Welcome to Notes from the Square, a roundup of state politics and policy news. Each week, we bring you updates on the movers and shakers in Virginia politics as well as the legislation they’re supporting or opposing — with a Southwest and Southside Virginia focus.
Got a tip or story idea? Email me at elizabeth@cardinalnews.org.
Trump’s DOJ sues Virginia over guns
The federal Department of Justice has sued the commonwealth of Virginia in an effort to halt a newly enacted soft ban on assault-style weapons.
The law prohibits the sale, transfer or manufacture of assault style weapons such as AR-15s and limits the firearm magazine capacity to 15 rounds. The House of Delegates bill, HB 217, was patroned by Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax County, and the state Senate bill, SB 749, by Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Falls Church.
On Wednesday, the same day as the enactment of the legislation, the Justice Department filed its lawsuit against the commonwealth and the Virginia State Police. The DOJ alleges that the new law unconstitutionally bans the purchase and sale of ordinary semiautomatic rifles owned by millions of Americans.
“The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Todd Blanche, acting U.S. attorney general.
Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, added that she “promised” Gov. Abigail Spanberger in April that the DOJ would sue the commonwealth if she signed the legislation.
“Law-abiding Americans should not have to live under threat of criminal sanction for simply exercising their Second Amendment right to possess arms owned by millions of their fellow citizens,” Dhillon said in a statement.
Rae Pickett, spokesperson for the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, said the office will review the complaint and defend Virginia’s assault weapons ban “against the Trump DOJ’s misuse of the Civil Rights Division.”
“This commonsense law keeps Virginians safe, protects law enforcement, and safeguards communities across the Commonwealth,” Pickett said via text message.
The governor’s office said in a statement that Spanberger “firmly believes that firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong in our communities, near our kids and schools, or on Virginia’s streets.”
“The Governor signed this commonsense legislation to save lives and protect law enforcement officers, kids, and families from gun violence — and the Governor remains committed to making the Commonwealth a safer home for every family,” said Spanberger spokesperson Jack Bledsoe.
The Virginia Attorney General’s Office is also fielding four ongoing lawsuits in circuit courts in four counties across the commonwealth regarding the legislation.
The status of those cases is as follows, as of Wednesday, according to the attorney general’s office:
- Two courts have issued injunctions against the legislation in Lancaster County and Washington County. The defendants do not agree with the decisions imposing preliminary injunctions, and the Office of the Attorney General plans to appeal on their behalf.
- One court has entered an order denying an injunction in Spotsylvania County.
- One court has not ruled on the request for an injunction in Fauquier County and has issued an order stating it will not do so until a panel appointed by the Supreme Court of Virginia rules on the commonwealth’s request to transfer these four cases to a single forum.
- The state Supreme Court panel is scheduled to hear arguments on consolidation of the cases on Monday.
Gov. Spanberger announces more board appointments
We experienced quite the news dump from the commonwealth’s executive branch at close of business on Friday.
Not only did the governor send her budget amendments to the General Assembly, but her office also announced federal approval of a requested disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as a number of board appointments, including appointments to my favorite: the Egg Board.
“Together, these leaders will strengthen our communities, enhance the essential public services Virginians count on, and support our economy as they serve across our agriculture and forestry, public safety and homeland security, and finance boards. I know they will bring the experience, vision, and common dedication to building the safer, stronger, and more affordable future that all Virginia families deserve,” Spanberger said of the appointees.
Take a look at the board appointees with ties to the Southwest and Southside below. An asterisk denotes a reappointment:
Agriculture and forestry
Aquaculture Advisory Board
- *Michael Schwarz of Virginia Beach, associate director, Virginia Tech, Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center
- *Bradley Walker of New Castle, owner, Smoke In Chimneys
Cattle Industry Board
- Cecilia Moyer of Amelia, homemaker
- Perry Huffman of Lexington, owner, Huffman Livestock LLC
- Julia Jones of Chilhowie, assistant vice president, The Bank of Marion
- *Carl McNeil Jr. of Montgomery County, owner, McNeil Farm
- *Walter Shelton Jr. of Gretna, owner, Shelton Angus Farm
Egg Board
- *Rodney Wagner of Abingdon, owner, Green Valley Poultry Farm
- *W. Lake Wagner of Abingdon, president, Dutt & Wagner
Board of Forestry
- Jackson Owen Combs of Emporia, forester, Virginia Carolina Forest Products
Marine Products Board
- *Jonathan van Senten of Newport News, director, Virginia Tech, Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Spirits Board
- *Joshua Chandler of Bland County, manager of product operations, Speyside Bourbon Cooperage
- *Thomas Nichols Jr. of Abingdon, master distiller, Appalachian Heritage Distillery
FINANCE
Debt Capacity Advisory Committee
- *Ronald Tillett of Goochland, managing director and co-head of Atlantic Coast Public Finance, Raymond James
Public safety and homeland security
Criminal Justice Services Board
- Col. Richard Alsbrook of Tazewell County, superintendent, Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority
Secure and Resilient Commonwealth Panel
- *Marci Stone of Bedford, deputy chief, Roanoke Fire-Emergency Medical Services
Sexual and Domestic Violence Program Professional Standards Committee
- *Judy Casteele of Buena Vista, executive director, Project Horizon Inc.
New VDEM head appointed
To round out Spanberger’s recent appointees, the governor appointed Lauren Opett on Monday to be the state coordinator of emergency management at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
Opett, a certified emergency manager and a Virginia professional emergency manager, is an alumna of Virginia Tech.
Opett’s charge will be to provide strategic direction and oversight for statewide preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation programs.
She most recently served as chief of preparedness for VDEM, where she oversaw critical divisions including planning, training, education and exercises; communications; and awareness and intelligence. Opett has extensive supporting operations within the Virginia emergency operations center as a member of the Virginia Emergency Support Team, where she has played a key role in managing high-stakes incidents and coordinating multiagency response efforts, according to a news release from VDEM.
