Is Gov. Northam Demanding $4 million for Confiscation of Household Firearms?

Springfield, VA — Gun Owners of America today challenged Virginia legislators to reject the money set aside for enforcing anti-rights provisions in Governor Ralph Northam’s Public Safety Budget.

“Governor Northam wants $4 million to implement his so-called ‘Assault Weapons’ bill which could authorize the confiscation of firearms from Virginians who merely possess certain commonly-owned firearms, now legal to own across most of the country,” said Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President for Gun Owners of America.

Pratt added, “Gov. Northam does not seem to appreciate how threatening his gun confiscation plans are to the public. Telling someone they can serve five years in prison for defending their loved ones with any commonly-owned household firearm is profoundly unjust, especially since the Governor himself has armed guards protecting his family with the type of weapons Northam would forbid citizens from owning.”

The Governor’s Public Safety Budget, on page 23, requests $4 Million for 18 law enforcement positions in 2021 and in 2022 ‘related to an assault weapons ban.’  “The Governor did not mention a single word about his $4 Million budget item, when he addressed the Virginia General Assembly budget committees on December 17, 2019,” said Pratt. No media has reported on it either.

Pratt questioned, “Are Democrat legislators going along with Governor Northam’s extreme gun confiscation plans?” According to a November 1, 2019 article in the Washington Free Beacon, at least 17 Democrat candidates refused to answer pre-election press questions about whether they supported confiscation of firearms from law-abiding citizens. Further, their websites said nothing on the subject.

“Northam’s gun confiscation plans, evidenced by his support of SB 16, authorize the legal theft of firearms from Virginians who have not harmed anyone. The Governor’s recent calls for gun registration show a sinister plan to install the first, necessary step toward achieving gun confiscation. All Virginians should be very alarmed at the measures the Governor is willing to use to impose his very radical gun ban and confiscation scheme, one which will increase public anxiety and decrease trust in government,” Pratt warned.

“The Governor has failed to explain the reasons for his proposals or elaborate on how public safety would improve if firearms are confiscated from law-abiding Virginians. On the contrary, these extreme proposals will make Virginians more unsafe.”

Pratt said, “I believe radical out-of-state groups, funded by Democrat presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, desire to pass a host of extreme measures that ​have convinced the Governor there is support for gun confiscation. But the over 100 Second Amendment Sanctuaries, enacted in just a few weeks show the opposite.

“Governor Northam, in response to the tragic shooting in Virginia Beach, said he did not want prayers, but action on several gun control restrictions. But on June 21, 2019, at the Boy’s State meeting, the Governor himself admitted his gun control infringements would not have stopped the killings. ​The best action would be for the state to enforce Virginia’s longstanding firearms pre-emption law and once and for all end the illegal gun-free zones in Virginia Beach and elsewhere.”

“I sincerely hope that the Governor and his Cabinet will reflect on the Oath they have taken in support of our Virginia and U.S. Constitutions, including the Second Amendment,” said Pratt.

GOA spokespeople are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over 2 million members and activists. For more information, please contact [email protected].