The sheriff of Grayson County, Virginia, said Monday that if gun control legislation proposed by Democrats passes, his department will not enforce those state laws.
“If the bills go through as proposed, they will not be enforced; they’re unconstitutional,” Sheriff Richard Vaughan said. “We swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Virginia, and that’s what we’ll do.”
Vaughan was one of thousands of gun enthusiasts from around the country in Richmond on Monday, many of whom were heavily armed, to protest sweeping gun legislation proposed by Democrats in the state’s general assembly. The bills would virtually ban military-style firearms, limit the frequency of handgun purchases to once a month, and allow local police to take guns from citizens who they deem to be a threat to others.
Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam declared a citywide state of emergency in anticipation of what local leaders feared could be a dangerous combination of firearms and political discourse.
Grayson County was one of nearly 100 localities in the state to declare itself a “Second Amendment sanctuary” in response to the proposed legislation. The county sheriff’s office offered residents free bumper stickers celebrating passage of the local resolution, which has no legal authority.
Grayson is one of the Southern-most and most rural counties in the state of Virginia. President Trump won 77% of the vote in Grayson and tweeted his support for the protesters in Richmond.
The Democrat Party in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia are working hard to take away your 2nd Amendment rights. This is just the beginning. Don’t let it happen, VOTE REPUBLICAN in 2020!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2020
