Tuesday Brought 11 New 2A Sanctuary Resolution Approvals

Tuesday was another good day/night for gun owners as 11 more localities approved 2A Sanctuary Resolutions.  Joining the growing list are:

Alleghany County
Amherst County
Culpeper County
City of Norton
Gloucester County
Goochland County
King George County
Middlesex County
Orange County
Page County
Roanoke County

Four additional localities held hearings on resolutions but did not vote:

Danville
Fairfax County
Virginia Beach
York County

Of particular note was VSSA's home of Orange County.  VSSA Executive Director Lu Charette was there and provided this update:

"Originally the Orange County Board of Supervisors were not to vote on the Sanctuary issue this evening but, several hundred folks turned out in support of the passage. 42 spoke in favor of passing the action and one opposed. After nearly two hours of folks public speaking the Board was almost forced to take an action. There was a motion made to pass then there was an amendment made and accepted, seconded and the vote in favor passed 4 to 1. The one Nay vote was predicted well before the meeting began. "

Photo by Daily Progress

What Lu was referring to when he said "forced to take action" is reported in the Daily Progress:

Before the proposed resolution received a second (ultimately from Crozier), Johnson reminded the audience that the issue at hand involves “proposed” legislation at this point and to condemn actions that haven’t yet happened is a “futile gesture,” though he assured the audience if the general assembly adopted legislation that was contra-constitutional, the board would oppose it.

Crozier said Orange County could be “leaders instead of lemmings” when it came to opposing proposed overreaching gun legislation. “We want to stand above and ahead of places that have just rubber-stamped what others have done,” he said.

Citizens then implored the board with shouts of “put it to a vote,” and “we want a sanctuary county,” and “let’s see who’s not for it” and “it’s time to act,” and “where do you stand?”

White reminded the audience “it’s no good to make noise without impact,” and chastised those who walked out angrily.

“How do we take an unconstitutional act to condemn an unconstitutional act by others? How do we square that up?” he asked.

The board voted 5-0 in favor of Johnson’s motion and the proposed resolution.

But the audience wasn’t satisfied.

The amendment Lu referred to was also reported by the Daily Progress. An attendee named Paul Moog, who spoke earlier and identified himself as "a Navy veteran who had taken an oath to protect the country from enemies foreign and domestic" offered a solution:

“I think it’s clear we all want the same thing,” White said. “The question is how do we get there?”

Amid shouts about “sanctuary county!” and “show a little backbone,” and “join the other counties!” Moog recommended the board adopt a second resolution that “Orange is a Second Amendment sanctuary and you’ll do everything in your constitutional power to defend the Second Amendment rights of Orange County citizens,” receiving one of the largest cheers of the evening.

He suggested it was an “elegant solution,” allowing the board to “support citizens’ rights without violating the law.”

Crozier then turned Moog’s comments into a motion, and rather than adopt a second resolution, “and confuse the dear souls in Richmond,” Johnson recommended submitting just one combined resolution, blending the two.

Frame had issue though and asked if the motion could be amended to remove calling Orange County a “sanctuary county,” but didn’t have support for a second.

Ultimately, the board voted 4-1 on the new, combined amendment, with Frame dissenting. A hearty cheer from the hundreds remaining ensued and the board adjourned after two and a half hours.

Besides being a Navy vet, Moog is also a VSSA Life Member.

Additional localities will be considering hearing and/or voting on resolutions today/tonight:

Albemarle County, Suffolk, Fluvanna County, and Augusta County.

VSSA will continue to provide coverage here on the blog and look for a complete wrap-up of the week's activity in Friday's eBullet.