by One of the first acts of the new Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly was to ban firearms in the State Capitol and the adjacent office building. The new rule went into effect as of 11:59pm Friday, January 10th. This was done on a straight party line vote.
Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) has gone the General Assembly one better – or worse.
Fearing a repeat of the deadly violence that engulfed Charlottesville more than two years ago, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam plans to declare a temporary emergency Wednesday banning all weapons, including guns, from Capitol Square ahead of a massive rally planned next week over gun rights.
That’s according to two state officials who were briefed on the plans but not authorized to speak publicly about them. The governor, a Democrat, plans to announce the plans at a news conference Wednesday afternoon because of credible threats of potential violence and extremism, one official said.
Supposedly, there were “inflammatory” postings by out-of-state pro-gun groups. I don’t suppose they are talking about the NC House Republican Caucus who will be sending representatives to Lobby Day.
They also managed to throw the words “militia” and “Charlottesville” into the conversation. Unless there is an Antifa-wing of the Demanding Mommies that I don’t know about, this is just so much hyperbole.
Northam’s declaration will also ban helmets and shields. I guess any Viking Norsemen will have to leave them at home.
Northam and his backers attempts to portray honest gun owners seeking to petition their own legislature for redress is nothing short of an attempt to delegitimize them. It is an “othering”. It is straight out of Rule 13 of Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals.
Wasn’t there an Alan Gura case in N. Carolina concerning forcing the population to disarm during declared emergencies? He eventually won, as I recall, and confirmed the right to be armed when the .gov declares an emergency. Since VA is also in 4th Circuit, perhaps it’s something that can help legally in the battle against Coonman? With only a few days to go, it may be tough to get an injunction against a sitting gov in his capitol, unfortunately.
(What was that case?!?)
There absolutely was such a case. The case was Bateman v. Perdue and it challenged gun bans during declared states of emergency. It was heard in the Eastern District of North Carolina. However, the state of North Carolina chose not to appeal the decision and later changed the law to comply with the ruling. Bateman was the first 2A case brought in a state after the win in McDonald v. Chicago.
I understand that some former Virginia Delegates are saying that a law they sponsored that passed doesn’t allow Northam to ban guns during a state of emergency.
There is a specific limit to Coonman’s ability to yell emergency in a crowded 1A rally in VA law, as well as the 1st & 2nd amendment issues. Injunction request with more info here https://www.scribd.com/document/443198777/Complaint-and-Application-for-Temp-Injunction-as-FILED#from_embed