Way too often you see elected officials campaign saying they will support the Second Amendment but once in office refuse to do much of anything. Maybe they tinker around the edges, but never do much of note.
And this is exactly the case with Virginia right now.
If you remember back to 2020 and 2021 when Democrats had control of both chambers of the Legislature, they ran roughshod over the so-called Republicans working to pass one anti-gun bill after another.
But now with the Republicans in charge of the House of Delegates, I’m hearing the sad, sad tune of ‘we can’t do anything without Senate Democrats helping us’.
Certainly, they cannot be that impotent, right?
I don’t think the voters elected these new House Delegates so that they could toss their hands in the air and not fight against it the anti-gunners.
Currently, House Bill 509, introduced by Delegate Marie March (R-7), the full and complete Repeal of Red Flag Gun Confiscation, is sitting motionless in the Rules Committee of the House of Delegates, because House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R-15) is letting it rot there.
Now normally any legislation dealing with firearms goes immediately to the Public Safety Committee, but this is not the case with our effort to Repeal Red Flag Gun Confiscation. And unless it is passed on the floor by February 15th, Red Flag will continue in Virginia.
Delegate Gilbert has time and time again said he supports the Second Amendment. But of course, so did Hillary Clinton. I digress.
So why is it the effort to make Virginia the first to repeal this unconstitutional gun grabbing scheme is sitting under the speaker’s thumb?
Sources have told me that they plan on bundling multiple pro-gun bills together to make a larger pro-gun bill. This is the worst thing that could ever happen because if you pack it with enough items a lot of fake ‘conservatives’ who ran as Republicans, can find an out to vote against it. And then come back come election season and tell the voters they supported some of it, but not all, getting away with being spineless.
Also, there are Democratic state senators who voted against the passage of Red Flag in 2020 and with some pressure would probably vote for the full repeal… But not if it’s stacked up with other pro-gun bills.
One has to wonder if the Speaker is getting direction from the Governor’s office. As we all know, Youngkin never said a word about the Second Amendment on the campaign trail. Could he be putting pressure on Gilbert so that he doesn’t have to either sign the bill, repealing Red Flag or veto it?
That’s a very good question.
But what is not a question is simply this; if the Republicans do not repeal red flag gun confiscation and the destruction of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 14th Amendments in Virginia, then they own this gun grabbing scheme and they will pay for it at the polls in 2023.
9 comments
DEMs aren’t shy about violating our constitutional rights when they are in power. Why are so many Republican Delegates so willing to let them get away with it? I’d prefer that Delegate Gilbert answer this question.
Some who commented here will defend Republicans no matter how weak-kneed or dismissive of our rights those Republicans are. But, most Republicans expect our Delegates to defend the Constitution and our rights. If our representatives won’t stand up for our rights, we will hold them accountable.
Red Flag is a good idea………
As I look at NYC today, the only solution to their problem is that everyone own a gun and know how to use it. And, significantly, there is historic precedent for such a solution and it works.
That is absurd. More guns, more deaths. And good guys with guns hardly ever stop a bad guy with a gun…….
Oh no the sky is falling the only way to save it is send money to huckster Anders!
If the Red Flag Laws remain, come next election I will stay home. Do you hear that Griffith, Stanley, and Williams, (if you’re still my delegate). I don’t care if you vote against the Red Flag Laws; I’m blaming y’all for not demanding the whores in your party to do the same.
FYI, as a delegate in the gubernatorial primary, Youngkin didn’t even make my cut.
If Youngkin doesn’t get off his ass and do the right thing, I will not support the next nominee; even if he/she is running against Al Sharpton. Winsome and Jason, are y’all paying attention?
I remember when I thought Virginia Constitutional Conservatives was, you know, Conservatives. Y’all are the Liz Cheney’s of VA now.
Wait… what???
I emailed all the members of Gilbert’s committee demanding act they push the bill out. Got two replies. One was boilerplate. the other was more positive. We shall see.