April 1, 2026 • 21 mins
BIN News Anchor Amber Payton sat down exclusively with Virginia's first Black Attorney General, Jay Jones, for a wide-ranging conversation about his historic role and what it means for communities across the Commonwealth.
Jones spoke candidly about his top priorities in office, what the Attorney General's office does for everyday Virginians, and the urgent work already underway through his newly created Public Advocacy Division.
The Hampton Roads native also reflected on the weight of making history in a state more than 400 years old — and delivered a powerful message of encouragement to the next generation of Black leaders.
Listen now!
Jones spoke candidly about his top priorities in office, what the Attorney General's office does for everyday Virginians, and the urgent work already underway through his newly created Public Advocacy Division.
The Hampton Roads native also reflected on the weight of making history in a state more than 400 years old — and delivered a powerful message of encouragement to the next generation of Black leaders.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Amber Payton on your Home for Black News First,
the Black Information That Work. Four hundred and seven years.
That's how long the Commonwealth of Virginia has existed without
a single black Attorney General until now. J Jones stepped
into office earlier this year with a mandate protect Virginians,
restore trust, and make sure the law works for everyone,
not just some. I sat down with Attorney General Jay
(00:22):
Jones for an exclusive conversation about what's already in motion,
what's at stake for black communities across the state, and
why he says the work starts right here in Hampton Roads.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
You know, I know I'm a part of black history,
and I always tell people because I think it's really important.
In Richmond, our office is in the Barbara Johns Building,
And for people who don't know, Barbara Johns was a
pioneering young lady who helped desegregate schools here in Virginia.
Really did get into the fight at such a young age.
I couldn't imagine doing that. And you know, we named
(00:53):
our building after her. And over the doorway are these
three big words emblazoned in marble, equality, opportunity, and justice,
which I think really animated her life and now it
motivates our mission in the OAG. So I think it's
full circle and I am the first, but hopefully will
not be the last.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
That's right now, I do want to talk about you know,
since you've been in your position day one, you announced
a sweeping set of actions, right, and you reverse some
of your predecessor's opinions, and you created a new public
Advocacy division. Now that you're a few months in, what
does the work actually look like day to day?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Well, every day is different. You know. We have a
schedule and by nine o'clock it is gone by the wayside.
But it's a good thing because we are working fast
and furious every single day on behalf of Virginian's I
said during the campaign, and I meant it and believe it,
and we're putting this into practice. This office belongs to
the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It does not
(01:52):
reside in just my hands or the select few. And
we have really tried to put all of our resources,
our time, and our inner into making that a reality.
And you mentioned our Public Advocacy Division, which I'm incredibly
proud of. We created this to put all of our
affirmative work under one group. So you have our Voting
Rights Division, our Housing Division, our Civil Rights Division, our
(02:14):
Anti Trust Division, all of the work that people think
about when they think think about an Attorney General's office,
that's where that is. And so you know, we have
been moving full steam ahead with that. I'm really proud
of the team that we've assembled, the most diverse front
office in the history of this office, women, people of
color at the highest levels, reflecting what Virginia looks like.
(02:36):
And you know, I'm just happy to be a part
of it. I'm glad that these really talented people wanted
to come serve. We had, I think a tremendous amount
of talented people who were willing to come work in
public service, which is not always easy in this particular
moment in our country's history. But people really believe in
getting this office back on track again, returning it to
the people of Virginia, and doing right by our citizens,
(02:59):
putting money back in their keeping them safe, and protecting
against federal overreach, which obviously took up a lot of
our time in the very beginning because my predecessor, I think,
was really focused on currying favor with the President whereas
my job and my goal and mission has always been
to protect and defend Virginia's interests.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yes, so, now that you've had a snapshot into Virginia
over the last few months, where are you seeing the
most urgent need.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
People are very, very worried about their economic situation. They're
worried about their bottom lines. You know, I can say
I'm also worried. I have two young boys. They are hungry,
they are growing, and the cost of living continues to
go up. And so we have been laser focused on
trying to put money back in people's pockets. It's why
we sued the administration over their attempt to dismantle the
(03:45):
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, because that is a necessary element
toward putting money back in people's pockets. We have been
laser focused on trying to stop the president from these
illegal tariffs, which the Supreme Court said are not valid.
We got into that lost suit and we're very happy
with that result. And then you see him three days
later saying, well, I'm going to do it again. And
so we are really just using all of the tools
(04:07):
in our toolbox to try and give people from relief.
You know, it's really, really difficult. We've seen how it's
impacted our local and our regional economies, the Port of Virginia,
you know, the sort of the agricultural and forestry industries
here in Virginia, which are the number one and number
two biggest industries in this commonwealth. And then you hear
reports that these tariffs have cost all of us on
(04:27):
average seventeen hundred dollars in overcharges and extra costs. We
want that money back, right, we want that money back
in our pockets. And so that's what we've really been
focused on. Because as I move around Virginia, and I
get to travel a lot from my job, which I
really enjoy because I get to have conversations with people
from all across this commonwealth, of all stripes and backgrounds,
and that's the sort of unifying thing that we hear.
(04:49):
And so we want to be responsive, We want to
be dynamic, and we want to be you know, as
attuned as possible to serving the people in Virginia and
their needs. And that's what we're trying.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
To do absolutely. And that kind of brings me to
my next point, because I know that you described your
mission as protecting Virginian's and returning the office back to
the people. So what does accountability look like in that
role to you?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Well, we have been really committed to transparency and making
sure that people know what's happening in our office, and
we are as accessible as an Attorney General's office has
been I think in recent memory, and so you know,
we try to keep people updated as to what we're doing.
I think we put out a press release or to
a day. I try to be as visible as I can,
(05:33):
again meeting people where they are a lot of folks
across Virginia have no idea what the Attorney General's Office
does and what we can do to provide help for
those people, and that's something that we're really trying to
sort of demystify and let them know that we are
members of the community. We work these in the same
places that you do. We have the same problems that
(05:53):
the folks across Virginia have, and so, you know, trying
to be as relatable as possible, but trying to be
as visible as possible too. So you know, using a
platform like this I think is really powerful so people
can say, oh my gosh, I having a problem, Maybe
I need to call the Attorney General's Office. Maybe I
need to reach out and see if they can help,
and if we can't, we will put you on the
path to finding someone who can help you right, working
(06:15):
with state and local governments, working with law enforcement to
try to stop fraud and scammers and all the things
that are happening in our society. So you know, if
we can't do it ourselves. I like to think of
this office as a sort of clearinghouse and a connector.
And I think for so long this office was reflexively
telling people no, we can't do that, or we can't help.
(06:37):
My mission and my directive to our team is to
be more in the line of getting to yes right
and facilitating and helping people.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
So I do want to go back to something that
you just said, because you're right, a lot of people
don't know what does the Attorney General DOKA. In the
most simplest terms that you can, can you explain to
the listener what it is that you do.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Well, I am the top attorney in the state, and
we represent all government agencies and all public universities, and
we also represent every single citizen. We have really been
focused on beefing up our consumer protection unit in this office.
In this moment when people are very worried about their
bottom lines and their financial security. Consumer protection is a
(07:19):
way for us to put money back in people's pockets
and so protecting people from those scammers, protecting people from fraud,
cracking down on folks who are praying on our vulnerable populations,
our children, the elderly. You know, we do it all.
We are pretty comprehensive in our you know, i'd say,
the biggest law firm in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and
(07:41):
we have really talented people who have given their lives
to public service. I had a young woman who works
in our office who told me on my second day
that I am her ninth Attorney General. And so that
is something that really stuck with me, because there are
people in this office who have spanned not just a
couple of years in a couple of attorney's general, but
(08:01):
decades right a generation or two in this office because
they believe in public service. And that was really special
and it certainly stuck with me and it motivates me
right because people like her are why we do this
and why we sort of get involved in this arena
so that we can do the most good for the
most amount of people.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
And you mentioned consumer protection, which I just from following
you even during your campaign could hear that that is
something that you are very passionate about. And as a
result of that, you reorganized the office and that's when
you created the Public Advocacy Division that consolidates consumer protection
and civil rights and utilities regulation. So why was that
(08:42):
structural move necessary and what should Virginian's overall expect to
see from that?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Well, I'm passionate about consumer protection because that is what
I did for a while before I got into this role.
I was an Assistant Attorney General in the District of Columbia,
where I was a member of the consumer protection team,
and I got to go after the biggest and baddest
folks who were harming people across not just the DMV,
but across the country. Big banks, the slumlords, the big
tech companies, the folks who are taking advantage of regular,
(09:12):
everyday people. And it was important to me because I
saw the success that they had in DC and we
had in DC to bring that to Virginia. To put
attorneys who were doing a lot of the similarly situated
stuff together so that they can work not only alongside
each other, but leverage you know, some of the things
that they're doing in their particular silo and say, maybe
you know, this is an anti trust issue that we
(09:32):
can also loop in with housing. You know, when you
have these big housing conglomerates that need to be held accountable,
we should have more people putting their energy and time
into it and we can have better outcomes. So, you know,
it's something that I hope will be a lasting legacy
for this office. It really has gotten off to a
really strong start. I'm proud of the team that we
have put together again, dedicated public servants who want to
(09:54):
help their fellow fellow citizens here. And that's really I
think in this moment, when you have a president and
whose policies are devastating people across Virginia and across this country,
consumer protection really is how we fight back and how
we can protect people's pocketbooks. Again, I have two little boys.
They are hungry. The price of berries and eggs and
(10:15):
milk and all that continues to rise. If you compare
our grocery bill today to where it was two years ago,
the same items, right, the cost has gone up significantly,
And you know that's a really big deal. And if
we can put money back in people's pockets. You know,
that's real money for real people. And that's what you know,
I think has really been our focus for these first
couple months and will continue to be until we have
(10:35):
a change in some of these policies and things get
back on track.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
And you recently joined a multi state lawsuit to fight
the dismantling of CFPB.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
It's a mouthful when you say Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
So CFPB is better yeah, VFPEB.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
So what happens to Virginia consumers if that agency is gutted.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
If the agency's gutted, there is no watchdog at the
federal level to help protect them from being overcharged, from
getting ripped off by these companies out there who are
really trying to pad their bottom lines. We think about
working with our federal partners and our local partners, but
to not have that key piece of the three legged stool,
(11:15):
you know, there's a big gap. And at the state level,
we can only do but so much, and we're doing
everything we can, but we need the muscle of the
CFPB behind us to help figure this out. And so
when the Trump administration tried to dismantle it because they
clearly favor you know, these big corporations over regular people.
You know, we said no, and my predecessor refused to
(11:36):
join this lawsuit. This is obviously a big difference between
the two of us because I will always put Virginia
first as opposed to doing what the president wants. I
don't work for him, right, I work for the people
of Virginia, all eight and a half million. It doesn't
matter where you're from, doesn't matter which political party you
belong to. You know, I work for every single person.
And so this is something that's in the best interest
of Virginia, and it's why it was one of the
first things that we did because again, it really does
(11:58):
sort of align with our goal of protecting people and
putting money back in their pockets.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
And another thing that you did, you had a very
busy day one.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Every day is busy, but yes, day one was busy.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Day one was busy. So on day one you withdrew
your predecessor's position in the Virginia Beach Voting Representation case
and you commit it to supporting fair representation. Can you
talk about what was at stake there and why that
decision mattered.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Well, you know, look, I come from a line of
people who have been very passionate about protecting the right
to vote and the right to the franchise. And you know,
I sit across the dinner table from people who were
denied the right to vote just because of the color
of their skin, and so this is something that is
quite personal to me. And as a member of the
General Assembly, I was proud to support the Virginia Voting
Rights Act, which made it much easier for people to
(12:47):
vote here in Virginia. We expanded early vote and I
think that's had, you know, a real positive impact here
in this commonwealth, but in Virginia Beach in particular, we
know that the system that they were employing was not
necessarily constitution and was not reflective of the communities that
we are looking to serve. And so people need to
(13:07):
know that we have their back. And whether it's the
Virginia Beach lawsuit or this redistricting referendum which we have
fought to protect so that that election can go forward,
we just want to make sure people have the right
to the franchise and that their vote is not discounted,
their vote is not diluted, and that people have the
opportunity to go and make their voices heard. And I'm
confident that our position in the Virginia Beach case we validated,
(13:30):
confident that that system will right itself. And then I'm
confident that our elections were really proud of the fact
here in Virginia that our processes are safe and secure,
but that everyone's voice will be heard. Their voice will
be you know, their vote will be counted when election
time comes.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Absolutely, and of course we want to remind everyone that
early voting is happening right now. Election day is April
twenty first, You got it. I've been saying it every day. So,
with federal voting rights protections under increasing pressure, what authority
does your office have to protect Virginka's access to the balot?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Well, as I mentioned a minute ago, we passed the
Virginia Voting Rights Act here and I want to give
a major shout out to Delegate Marcia Price, who was
the champion of that piece of legislation several years ago.
Virginia at one point was the forty ninth most difficult
state to vote in the country. We are now the
eleventh easiest, which is a tremendous jump and a meaningful
jump to really allow us to facilitate elections here in
(14:30):
Virginia in a way that everybody can participate who is
supposed to be participating. And so when the federal government
is attacking voting rights, when they are abdicating their authority
to protect elections, right the states step into that breach,
and so we get to use the Virginia Voting Rights
Act to protect people here in Virginia. To protect our elections,
we have our Election Protection Unit. They are working very
(14:53):
very hard every single day in communication with our registrars
and our local election officials to make sure that the
administration of the election is going smoothly, that no one
is being intimidated, that you know, people have the right
to the franchise, and so you know, that's our job,
that's our mission. And as I mentioned, it's really special
to me as someone who comes from a line of
(15:13):
folks who fought very hard for a long time to
make sure that we had the right to vote. For
me to be in a position to protect that is
incredibly special, and I know how consequential it is, and
so it's not lost on me. And that's why we
brought in really talented people to come and be able
to work alongside the talented people at the local level
(15:34):
who you know, I want to express my gratitude to them,
the election officials, the folks who are administering this every day.
We ask a lot of them, right, we have elections
all the time in Virginia, every June, every November, even
your idyar. Now we've got a special election. They deserve
our praise and our thanks, and so to be able
to work alongside those folks is really special. And you know,
we're just happy to play a part in making sure
(15:55):
that people have the right to the franchise and they
can go out and express themselves at the ballot box.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I want to pivot because you know, as a leader
in Virginia, a black leader at that, the representation is
inspiring for many. Now, what weight do you or how
do you carry that weight?
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Knowing that you know it's I'm the forty ninth attorney general.
I'm the first black attorney general, and it's certainly a
special thing and something that i is not lost on me.
I'm really grateful to the trust that the voters placed
in me last year and really think that we've hit
the ground running in a positive way. But you know,
I know I'm not going to be the last person
to hold this position. And you think about where we
(16:37):
are in our politics in Virginia, where your Attorney General
is black, your Speaker of the House is black, your
President pro Tem in the Senate of Virginia is black.
The chairs of the money committees in the General Assembly
are black. Our chair of the state Party is black.
I think that really speaks to where Virginia is and
how far we've come in a very very short amount
(16:57):
of time. But I hope that we, you know, as
a collective, can inspire these generations who are coming behind us,
you know, to say, Okay, I can do it right.
There's anything that is out there that I can do,
and I want to break barriers and I want to
be the one to set the tone. And it's something
that I learned from my parents and my grandparents. But
(17:18):
I hope that my children can can look up and say,
you know, what my family did, did amazing things, and
I've seen other people do do these tremendous, tremendously impactful things.
I can do it too. And so you know, again,
we celebrate those of us who are the first, but
those of us who are the first know that we
cannot be the last.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
And I think it's also very important to point out
that a lot of those leaders you just named are
from Hampton Road.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
There is certainly something in the water here in Hampton Roads.
But you know, we all know that while we hail
from here, the decisions that we are making are on
behalf of everybody across the state. And it does not
matter what you look like, where you come from, how
much money is in your pocket. We are all in
(18:04):
this together, and you know, we're trying to move Virginia
in the right direction. Virginia has long been a leader
in a lot of different spaces, and you know we're
trying to continue that. And it's a joy to serve
alongside these history makers and be a part of that
that group. But you know, our mission remains, you know,
sort of singular, which is to advance the goals and
(18:27):
interests of Virginia and what's best for our commonwealth. And
that continues to animate us and motivate us every single day.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
And I know you grew up in Norfolk.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
I did still live in Norfolk.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Still live in Norfolk. How do you feel like that
lived experience shaped how you approach this role today?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Well, you know, Norfolk is incredibly special to me. It's
where my wife and I have settled and we're raising
our kids. My sons are fifth generation Norfolkians, which I
think is pretty cool. But I think about, you know,
my father, my uncle, who integrated to school here in
Norfolk in nineteen sixty three when they were nine years
old and seven years old. I couldn't imagine being that young,
(19:10):
you know, doing that, and I'm not sure they thought
about it in the moment, but my grandparents were committed,
you know, to making sure that our schools were desegregated
and that you know, they had the same opportunities as
every other child. And so whatever I'm going through is
nothing compared to what they did. And so you know,
we have, I think, an obligation to try to make
things better for those who come behind us. And I'm
(19:30):
grateful to my father and the others right he was
not alone who did that right for us, and so
you know, Norfolk I think continues to lead and serve
as an example for what is possible. But I certainly
carry those experiences of those who came before me with
me as I navigate my job. And I hope that
you know, those those who come after us are mindful
(19:54):
right of where we've come from, but know that they
can do anything and that it doesn't matter where you
come from. I'm just a kid from Norfolk who happens
to be the Attorney General. There is a young person
in Norfolk who probably could be President of the United States,
and I hope that they never lose sight of that. Right.
They can be a CEO, they can be a media mogul,
they can be whatever they want to be. But we
(20:15):
just have to continue to push forward. We have to
continue to empower those people and make them feel like
we've got their back. Right. It's easy to lose sight
of that stuff because life is busy, you're dealing with
heavy things. But bringing along those folks behind you is
super duper important, and it's something that I've long been
committed to and will continue to be as I'm moved
throughout my career.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Words of encouragement from the first black Attorney General inveraging
a history A man who knows firsthand what it means
to walk into a room that wasn't necessarily built for
you and change it from the inside. Attorney General J. Jones,
Making history and the Commonwealth I'm Amber Payton on your
home for Black News First, the black information networks,
I'm Amber Payton on your Home for Black News First,
the Black Information That Work. Four hundred and seven years.
That's how long the Commonwealth of Virginia has existed without
a single black Attorney General until now. J Jones stepped
into office earlier this year with a mandate protect Virginians,
restore trust, and make sure the law works for everyone,
not just some. I sat down with Attorney General Jay
(00:22):
Jones for an exclusive conversation about what's already in motion,
what's at stake for black communities across the state, and
why he says the work starts right here in Hampton Roads.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
You know, I know I'm a part of black history,
and I always tell people because I think it's really important.
In Richmond, our office is in the Barbara Johns Building,
And for people who don't know, Barbara Johns was a
pioneering young lady who helped desegregate schools here in Virginia.
Really did get into the fight at such a young age.
I couldn't imagine doing that. And you know, we named
(00:53):
our building after her. And over the doorway are these
three big words emblazoned in marble, equality, opportunity, and justice,
which I think really animated her life and now it
motivates our mission in the OAG. So I think it's
full circle and I am the first, but hopefully will
not be the last.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
That's right now, I do want to talk about you know,
since you've been in your position day one, you announced
a sweeping set of actions, right, and you reverse some
of your predecessor's opinions, and you created a new public
Advocacy division. Now that you're a few months in, what
does the work actually look like day to day?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Well, every day is different. You know. We have a
schedule and by nine o'clock it is gone by the wayside.
But it's a good thing because we are working fast
and furious every single day on behalf of Virginian's I
said during the campaign, and I meant it and believe it,
and we're putting this into practice. This office belongs to
the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It does not
(01:52):
reside in just my hands or the select few. And
we have really tried to put all of our resources,
our time, and our inner into making that a reality.
And you mentioned our Public Advocacy Division, which I'm incredibly
proud of. We created this to put all of our
affirmative work under one group. So you have our Voting
Rights Division, our Housing Division, our Civil Rights Division, our
(02:14):
Anti Trust Division, all of the work that people think
about when they think think about an Attorney General's office,
that's where that is. And so you know, we have
been moving full steam ahead with that. I'm really proud
of the team that we've assembled, the most diverse front
office in the history of this office, women, people of
color at the highest levels, reflecting what Virginia looks like.
(02:36):
And you know, I'm just happy to be a part
of it. I'm glad that these really talented people wanted
to come serve. We had, I think a tremendous amount
of talented people who were willing to come work in
public service, which is not always easy in this particular
moment in our country's history. But people really believe in
getting this office back on track again, returning it to
the people of Virginia, and doing right by our citizens,
(02:59):
putting money back in their keeping them safe, and protecting
against federal overreach, which obviously took up a lot of
our time in the very beginning because my predecessor, I think,
was really focused on currying favor with the President whereas
my job and my goal and mission has always been
to protect and defend Virginia's interests.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yes, so, now that you've had a snapshot into Virginia
over the last few months, where are you seeing the
most urgent need.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
People are very, very worried about their economic situation. They're
worried about their bottom lines. You know, I can say
I'm also worried. I have two young boys. They are hungry,
they are growing, and the cost of living continues to
go up. And so we have been laser focused on
trying to put money back in people's pockets. It's why
we sued the administration over their attempt to dismantle the
(03:45):
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, because that is a necessary element
toward putting money back in people's pockets. We have been
laser focused on trying to stop the president from these
illegal tariffs, which the Supreme Court said are not valid.
We got into that lost suit and we're very happy
with that result. And then you see him three days
later saying, well, I'm going to do it again. And
so we are really just using all of the tools
(04:07):
in our toolbox to try and give people from relief.
You know, it's really, really difficult. We've seen how it's
impacted our local and our regional economies, the Port of Virginia,
you know, the sort of the agricultural and forestry industries
here in Virginia, which are the number one and number
two biggest industries in this commonwealth. And then you hear
reports that these tariffs have cost all of us on
(04:27):
average seventeen hundred dollars in overcharges and extra costs. We
want that money back, right, we want that money back
in our pockets. And so that's what we've really been
focused on. Because as I move around Virginia, and I
get to travel a lot from my job, which I
really enjoy because I get to have conversations with people
from all across this commonwealth, of all stripes and backgrounds,
and that's the sort of unifying thing that we hear.
(04:49):
And so we want to be responsive, We want to
be dynamic, and we want to be you know, as
attuned as possible to serving the people in Virginia and
their needs. And that's what we're trying.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
To do absolutely. And that kind of brings me to
my next point, because I know that you described your
mission as protecting Virginian's and returning the office back to
the people. So what does accountability look like in that
role to you?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Well, we have been really committed to transparency and making
sure that people know what's happening in our office, and
we are as accessible as an Attorney General's office has
been I think in recent memory, and so you know,
we try to keep people updated as to what we're doing.
I think we put out a press release or to
a day. I try to be as visible as I can,
(05:33):
again meeting people where they are a lot of folks
across Virginia have no idea what the Attorney General's Office
does and what we can do to provide help for
those people, and that's something that we're really trying to
sort of demystify and let them know that we are
members of the community. We work these in the same
places that you do. We have the same problems that
(05:53):
the folks across Virginia have, and so, you know, trying
to be as relatable as possible, but trying to be
as visible as possible too. So you know, using a
platform like this I think is really powerful so people
can say, oh my gosh, I having a problem, Maybe
I need to call the Attorney General's Office. Maybe I
need to reach out and see if they can help,
and if we can't, we will put you on the
path to finding someone who can help you right, working
(06:15):
with state and local governments, working with law enforcement to
try to stop fraud and scammers and all the things
that are happening in our society. So you know, if
we can't do it ourselves. I like to think of
this office as a sort of clearinghouse and a connector.
And I think for so long this office was reflexively
telling people no, we can't do that, or we can't help.
(06:37):
My mission and my directive to our team is to
be more in the line of getting to yes right
and facilitating and helping people.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
So I do want to go back to something that
you just said, because you're right, a lot of people
don't know what does the Attorney General DOKA. In the
most simplest terms that you can, can you explain to
the listener what it is that you do.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Well, I am the top attorney in the state, and
we represent all government agencies and all public universities, and
we also represent every single citizen. We have really been
focused on beefing up our consumer protection unit in this office.
In this moment when people are very worried about their
bottom lines and their financial security. Consumer protection is a
(07:19):
way for us to put money back in people's pockets
and so protecting people from those scammers, protecting people from fraud,
cracking down on folks who are praying on our vulnerable populations,
our children, the elderly. You know, we do it all.
We are pretty comprehensive in our you know, i'd say,
the biggest law firm in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and
(07:41):
we have really talented people who have given their lives
to public service. I had a young woman who works
in our office who told me on my second day
that I am her ninth Attorney General. And so that
is something that really stuck with me, because there are
people in this office who have spanned not just a
couple of years in a couple of attorney's general, but
(08:01):
decades right a generation or two in this office because
they believe in public service. And that was really special
and it certainly stuck with me and it motivates me
right because people like her are why we do this
and why we sort of get involved in this arena
so that we can do the most good for the
most amount of people.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
And you mentioned consumer protection, which I just from following
you even during your campaign could hear that that is
something that you are very passionate about. And as a
result of that, you reorganized the office and that's when
you created the Public Advocacy Division that consolidates consumer protection
and civil rights and utilities regulation. So why was that
(08:42):
structural move necessary and what should Virginian's overall expect to
see from that?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Well, I'm passionate about consumer protection because that is what
I did for a while before I got into this role.
I was an Assistant Attorney General in the District of Columbia,
where I was a member of the consumer protection team,
and I got to go after the biggest and baddest
folks who were harming people across not just the DMV,
but across the country. Big banks, the slumlords, the big
tech companies, the folks who are taking advantage of regular,
(09:12):
everyday people. And it was important to me because I
saw the success that they had in DC and we
had in DC to bring that to Virginia. To put
attorneys who were doing a lot of the similarly situated
stuff together so that they can work not only alongside
each other, but leverage you know, some of the things
that they're doing in their particular silo and say, maybe
you know, this is an anti trust issue that we
(09:32):
can also loop in with housing. You know, when you
have these big housing conglomerates that need to be held accountable,
we should have more people putting their energy and time
into it and we can have better outcomes. So, you know,
it's something that I hope will be a lasting legacy
for this office. It really has gotten off to a
really strong start. I'm proud of the team that we
have put together again, dedicated public servants who want to
(09:54):
help their fellow fellow citizens here. And that's really I
think in this moment, when you have a president and
whose policies are devastating people across Virginia and across this country,
consumer protection really is how we fight back and how
we can protect people's pocketbooks. Again, I have two little boys.
They are hungry. The price of berries and eggs and
(10:15):
milk and all that continues to rise. If you compare
our grocery bill today to where it was two years ago,
the same items, right, the cost has gone up significantly,
And you know that's a really big deal. And if
we can put money back in people's pockets. You know,
that's real money for real people. And that's what you know,
I think has really been our focus for these first
couple months and will continue to be until we have
(10:35):
a change in some of these policies and things get
back on track.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
And you recently joined a multi state lawsuit to fight
the dismantling of CFPB.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
It's a mouthful when you say Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
So CFPB is better yeah, VFPEB.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
So what happens to Virginia consumers if that agency is gutted.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
If the agency's gutted, there is no watchdog at the
federal level to help protect them from being overcharged, from
getting ripped off by these companies out there who are
really trying to pad their bottom lines. We think about
working with our federal partners and our local partners, but
to not have that key piece of the three legged stool,
(11:15):
you know, there's a big gap. And at the state level,
we can only do but so much, and we're doing
everything we can, but we need the muscle of the
CFPB behind us to help figure this out. And so
when the Trump administration tried to dismantle it because they
clearly favor you know, these big corporations over regular people.
You know, we said no, and my predecessor refused to
(11:36):
join this lawsuit. This is obviously a big difference between
the two of us because I will always put Virginia
first as opposed to doing what the president wants. I
don't work for him, right, I work for the people
of Virginia, all eight and a half million. It doesn't
matter where you're from, doesn't matter which political party you
belong to. You know, I work for every single person.
And so this is something that's in the best interest
of Virginia, and it's why it was one of the
first things that we did because again, it really does
(11:58):
sort of align with our goal of protecting people and
putting money back in their pockets.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
And another thing that you did, you had a very
busy day one.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Every day is busy, but yes, day one was busy.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Day one was busy. So on day one you withdrew
your predecessor's position in the Virginia Beach Voting Representation case
and you commit it to supporting fair representation. Can you
talk about what was at stake there and why that
decision mattered.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Well, you know, look, I come from a line of
people who have been very passionate about protecting the right
to vote and the right to the franchise. And you know,
I sit across the dinner table from people who were
denied the right to vote just because of the color
of their skin, and so this is something that is
quite personal to me. And as a member of the
General Assembly, I was proud to support the Virginia Voting
Rights Act, which made it much easier for people to
(12:47):
vote here in Virginia. We expanded early vote and I
think that's had, you know, a real positive impact here
in this commonwealth, but in Virginia Beach in particular, we
know that the system that they were employing was not
necessarily constitution and was not reflective of the communities that
we are looking to serve. And so people need to
(13:07):
know that we have their back. And whether it's the
Virginia Beach lawsuit or this redistricting referendum which we have
fought to protect so that that election can go forward,
we just want to make sure people have the right
to the franchise and that their vote is not discounted,
their vote is not diluted, and that people have the
opportunity to go and make their voices heard. And I'm
confident that our position in the Virginia Beach case we validated,
(13:30):
confident that that system will right itself. And then I'm
confident that our elections were really proud of the fact
here in Virginia that our processes are safe and secure,
but that everyone's voice will be heard. Their voice will
be you know, their vote will be counted when election
time comes.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Absolutely, and of course we want to remind everyone that
early voting is happening right now. Election day is April
twenty first, You got it. I've been saying it every day. So,
with federal voting rights protections under increasing pressure, what authority
does your office have to protect Virginka's access to the balot?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Well, as I mentioned a minute ago, we passed the
Virginia Voting Rights Act here and I want to give
a major shout out to Delegate Marcia Price, who was
the champion of that piece of legislation several years ago.
Virginia at one point was the forty ninth most difficult
state to vote in the country. We are now the
eleventh easiest, which is a tremendous jump and a meaningful
jump to really allow us to facilitate elections here in
(14:30):
Virginia in a way that everybody can participate who is
supposed to be participating. And so when the federal government
is attacking voting rights, when they are abdicating their authority
to protect elections, right the states step into that breach,
and so we get to use the Virginia Voting Rights
Act to protect people here in Virginia. To protect our elections,
we have our Election Protection Unit. They are working very
(14:53):
very hard every single day in communication with our registrars
and our local election officials to make sure that the
administration of the election is going smoothly, that no one
is being intimidated, that you know, people have the right
to the franchise, and so you know, that's our job,
that's our mission. And as I mentioned, it's really special
to me as someone who comes from a line of
(15:13):
folks who fought very hard for a long time to
make sure that we had the right to vote. For
me to be in a position to protect that is
incredibly special, and I know how consequential it is, and
so it's not lost on me. And that's why we
brought in really talented people to come and be able
to work alongside the talented people at the local level
(15:34):
who you know, I want to express my gratitude to them,
the election officials, the folks who are administering this every day.
We ask a lot of them, right, we have elections
all the time in Virginia, every June, every November, even
your idyar. Now we've got a special election. They deserve
our praise and our thanks, and so to be able
to work alongside those folks is really special. And you know,
we're just happy to play a part in making sure
(15:55):
that people have the right to the franchise and they
can go out and express themselves at the ballot box.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I want to pivot because you know, as a leader
in Virginia, a black leader at that, the representation is
inspiring for many. Now, what weight do you or how
do you carry that weight?
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Knowing that you know it's I'm the forty ninth attorney general.
I'm the first black attorney general, and it's certainly a
special thing and something that i is not lost on me.
I'm really grateful to the trust that the voters placed
in me last year and really think that we've hit
the ground running in a positive way. But you know,
I know I'm not going to be the last person
to hold this position. And you think about where we
(16:37):
are in our politics in Virginia, where your Attorney General
is black, your Speaker of the House is black, your
President pro Tem in the Senate of Virginia is black.
The chairs of the money committees in the General Assembly
are black. Our chair of the state Party is black.
I think that really speaks to where Virginia is and
how far we've come in a very very short amount
(16:57):
of time. But I hope that we, you know, as
a collective, can inspire these generations who are coming behind us,
you know, to say, Okay, I can do it right.
There's anything that is out there that I can do,
and I want to break barriers and I want to
be the one to set the tone. And it's something
that I learned from my parents and my grandparents. But
(17:18):
I hope that my children can can look up and say,
you know, what my family did, did amazing things, and
I've seen other people do do these tremendous, tremendously impactful things.
I can do it too. And so you know, again,
we celebrate those of us who are the first, but
those of us who are the first know that we
cannot be the last.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
And I think it's also very important to point out
that a lot of those leaders you just named are
from Hampton Road.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
There is certainly something in the water here in Hampton Roads.
But you know, we all know that while we hail
from here, the decisions that we are making are on
behalf of everybody across the state. And it does not
matter what you look like, where you come from, how
much money is in your pocket. We are all in
(18:04):
this together, and you know, we're trying to move Virginia
in the right direction. Virginia has long been a leader
in a lot of different spaces, and you know we're
trying to continue that. And it's a joy to serve
alongside these history makers and be a part of that
that group. But you know, our mission remains, you know,
sort of singular, which is to advance the goals and
(18:27):
interests of Virginia and what's best for our commonwealth. And
that continues to animate us and motivate us every single day.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
And I know you grew up in Norfolk.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
I did still live in Norfolk.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Still live in Norfolk. How do you feel like that
lived experience shaped how you approach this role today?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Well, you know, Norfolk is incredibly special to me. It's
where my wife and I have settled and we're raising
our kids. My sons are fifth generation Norfolkians, which I
think is pretty cool. But I think about, you know,
my father, my uncle, who integrated to school here in
Norfolk in nineteen sixty three when they were nine years
old and seven years old. I couldn't imagine being that young,
(19:10):
you know, doing that, and I'm not sure they thought
about it in the moment, but my grandparents were committed,
you know, to making sure that our schools were desegregated
and that you know, they had the same opportunities as
every other child. And so whatever I'm going through is
nothing compared to what they did. And so you know,
we have, I think, an obligation to try to make
things better for those who come behind us. And I'm
(19:30):
grateful to my father and the others right he was
not alone who did that right for us, and so
you know, Norfolk I think continues to lead and serve
as an example for what is possible. But I certainly
carry those experiences of those who came before me with
me as I navigate my job. And I hope that
you know, those those who come after us are mindful
(19:54):
right of where we've come from, but know that they
can do anything and that it doesn't matter where you
come from. I'm just a kid from Norfolk who happens
to be the Attorney General. There is a young person
in Norfolk who probably could be President of the United States,
and I hope that they never lose sight of that. Right.
They can be a CEO, they can be a media mogul,
they can be whatever they want to be. But we
(20:15):
just have to continue to push forward. We have to
continue to empower those people and make them feel like
we've got their back. Right. It's easy to lose sight
of that stuff because life is busy, you're dealing with
heavy things. But bringing along those folks behind you is
super duper important, and it's something that I've long been
committed to and will continue to be as I'm moved
throughout my career.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Words of encouragement from the first black Attorney General inveraging
a history A man who knows firsthand what it means
to walk into a room that wasn't necessarily built for
you and change it from the inside. Attorney General J. Jones,
Making history and the Commonwealth I'm Amber Payton on your
home for Black News First, the black information networks,
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