/03/jones-texts-virginia-attorney-general/
Axios. (October 6, 2025). GOP unveils 7-figure ad campaign on "two bullets" text by Jay Jones. Retrieved from https://www.axios.com/2025/10/06/jason-miyares-jay-jones-text-ad-virginia
National Review. (October 4, 2025). Virginia Democrat Jay Jones under fire for violent text messages. Retrieved from https://www.nationalreview.com/news/virginia-jay-jones-violent-texts/
Fox News. (October 5, 2025). Ben Shapiro reacts to Virginia text scandal, says Democrats’ double standard is the real threat to democracy. Retrieved from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ben-shapiro-virginia-jay-jones-text-scandal


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