Virginia Democrat Attorney-General candidate Jay Jones portrays himself as a defender for the working poor. But his career and political background tell a very different story. He is a lawyer and politician who has consistently put corporate giants before the individual or the underprivileged.

Jones stated in an interview with the leftist environmentalism group Clean Virginia that “everything I have done throughout my career has been centered on helping and protecting people, whether in the legislative area, the public sector or the private sector.”

However, his record suggests that he will help and protect those who are powerful and well connected and leave behind the vulnerable. Jones’s record is a clear indication of his loyalty to big business. From powerful law firms that defend large corporations to votes in the legislature that enable the exploitation and exploitation the poor, Jones has a history that shows he is a strong supporter of big business. This is something that many in the business world have recognized and rewarded Jones with generous campaign contributions.

A career built on shielding corporations from accountability

Jones’s journey in the corporate world began even before he graduated from law school, with a internship at Goldman Sachs.

In his legal career, which spans four elite law firms, there is a pattern that he has consistently followed: “helping and protecting people”. This has been true at the highest levels of society. He has never been the lead attorney for an individual plaintiff. He represented corporations or major institutions in this capacity, and they were often pitted against grieving workers, consumers or families who sought justice.

After graduating in 2015 from the University of Virginia School of Law, he began working in the Employment Practice Group at Wilcox & Savage. This group specializes on corporate defense work. He represented large companies in disputes with individual plaintiffs. This set the tone for his future career.

In Trujillo V. Landmark Media Enterprises LLC et Al., he represented Dominion Enterprises as well as Landmark Media Enterprises in a case against Roberto Trujillo who was representing himself. Trujillo claimed retaliation and defamation for remarks made on Glassdoor.com. Jones was able to secure a settlement which dismissed all claims without prejudice and protected his corporate clients. John O. “Dubby” Wynne was a major campaign donor. He contributed 26,000 dollars to Jones’s efforts in the political arena before Wynne died in 2023.

Jones represented a hospital in Patricia M. Richards V. Sentara Virgina Beach General Hospital (2016) against an employee who claimed discrimination, retaliation and HIPAA violations. Jones obtained summary judgment for the hospital, dismissing the claims.

Jones won for Verizon in a case against a former worker later that year. Jacqueline Brooks claimed that when she left Verizon in 1994, it was said she had to wait until she turned 65 before she could collect her pension. Verizon said that when Jacqueline Brooks tried to withdraw her pension at 65, she had received it in a lump-sum.

Jones helped I Crab Inc. avoid liability for the deaths in April 2015 of the crew on its fishing boat in Albemarle Sound. Jones obtained a default judgement of exoneration of the company after the bodies of three members of the crew were recovered.

Jones defended ESPN in Swartz V. ESPN Inc. (2022) against a lawsuit filed by a group of plaintiffs alleging that Facebook’s Meta Pixel was used to track the viewing habits of subscribers. While the case is currently on hold pending a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, Jones’s aggressive tactics in discovery were condemned by the court as violating its civil practices order.

In January 2023 Jones was promoted to senior associate of Hogan Lovells. This global law firm defends Fortune 500 companies from the consumer, financial, technological, and life sciences sectors.

Jones, while at Hogan Lovells has advised client on environmental and social issues, “a philosophy that keeps score on what companies do to advance the Left’s agenda and directs investment dollars to those companies who fall in line.

He has also been a strong defender of Howard University, Starbucks and other institutions against accusations of fraud and abuse.

In J. In Siah Willie v. Jeremy Randall et. al. (2023), he was successful in a dismissal of Howard’s former employee who claimed intentional infliction, negligence, invasion, and fraud.

He represented Starbucks in National Consumers League V. Starbucks Corporation ( 2024) against false advertising allegations regarding its “100%” ethical coffee and tea sourcing. Plaintiffs claimed that this was false advertising because Starbucks sources their coffee and tea from “farms and cooperatives who have committed severe human rights abuses including child labor, forced labor, and rampant sexual harassment and assault”.

Jones assisted Starbucks in moving the case from D.C. Superior Court over to D.C. District Court. This was a better venue for the mega corporation. The U.S. District Judge determined that federal courts did not have jurisdiction over the matter, and sent it back to D.C. Superior Court.

A Career in Politics Based on Favoring the Wealthy

Jones’s tenure in the Virginia House of Delegates reveals more about his business-oriented views.

He supported policy that enriched high-interest lenders, casino developers and sports betting platforms–often to the detriment of Virginians. He supported a controversial casino on Norfolk’s waterfront and voted for sports betting, opening the door to industries that exploit people with low incomes and addictions. His campaign has been funded by casino developers.

Jones has introduced legislation that prohibits small loans to unlicensed lenders such as family, but allows licensed lenders to charge interest rates up to 36%. This policy traps consumers in debt cycles with high interest rates, while allowing licensed lenders to charge up to 36%.

It is also troubling that from March 2021 until August 2023 Jones’s spouse worked in public relation for PRA Group. This major debt collection company was the subject of multiple enforcement actions by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and state attorneys general.

Big Money Fuels a Campaign

Jones was quick to accuse his opponents of accepting large donations. He cited the $10,000 donation from the National Rifle Association made to Jason Miyares as proof of corruption. Jones’ reliance on funding from corporate and legal elites is evident by the fact that at least 75 individuals have contributed $10,000 or more. received more than $320,000 in donations from personal injury and trial lawyers, including $100,000 from the wife of the former Virginia Trial Lawyers Association president and $12,000 from John C. Lynch.

There are serious questions raised about Jones’s motivations, given the overlap between his donors and his work in corporate defense, his support of gambling, and his financial and political support.

Jones says that his career has been devoted to “helping and protecting people.” Evidence paints a picture of a legislator and lawyer who always sides with the powerful. Jones has built a successful career by protecting the powerful. From defending the media giants and hospitals against employees and customers to supporting predatory lenders and casinos in the legislature. The big money he received from corporate and trial lawyer interests fuels his campaign and undermines the narrative of public service. Virginians should expect the same thing if he is elected Attorney General: to be a champion of corporations and not the common man.

This article first appeared on VIRGINIA AG RACE: Jay Jones, Corporate Defender and Public Pretender