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Prosecutor in Jay Jones criminal probe changes again, ping-pongs across Virginia to Democratic city
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The ongoing investigation into Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones’ reckless driving arrest and ensuing 1,000 service hours has now moved to its third jurisdiction – 200 miles across the state.
New Kent County Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Renick was the original lead prosecutor in the case – before he recused himself last week in a notice to Judge Elliott Bondurant – who then appointed James City County Commonwealth’s Attorney Nathan Green to continue the probe.
Jones was originally picked up in 2022 in New Kent for going 116 mph on the notorious straight-arrow stretch of Interstate 64 between Charles City and the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.
Bondurant has since signed off on a new recusal from Green, and punted the case from Williamsburg to Roanoke.
VIRGINIA AG CANDIDATE JAY JONES CONVICTED OF RECKLESS DRIVING, CALLS IT ‘MISTAKE’
Known for its famous Mill Mountain Star atop a verdant stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, contemporary downtown and industrial history remembered through iconic neon signage dotting its skyline, Roanoke is in very different confines from where Jones’ original case took place.
New Kent and James City counties are reliably Republican, while Roanoke stands out in stark contrast as a dark blue circle on the map surrounded by deep-red Roanoke County and the conservative New River Valley.
The Star City’s lead prosecutor, Donald Caldwell, is a Democrat-turned-independent who is also the longest-tenured Commonwealth’s Attorney in Virginia, having been in office since 1979. He will be stepping down after his current term, according to reports.
MARK WARNER SILENT WHEN PRESSED ON WHETHER JAY JONES SHOULD DROP OUT OVER VIOLENT TEXTS
Fox News Digital reached out to Caldwell’s office for a statement on his office taking the case.
Green officially informed Bondurant on Thursday that he would be recusing himself because it would «be improper» for him to lead the investigation of Jones, without elaborating.
Jones recently represented nearby Norfolk in the state legislature, and later worked for the Protogyrou law firm in the city – which represented him in his reckless driving case.
MIYARES DEMANDS JONES’ OUSTER AFTER COURT DOC INDICATES RECKLESS DRIVING CASE UNDER FURTHER CRIMINAL PROBE
The Mill Mountain Star dots the Roanoke skyline in Virginia. (Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images)
Bondurant’s latest order, obtained by the Newport News Daily Press, kicked the case clear across to Roanoke in order to make it geographically distant from the Ninth Judicial Circuit — which comprises both original jurisdictions and Virginia’s Northern Neck.
The move to Roanoke did just that as the Star City is four hours due west on US-460.
Questions have arisen about the validity or specifics of Jones’ 1,000 hours of community service – split evenly between his own political action committee: Meet Our Moment, and the NAACP of Virginia.
Representatives from both organizations submitted sworn documents obtained by Fox News Digital attesting to the work Jones purportedly completed, but no time logs or other documentation have been released or been made available as that timeframe accounts for nearly 20 hours per week over the course of the case – hearings for which had been delayed several times.
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Specifics were also lacking in the sworn statements, as Rev. Cozy Bailey – leader of the state’s NAACP chapter – wrote that Jones «provided support in a variety of ways that benefited our organization tremendously.»
A Freedom of Information Act request for documents and communications between New Kent County and the signatories of Jones hours returned a notification Tuesday that records could not be shared due to a section of Virginia code showing they would interfere with a particular ongoing criminal investigation or proceed in a «particularly identifiable manner.»
virginia governor race,southeast,elections,virginia,crime
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Líderes de la Unión Europea se reúnen en Bélgica para debatir cómo reforzar su economía ante la presión de EEUU, Rusia y China
Los líderes de la Unión Europea se reunirán este jueves en el castillo de Alden Biesen, en Bélgica, con el objetivo de debatir cómo reforzar el peso económico del bloque frente a la competencia de China y Estados Unidos y superar las divisiones internas que frenan su capacidad de acción.
La cita convocará a los dirigentes de los 27 países miembros en un contexto marcado por la turbulencia geopolítica, la intensificación de la competencia global y una economía que avanza por detrás de otras grandes potencias. El encuentro tomará como referencia un informe clave publicado hace 18 meses que plantea reformas para transformar el funcionamiento económico del bloque.
La presidenta de la Comisión Europea, Ursula von der Leyen, subrayó la urgencia del momento en declaraciones ante líderes industriales el miércoles. “La urgencia no podría ser mayor. Estamos luchando por un lugar en la nueva economía global”, afirmó.
El presidente francés, Emmanuel Macron, insistió en la necesidad de una respuesta rápida y de gran alcance por parte del bloque. Advirtió que la UE debe actuar a “una nueva escala y a una nueva velocidad” para frenar la “fragmentación, el debilitamiento y probablemente la humillación de Europa”. El mandatario también renovó su llamado a impulsar deuda conjunta europea, una propuesta que divide a varias capitales del bloque, y la definió como la “única forma” de competir con China y Estados Unidos.
Durante las conversaciones previstas, Von der Leyen promoverá una serie de iniciativas, entre ellas un impulso a la estrategia de “comprar europeo”, la simplificación de normas comunitarias y la firma de nuevos acuerdos comerciales para diversificar los socios del bloque. La propuesta de dar prioridad a empresas europeas en compras públicas se perfila como uno de los puntos de mayor tensión entre los países miembros.
Estados como Suecia y Países Bajos, defensores del libre comercio, expresan cautela ante la posibilidad de adoptar medidas que se acerquen al proteccionismo. El canciller alemán, Friedrich Merz, sostuvo que ese tipo de política debería aplicarse solo como “último recurso”.
La Comisión Europea también promueve la creación de un nuevo sistema legal para empresas que opere al margen de los marcos nacionales, el llamado “régimen 28”, con el objetivo de facilitar la actividad corporativa en los 27 países. La iniciativa apunta a reducir trabas administrativas y permitir que las compañías operen con mayor facilidad a escala continental.
Otro de los ejes centrales del debate será la profundización del mercado único. Von der Leyen y varios dirigentes consideran que una integración más estrecha constituye la principal respuesta frente a la competencia global, tal como plantea el informe elaborado por el ex presidente del Banco Central Europeo, Mario Draghi.
Tras la intervención prevista de Draghi, los líderes también escucharán al ex primer ministro italiano Enrico Letta, quien defendió una mayor integración económica, incluida una unión de ahorro e inversión que facilite el acceso al capital para las empresas. A diferencia de sus rivales estadounidenses, muchas compañías europeas enfrentan dificultades para financiar su expansión pese a que el continente alberga algunas de las mayores economías del mundo, como Alemania y Francia.
Diplomáticos indicaron que el encuentro estará dominado por dos cuestiones principales: los precios de la energía y la estrategia de preferencia por productos europeos. Von der Leyen respaldó la idea de que los compradores públicos prioricen a empresas del bloque y anunció que el Ejecutivo comunitario presentará una ley sobre preferencia europea este mes.
“Introduciremos requisitos específicos de contenido de la UE para sectores estratégicos”, expresó. Luego añadió: “Dirijamos más dinero europeo hacia nuestras industrias europeas”.
(Con información de AFP)
International,Relations,Africa,Diplomacy / Foreign Policy
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The House of Representatives passed a massive election integrity overhaul bill on Wednesday despite opposition from the vast majority of Democrats.
The House passed Rep. Chip Roy’s SAVE America Act, legislation that’s aimed at keeping non-citizens from voting in U.S. federal elections. All but one House Democrat — Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas — voted against the bill. It passed 218 to 213.
It is an updated version of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, also led by Roy, R-Texas, which passed the House in April 2025 but was never taken up in the Senate.
Whereas the SAVE Act would create a new federal proof of citizenship mandate in the voter registration process and impose requirements for states to keep their rolls clear of ineligible voters, the updated bill would also require photo ID to vote in any federal elections.
MURKOWSKI BREAKS WITH GOP ON VOTER ID, SAYS PUSH ‘IS NOT HOW WE BUILD TRUST’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries holds a press conference on the fourteenth day of the U.S. government shutdown on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Oct. 14, 2025. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)
It would also require information-sharing between state election officials and federal authorities in verifying citizenship on current voter rolls and enable the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to pursue immigration cases if non-citizens were found to be listed as eligible to vote.
Democrats have attacked the bill as tantamount to voter suppression, while Republicans argue that it’s necessary after the influx of millions of illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. during the four years of the Biden administration.
«If we want to rebuild confidence again in American elections, we need to pass the SAVE Act,» Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. «What better way to eliminate that distrust than to make sure that whoever votes in an American citizen who is truly eligible to vote?»
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill on Oct. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., accused Republicans of trying to make it harder for women to vote. She argued that the legislation would make it more difficult for married women to cast ballots if their surname is different from their maiden name on their birth certificate.
«Republicans aren’t worried about non-citizens voting. They’re afraid of actual American citizens voting. Why? Because they’re losing among women,» Clark said during debate on the House floor. «This is a minefield of red tape that you have put in front of women and American citizens and their right to vote.»
REPUBLICANS, TRUMP RUN INTO SENATE ROADBLOCK ON VOTER ID BILL
But House GOP Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, R-Okla., emphasized that it was about keeping illegal immigrants from voting in U.S. elections.
A voter fraud sign is seen at Lupica Towers in Cleveland, Ohio. (J.D. Pooley/Getty Images)
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«This really is about feeding the narrative that Democrats want illegally from all over the world to come here to support them,» Hern said of Democrats’ opposition.
Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital, «The American people did not give Republicans a mandate to make excuses. They gave us one to deliver wins, and the SAVE America Act is exactly that. Every single Democrat who voted no today proved they would rather let illegal aliens tip the scales in our national elections than protect your vote.»
If implemented, the bill could see new requirements imposed on voters in this year’s November midterm elections.
But it would have to pass the Senate, where current rules dictate that at least several Democrats are needed to meet the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster.
elections,house of representatives politics,republicans
INTERNACIONAL
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