By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Virginia Democrats are trying to reorganize in the wake of a Lynchburg judge’s ruling against the state law requiring so-called “universal background checks” on private firearm sales.
NBC News is reporting this week that “Virginia’s battle over gun violence prevention and gun control laws is as heated as it’s ever been now that the courts are hearing challenges to new laws passed by Democrats.” Under freshman Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger, the state assembly pushed through new gun laws, which were quickly challenged.
A lawsuit challenging the background check requirement was swiftly filed by Gun Owners of America and the Virginia Citizens Defense League.
As noted by NBC’s report, more than 20 states, plus the District of Columbia, have the “universal background check” requirement. An earlier Virginia law passed in 2020 was enjoined last year.
While polling shows support for universal background checks, if they don’t pass muster in court, such checks are off the table. Gun rights advocates have observed that constitutional rights are not subject to popularity polls.
As reported by VPM News, Lynchburg Circuit Judge Patrick Yeatts handed gun control proponents the bad news. He’s the judge who issued last October’s injunction, explaining at the time the law “cannot pass constitutional scrutiny.”
The Virginia State Police quickly complied, issuing a notice that the agency is “prohibited from administering, enforcing, or otherwise imposing” universal background checks.
The battle is probably not over, as Democrats like gun controls.
Judge Yeatts has reportedly directed both sides in the lawsuit to submit arguments for a hearing to be held later this month.
