By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
No sooner had Democrats taken full control of the Virginia General Assembly, with newly-installed Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger at the helm, than did the party of gun control start pushing it, but they are running into potential roadblocks from county sheriffs.
WSET News is reporting that gun control proposals are getting a very cold shoulder from top county lawmen “across Central and Southside Virginia.” The report quotes Amherst County Sheriff L.J. Ayers observing, “Never in their lifetime did they think they gave their life up for something that they believe in, and now it’s being torn apart, infringed upon however you may consider it, it’s appalling.
“The changes they’re making or want to make to our Second Amendment right would only impact law-abiding citizens,” he said.
“The criminals we deal with in law enforcement each and every day– it will not change one thing for them, they will have access to guns through black market, drug house, where they’re getting them today, they’ll continue getting them tomorrow,” Ayers reportedly added.
This comes on the heels of a vote recently by the Lynchburg City Council to reaffirm its status as a Second Amendment Sanctuary on a 6-1 vote, with Councilman Dr. Sterling Wilder dissenting, WSET reported separately.
According to the reports, sheriffs in Campbell, Henry, Appomattox and Bedford counties “are also expressing concerns about the legislation.”
The riff between state lawmakers and county sheriffs is hardly isolated to the Old Dominion. At the far end of the country, legislation is being considered by the Democrat-controlled Washington Legislature which, according to critics, will strip local voter control of who occupies the sheriff’s office in the state’s thirty-nine counties.
Washington Senate Bill 5974 has stirred up a fury among Evergreen State residents who see this as one more attempt by majority Democrats to completely control the state. The bill has already passed the Senate on a straight party line vote, 30-19. It is now in the House Rules Committee.
What makes this legislation suspicious is that it has gotten strong support from the Seattle-based gun prohibition lobby. They’ve argued that sheriffs must be required to enforce the law, which in their sphere, means the gun control laws they have pushed in recent years. Washington sheriffs have balked in the past about enforcing laws which they see as unconstitutional.
WA Citizens Thwarted in Effort to Support Sheriffs During Hearing
Adding more drama to this situation is a new controversy over Senate Bill 5068, which would allow non-U.S. citizens to be hired as law enforcement officers in the state. According to KVI Radio news, the bill would “permit individuals who are not US citizens. including refugees, asylees, and holders of temporary work visas, to be hired as general authority or limited authority law enforcement officers, provided they are legally authorized to work under federal law.”
These non-citizen peace officers would be authorized to carry firearms and make arrests under the legislation.
