Among the Republican opposition to the bill, four moderate Democrats rejected the legislation at Mondays’ vote, the outcome of which drew celebratory shouts form attendees.
Those four democratic Senators were John S Edwards, Chap Peterson, Creigh Deeds, Scott Surovell.
These moderate democrats, along with the predominately Republican allies in the Senate rejected the bill to prohibit the sale of “assault weapons” has been rejected by the State Senate for a year with the intention of revisiting the bill next February.
This anti-gun bill, proposed by Virginia Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, who was famously exposed by Patrick Howley for having a racist medical school yearbook photo showing him either wearing blackface or Ku Klux Klan robes, gives the State Crime Commission adequate time to review the issues at hand.
The bill would have effectively banned the sale of semi automatic rifles like the AR-15 as well as criminalize the possession of high capacity magazines, or magazines that hold more than 12 rounds.
When confronted with the question of if Governor Northam supported further anti-gun bills such as those that would support confiscating gun from legal gun-owners, Northam said, “That’s something I’m working with our secretary of public safety. I’ll work with the gun violence activists, and we’ll work that. I don’t have a definitely plan today.”
Northam’s campaign platform has been built on gun-control propositions that are being called unconstitutional, and drawing backlash from his constituents who fear the bills will result in door to door confiscation of commonly owned firearms and related equipment.
Northam has refuted these claims repeatedly, but argues that banning the sale of new weapons and high capacity magazines will reduce gun related tragedies.
Virginia has been a recent hotbed of tension regarding the second amendment, with tens of thousands of advocates protesting the governor in the streets last month, exercising their right to bear arms and to peaceably assemble.
Northam’s previous attempts to ban possession of the ambiguously defined “assault rifle” have failed, as have his attempts to force gun owners to register with the state police department.
Both the House and Senate are positioned to finalize numerous gun control measures, however, including limitations on the number of handguns purchased in a month, universal background checks, the banning of firearms in public areas as well as ominous Red Flag laws that will give authorities the ability to disarm citizens based on arbitrary perceived ‘threats.’