Update (1/18 9:21 AM): The Virginia Supreme Court has refused to overturn Governor Northam’s gun ban at the capital because, according to the Virginia Citizens Defense League, “they did not have enough information on the stay denied by the lower court to issue their own stay.” The VCDL is urging 10,000 rally-goers to “take one for the team” to fill the gun-free zone with Second Amendment supporters. Those who wish to attend armed can still do so, but they must stay outside the fence on 9th street.
Update (1/17 7:12 AM): The Virginia Citizens Defense League released the following statement regarding their lawsuit against Governor Northam:
… the legal teams of both VCDL and Gun Owners of America (GOA) sought an injunction against enforcement of Northam’s Executive Order No. 49 (EO-49). Unfortunately, the Circuit Court denied our request for an injunction. Both VCDL and GOA believe the court erred in it’s decision and our legal team immediately filed an Emergency Petition for Review with the Virginia Supreme Court.
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The news from Virginia is coming in fast, but we have the latest.
First up, in response to Gov. Ralph Northam’s state of emergency declaration banning firearms in downtown Richmond, the Virginia Citizens Defense League announced a plan to take legal action against Northam’s administration.
“VCDL believes that this gun ban is illegal,” said the group’s president, Philip Van Cleave. “Our legal team is looking at our options and we will keep you advised as soon as we have a definitive plan.”
Grounds for the suit would stem from a 2012 Virginia law that restricts how the governor can limit gun rights during a state of emergency. The law prohibits the governor from limiting the rights of the people to keep and bear arms except “to the extent necessary to ensure public safety in any place or facility designated or used by the Governor… as an emergency shelter or for the purpose of sheltering persons.”
SEE ALSO: Everytown Slams NRA for ‘Outrageous’ 30-Round Mag Giveaway At Virginia Statehouse As Committee Advances 4 Gun-Control Bills
Northam’s executive order banned firearm possession on a 14-acre plot in downtown Richmond, which he attempted to designate as a “shelter”:
To provide for the shelter and safety of state employees who work on or near the Virginia State Capitol and those who come to peacefully assemble… no weapons, including firearms, may be carried or possessed on any land, real property, or improvements owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia within the area bounded by Broad Street, Ninth Street, Bank Street and Governor Street in the City of Richmond, Virginia.
Former Virginia Delegate Mike Watson called out Northam’s blatant attempt to get around the law.
So the Governor has declared the Capitol Grounds a “Shelter” in order to get around the law. I’m curious how many times a 14 acre plot of land has been designated an emergency shelter?
— Mike Watson_Virginia (@MikeWatson_VA) January 15, 2020
Northam’s case appears weak, but the VCDL might not have enough time to secure the injunction they need. The rally is scheduled for Monday, which means they’ll likely need to secure a hearing today or tomorrow.
Speaking of timing, Virginia delegates have until Friday to propose new gun control legislation, and several delegates are trying to sneak their proposals under the pro-gun media radar.
One bill, for example, would impose a 10 percent tax on guns and ammunition, minus the other sales taxes levied by the Commonwealth. In other words, since Virginia has a 5.3 percent sales tax, the bill would add an additional 4.7 percent tax in most locations.
SEE ALSO: Virginia Watch: Bill Would Shut Down Non-Gov’t Owned Shooting Ranges, Including NRA Facility
The money collected by the tax will be used to fund a new Student Mental Health and Safety Fund, which will be used to help public schools pay for full-time school counselors.
While gun owners frequently support efforts to fund mental health care, it’s unclear why they should be the only demographic to foot the bill.
Plus, given the anti-gun stance of the bill’s author, Mark Levine, the legislation appears to be geared more towards restricting access to guns and ammo than funding school counselors.
The muskets of our founding fathers also did not contain 30-bullet magazines. And if you think your AR-15 will do diddly against the full might and power of the United States military, you need to talk to someone who has served there. https://t.co/BNRiIYEmhX
— Mark Levine (@DelegateMark) January 14, 2020
More to come. Stay tuned.
So, when Northam declared that plot of land a gun-free zone, that included the cops, right? Right?
No? Hunh, how bizarre.
TO GUNS AMERICA MANAGEMENT. STOP HIJACKING MY WEB BROWSER AND INTERRUPTING MY READING TO PUT UP A PAGE FOR ME TO REGISTER ON YOUR SITE. IT’s ANNOYING AND RUDE. I WILL ABANDON YOUR BLOG UNTIL YOU END THE PRACTICE.
We’re working on it. I promise. S.H. Blannelberry
From one of the greatest speakers of all time and a “HERO”that I shall always hold in high esteem!:
The following quotes apply to our county in these trying times…
“If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.” — Winston Churchill
Never turn your back on your enemies…No Matter What!
“One ought never to turn one’s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never!” — Winston Churchill
Ant the tax they are trying to impose on the law abiding citizens of the Great State of Virginia..
“There is no such thing as a good tax.” — Winston Churchill
Always do what is right…
“Never give in–never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” — Winston Churchill
Always Remember what one famous American General said…
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
This is “a pseudo-Latin phrase meaning ‘don’t let the bastards grind you down’. General “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell used it as his motto in World War II.
Great quotes by a truly great man who understood what it takes to stay free. Too many of our own citizens don’t even understand the concept of actual freedom, preferring “free stuff” to freedom.
The gun owners of Virginia went to sleep and allowed a bunch of gun-seizing liberals gain control of the government. The same thing will happen if we don’t re-elect Donald Trump and take back the U.S. House. Gun owners need to wake up, shake off complacency and grow some balls if they don’t want to lose the Second Amendment rights. If we lose the Second Amendment, the liberals will next come after the First, Fourth and Fifth. Those amendments are what separate us from the rest of the world.
I suggest that Michael King, er,,,, Martin Luther King Day (Monday the 20th) be turned into TAR & FEATHER Day in Virginia. It’s LOOOONNNNNGGGGG past due people. Let the COMMUNIST PARTY (democrats, progressives, socialists, left wing lunatics, etc., etc., ad nauseum) take an inch and they will take the whole damn mile along with it.
Great comment Mark
Come on people, you’re telling me that among all the millions of gun owners in this country there isn’t an attorney or a group of attorneys that can or will help us fight these tyrannical bastards on a national level!?!?!?!?!
Wish I could be there. Carry your weapons and surround the entire 14 acres legally. No harm ,no foul. 2A unite.
Carry your weapons and surround the 14 acres.
That dumbass Boulder City Counsel member that got a Boulder AWB in place after Parkland a few years ago, is an efing transplant from VA! Boulder, CO transplant SFB!
I find it almost comical that yet again a demy politician is threating the people with a military response, really?
Who do these cowards think signs and joins? It sure isn’t them or their children or any liberal for that matter.
People that love this country and want to protect what’s behind then, that’s who.
We all now that libs hate the USA, hate the flag, hate capitalism,,,, well except the free free free stuff that it provides, they really are a sick bunch.
So then Mr. Demy Virginia government, who do you think were going to follow?
I swore an oath to the Constitution and the people of the United States, not your worthless kind
The people of Virginia need to remove these cowardly enemy’s of the state right now, remove their outrageous retirements and bring them up on charges of treason and violation of the peoples rights.
The Virginia gov and legaters have what they are doing turning good people.in to crimnals
The governor’s intent is to start a war. His aide is threatening military action. They deserve the worst.
Donald J Trump is commander and chief and can have them Stand Down on an order if they want to use the National Guard I hope he does
Mr. Levine and better understand that if a shooting war starts over his stupidity, it will not be the military that will be the main targets of the people, but it will be the politicians who caused it by their lust for power.
Amen brother
If the National Guard is called out and they insist on enforcing Northam’s crap, then YES the military will be targets. Civilians just don’t get the fact that there are plenty of these socialist dirtbags in the military too.
Mark Levine you say “The muskets of our founding fathers also did not contain 30-bullet magazines” true as magazines did not exist at that time but, the general population did own the SAME rifles the military. The very same RIFLES! So a direct correlation thru to today would demand that the general population would own the SAME rifle as the military. This means M16s should be the order of the day but instead we have to have a semi-auto look a like. This makes the AR15 the Second Amendment rifle.
“And if you think your AR-15 will do diddly against the full might and power of the United States military” Spoken like a true Tory. You wonder how many British generals said the same.
“And if you think your AR-15 will do diddly against the full might and power of the United States military, you need to talk to someone who has served there”
You may just end up turning lawful American citizens into a force such as the Viet Cong…be careful pal…
NEVER thought I would see the day that we would have to fight for one of Americans’ fundamental Rights like the 2nd Amendment. Breaks my heart.
“The muskets of our founding fathers also did not contain 30-bullet magazines. And if you think your AR-15 will do diddly against the full might and power of the United States military, you need to talk to someone who has served there. https://t.co/BNRiIYEmhX— Mark Levine (@DelegateMark) January 14, 2020″
Having served myself, can Delegate Mark Levine then explain to me the long term strategic success of the Viet Mihn, Viet Cong or the Taliban? It takes a lot of NARCISSISM and not too many brains for ANY politician to threated a citizen with military force. This is EXACTLY why the founders memorialized the 2nd Amendment in our Bill of Rights.
Maybe as said in your tweet Mr. Levine, our AR’s would not do diddly against the full might and power of the US military, but would you send your son or daughter to someone’s house to confiscate their AR? Or maybe you’d like to try yourself big man.
You idiot. Mr. Levin is saying that the right to bear arms is in our Constitution for a VERY good reason and should NOT be tampered with!
What!!!
Dear Virginia: This November is your chance to right the wrongs that are going on in your state. Vote for Pro 2A Conservatives and under no circumstances are you allowed to “forget to vote”. Our founding fathers put their lives and the lives of their families on the line for our freedom, including our right to vote – do not take these honors lightly.
Mr. Levine: Just three things for you to think about. First, no, the founding fathers’ muskets did not have magazines. Neither did the weapons of the British and their German mercenary allies; then the most powerful military on earth. Yet, those hayseed colonist farmers and shopkeepers — living in the equivalent of what today would be called “flyover country” — defeated that most powerful military. That’s a more significant fact than perhaps you realize.
Second, about my “AR-15” and the might and power of the US military. First I don’t own an AR-15. My M1 will do just fine, thank you. And if you think the US military with, what? 1.5 million members (including active reserves — and probably 75+% of all those support troops, not the combat spear-point) can easily defeat a populace with upwards of 150 million guns — maybe you had better think again.
And finally, I have talked to a number of people who have served (or are serving) in the US Military. To a man, those patriots are very skeptical that any order to disarm the American populace would be followed by the serving officers and men (and women) of the military. They take an oath to defend the Constitution, and they can all read. And don’t forget, sir, that the shot heard ’round the world — the one that started the American Revolution at Lexington Green and Concord Bridge — was fired while the British were on a mission to seize the colonist’s guns and ammunition cached in those locations. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d suggest that you and the various presidential hopefuls in your party who are proudly talking about seizing firearms from law-abiding citizens, ought to consider that fact very, very carefully.
We are on the North Bridge and these clowns keep shoving. They are not progressives or liberals, they are the communist scum we’ve fought for decades hiding behind a different label.
As a retired cop of 30 years, all of law enforcement and military alike are sworn to uphold the US Constitution. Any unlawful order issued by these pukes to seize firearms from law abiding citizens should be rejected. As ugly as this is, cops and military will not be the targets if and when the SHTF…
As to Mark Levine comment about “do we think our AR- 15’s will do diddly against the might of our U.S. Military” , well Mark the Brit’s thought the same thing back a few decades ago.
Another thought , I don’t know anyone who plans to line up against the U.S. Military head up , but rather do as the V.C. Did in Vietnam Nam just drive them out/shut them down with guerilla tactics.
Besides many out here have more than AR’s.
Ch
Here’s how you throw Northam a big slap in the face and all of them out of a job! All the Virginia Counties that have declared themselves 2nd amendment sanctuaries Secede and become a part of West Virginia. No one left to pay their salaries and no one left for them to rule over. Done!
they know everything
but, know nothing Indian sign says “GIVE UP YOUR GUNS…the GOVERNMENT will take care of YOU!
Sounds like a Bloomberg influenced State Gov and Legislature which is a fine example of what this country will get if he is elected President.
VA sounds to me like a State run by a Governor and Legislator whose principles include Government OF the people for the people as opposed to GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE
Sounds as though Mark Levine is posing a threat. Didn’t sound very well stated!
I really do not know how the Dims took over Virginia, but it is a sad state of affairs.
Hope it doesn’t turn out like California were the homeless are everywhere and the democrats are proud of it….
Rather than add a tax on firearms and ammunition, they should tax the pharmaceutical companies that are making all of the money and propagating mental illness.