Vice President J.D. Vance finds himself in a fiery exchange, and this time, the ire is warranted.
In an extraordinary turn of events, while Democrats have chosen to remain eerily quiet regarding the recent texts from Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones—where he expressed violent fantasies about Republican lawmakers and their children—the party seems all too eager to condemn young Republicans for mere off-color jokes circulating in private group messages.
Just last week, a cache of private texts from 2022 revealed troubling communications from Jay Jones, who was then a delegate in Virginia, after he purportedly messaged Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner:
“Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.”
“Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot… Gilbert receives both bullets every time.”
In subsequent messages, Jones compounded his gruesome rhetoric, suggesting that politicians should experience “the pain themselves” akin to the grief of parents witnessing the loss of their children. He went so far as to wish Gilbert’s wife could witness such horrors, apparently hoping this would nudge Gilbert to a more liberal stance. Coyner, understandably disgusted, ended the call.
Read more here:
The Media Research Center’s analysis of the coverage surrounding the Jay Jones scandal paints a telling picture: Among major news networks, only NBC bothered to report on this situation, devoting a mere 63 seconds to the story.
This glaring silence speaks volumes about media bias—an undeniable reality.
Now, compare this with how Politico and its counterparts approached private discussions among conservative circles.
Messages leaked from a private Telegram group involving around 50 Young Republican leaders across states like Kansas, New York, and Virginia span over seven months and contain alarming content, including racist and antisemitic remarks, as well as discussions glorifying Adolf Hitler and unsettling fantasies of violence.
EXCLUSIVE: Thousands of leaked messages show leaders of Young Republican groups joking about gas chambers, slavery, and rape in a private Telegram chat.
Inside rising GOP leaders’ racist chats — obtained by POLITICO and spanning more than 7 months https://t.co/yvz8Jwbrmf
— POLITICO (@politico) October 14, 2025
The authenticity of these messages, verified by screenshots and participant confirmations, prompted swift repercussions, including the firing of Kansas chairman William Hendrix and resignations across the board, leading to the disbanding of the Kansas chapter and denunciations from the national Young Republican Federation.
Peter Giunta, previously the chair of New York Young Republicans, also lost his position in the New York State Assembly, according to Politico.
The Young Republicans Board issued an emphatic statement:
“We are appalled by the vile and inexcusable language revealed in the Politico article published today. Such behavior is disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and is in stark opposition to the values our movement represents. We demand the immediate resignation of anyone involved in these exchanges from all state and local Young Republican organizations. Our standards of integrity, respect, and professionalism must be upheld.”
Vice President J.D. Vance is openly criticizing both the Democrats and the media for their apparent hypocrisy in their responses to these shocking revelations involving Jay Jones, whose fantasies of violence towards Republicans have sparked unprecedented discussions.
He pointedly remarked on the silence from Democrats who typically express outrage at minor conservative statements, asking rhetorically: “This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia. I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence,” Vance expressed on X.
This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia. I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence. pic.twitter.com/kV57Wq7BLG
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 14, 2025
Vance is not alone in his sentiments:
Unless every Democrat denounces Jay Jones’ texts fantasizing about murdering Republicans & their children, I won’t be concerned about edgy jokes made by Young Republicans in private chats.
Have you even asked every elected Democrat where they stand?
Go do actual work, useless @politico clowns pic.twitter.com/f5Z50IqEaj
— ALX (@alx) October 14, 2025
Call me old-fashioned, but I expect higher standards from a candidate for Attorney General of Virginia than from random Young Republican staffers.
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) October 14, 2025
Young Republicans letting off steam in immature group messages is not on the same plane as a powerful Democrat fantasizing about child murder. Frankly, I don’t care about that nonsense.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) October 14, 2025