Gun Owners of America spokesman Stephen Willeford discusses a controversial new bill in Virginia that will punish private gun owners.
Once again, Virginia Democrats are unfairly targeting private gun owners – and a new bill will certainly make them pay the price.
The Virginia House of Delegates managed to pass a new bill, HB217, which officially bans any new sales of assault-style weapons, along with magazines that hold more than 15 rounds. And what’s more, Democrats managed to get the bill passed even with numerous objections by the GOP.
Democratic Del. Dan Helmer noted, “This bill is based on a simple premise that weapons similar to those I carried in Iraq and Afghanistan should not be trafficked in our commonwealth. That our neighbors, our children, are not our enemies.”
But that’s a bit of an overreach, especially considering the use of the weapons.
Chris Stone, who serves with the Gun Owners of America, noted, “Semiautomatic weapons, as they would like to call them, ‘assault weapons’, have been owned by the public for years, and rifles of any kind are very rarely used in the commission of a crime. We don’t even like to use the term ‘assault weapon’ because it’s just made up. They are simply semiautomatic firearms that law abiding citizens use.”
Even with its passage, however, there’s a chance the bill could face litigation. Stone added, “I know our organization, our legal foundation, Gun Owners Foundation, is already preparing to sue the state, along with our friends at Virginia Citizens Defense League. We believe that we can have success defending gun owners and saying these laws are unconstitutional.”
Joining us now to discuss this bill further is Stephen Willeford, who serves as spokesman for the Gun Owners of America. We welcome him to the show!
Q&A:
- Why would Virginia Democrats insist that assault-style weapons are such a danger to their state?
- How often statistically would you say that “assault weapons” are used in criminal activities these days?
- Do you believe it’s perfectly lawful for private citizens to collect “assault weapons,” especially with protection provided by the Constitution?
- For that matter, why didn’t Virginia Democrats even consider the power of the Constitution when putting together this bill?
- So what happens now? How will the Gun Owners of America and their coordinating groups proceed in a legal manner?
- You recently wrote a book called A Town Called Sutherland Springs: Faith and Heroism Through Tragedy, revolving around your 2017 “hero with a gun” situation. Tell us more about how this came together, and why it’s such an important read right now.
- Where can people find your book?
- Where can we learn more about you, as well as Gun Owners of America?
- You can learn more at http://www.thebarefootdefender.com. You can also read more about the Gun Owners of America at https://www.gunowners.org/.
About Stephen Willeford…
Stephen represents Gun Owners of America and is known around the country as the “good guy with the gun” for helping stop the largest Texas mass shooting in the history of the state in 2017. He is available to speak about all gun rights issues, as well as the importance of Gun Owners of America. He is the author of the book A Town Called Sutherland Springs: Faith and Heroism Through Tragedy. You can read more about him at http://www.thebarefootdefender.com.
CONTACT: Todd Baumann at 512-966-0983 or by email Jerry McGlothlin at bookings@specialguests.com.
