Correction: In an email from the communication director for the Virginia Attorney General said that, “Ceasefire Virginia and all of its’ marketing, including the TV ads, is being paid for with criminal asset forfeiture funds – no tax dollars are being spent.”
In a previous version of this article, it was incorrectly stated that taxpayers were funding the project but it is instead funded from property that was seized for involvement with illegal activities like marijuana offenses outlined in the Virginia code. You can find more information HERE.
Last Thursday, Virginia Democrats held a press conference on addressing gun violence along with Parkland Shooting survivor David Hogg. Hogg has been an outspoken activist for preventing gun violence since the deadly school shooting in his high school in 2018. Democrats are pushing for more gun control legislation including a ban on guns that would be classified as assault weapons like AR-15.
Hogg said that wishes that he didn’t have to be here. It will be six years since the Parkland shooting next week and there are still deaths from gun violence. There were 1308 deaths from firearms in Virginia, 718 of those deaths were suicide, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Meanwhile homicides from guns are on an increase with 553 in 2022 but the fact remains that the most dangerous gun is your own.
Democrats are attempting to address issues with guns that are not secured and not out of reach of reach of children by requiring gun secure storage and requiring guns to be sold with locking devices. Legislators like Senator Boysko cites the shooting of a teacher from a 6-year-old in Newport News as a reason for this legislation. Meanwhile Republicans like Senator Bill Stanley point out that the parent who irresponsibly stored her gun has been found guilty of child neglect and federal gun violations.
Another bill to address gun safety is perhaps the simplest and watered down as things can get. Senator Dave Marsden has a bill that would impose a civil fine on gun owners who leave their guns unattended. Back in November of last year, Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards testified to law makers that a total of 637 guns were stolen from vehicles in Richmond. Who needs to 3D print a gun when there’s free guns laying around in cars?
Richmond Police have offered gun safes to Richmond residents. Edwards said the department gave out over 100 safes last year. Certainly, seems odd that I am promoting a program from Richmond Police but that’s something that can prevent gun violence without arresting someone or limiting someone else’s gun ownership. (I was able to contact the Richmond Police Department and confirm the program is still available.)
When Hogg spoke on Thursday’s press conference “We also need to address why does somebody pick up a gun in the first place? We have to address the systemic poverty that drives gun violence. The systemic racism, that drives gun violence and incarceration system.” According to the VDH, the largest group of firearm victims are young males between the ages of 16 and 25.
Richmond Chief Edwards testified on a similar sentiment that the leading motive for murder in Richmond wasn’t drugs, robberies, or gangs but steaming from arguments. While funding for law enforcement, incarceration, and prosecutors are set to raise with the state’s proposed budget, other ways to address gun violence are fighting for state funding.
Delegate Cia Price stressed the importance of funding community-based violence intervention. “I do commend the Governor for including funds toward gun violence, but they can’t be a name only and we can’t let other state agencies pillage those funds for their own initiatives. We cannot fund tough guy strategies of the failed past.”
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is offering those same tough guy strategies of the past. Most recently, the Attorney General’s office released an ad titled “It’s Not A Game” about strong penalties for illegal guns in Virginia. Who is paying for these ads with Jason Miyares? Not from donations from Political Action Committees but from criminal asset forfeiture!
All of these proposed bills are making their way through the General Assembly with most of them expected to pass while the Democrats have a slight edge in both chambers. However, all these bills need a signature from the Governor or broad bipartisan support to override a veto. Most of these bills have only passed because the Democrats make up the majority. Senator Marsden’s bill about leaving unattended guns in cars did not get one Republican Senator to vote for it.
Governor Youngkin said that he felt that the gun laws were already the strictest in the country and instead wanted more severe penalties during the State of the Commonwealth Address. Everytown USA ranked Virginia at 14thin the country for gun law strength. Certainly, a bad sign for Democrats hoping to pass any legislation which is why Democrats are hoping to draw the attention outside of the Capitol.
Not every gun bill from Democrats is without support from Republicans. A bill from newly elected Delegate Mike Jones to conform state law with federal law and ban the use of devises that turns pistols in automatics. This bill got full support from Republicans as it passed out of committee.
One of the more surreal moments in the General Assembly this year come from when gun lobbyist and Virginia Citizen Defense League President Philip Van Cleave stood up to oppose a bill that criminalizes gifting guns to a child that poses a threat of violence. Republican Senator Mark Peake from Lynchburg admonished Van Cleave when the bill was clearly addressing a problem that exists. And then everyone clapped. Gun laws will change this year, but it remains to be seen if it will be by inches or by miles.
