Bloomberg Drops Over $1 Million in Virginia Governor's Race

Just received this from Ken Cuccinelli, who is running for Governor in Virgnia:

Last night, important news broke that I must share with you. After being successfully wooed by Terry McAuliffe, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is pouring $1.1 million into the race. Bloomberg is doing so with the hopes that McAuliffe will be elected and immediately begin to curb Virginians' Second Amendment Rights.

Let me be clear: big money is pouring into Virginia from New York City to severely restrict your 2nd Amendment rights.

Terry McAuliffe has been courting Bloomberg for months – and even took a trip to New York City in August to plead for his support Terry has said he’s proud of his “F” rating from the NRA, and he’s supported bans on commonly owned semi-automatic firearms and standard capacity magazines. He's even supported the criminalization of private firearm transfers between family members.

Gun owners need to answer with a show of support for Cuccinelli. You can help in two ways. First give a donation to Cuccinelli. Second, contact the NRA-ILA Field Reps and volunteer in these final 15 days of the campaign. You can find their contact information below:

Pittsylvania
James Lee
434-993-8672
JamesLeeNRA@gmail.com

Chesterfield, Powhatan
James Morton
512-659-5213
JCMorton.NRA@gmail.com

Newport News
Trey Ramsey
717-448-3426
tramseyNRA@gmail.com

Augusta, Rockingham
Terry Durkin
434-989-5089
tdurkinnra@gmail.com

Buchanan, Wise
Lexy Rusnak
540-315-4823
lexynra@gmail.com

Northern Virginia
Jacob Champion
703-672-0251
jchampionNRA@gmail.com

Bedford, Amherst
Raney Quirk
540-406-2342
rquirknra@gmail.com

CSGV Weighs in on Virginia's Governor Race

I just opened an email from Josh Horwitz of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence asking me to sign a petition telling Ken Cuccinelli to release a copy of the candidate questionnaire he completed for another Virginia pro-rights organization.

Ken Cuccinelli wants to be governor of Virginia, but he refuses to reveal his positions on gun laws and public safety. That's why we're partnering with ProgressVA to demand Cuccinelli tell Virginia where he stands on public safety.

I don't however know what Horwitz is trying to accomplish other than raise money because the group he targets in his email is famous for releasing the results of their candidate questionnaires before the election. Also, anyone who has paid attention for the last seven years knows where Attorney General Cuccinelli stands on the right to keep and bear arms.  It's just one more example of CSGV attempting to be relevant, and once again they have failed. So Josh, be patient.  You'll get to see the questionnaire you are looking for soon enough, and it won't have anything to do with your petition.

Defend Freedom, Defeat McAuliffe

NRA is now running this ad in Virginia:



Today, VSSA endorsed Ken Cuccinelli, E. W. Jackson, and Mark Obenshain earlier today.

Grassroots Trumps Bloomberg's Money on Colorado

What many expected to be a split decision in the Colorado recall elections turned out to be a clean sweep last night when the final numbers came in, and the race that most thought would be the hardest to win - Senator Angela Giron's district, was the one that lost by the widest margin - 12%.

The big loser - Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who donated $350,000 in this losing effort. NRA donated a little over $361,000 to the recalls. But the real story is that this was not started by NRA, but by what State Senator John Morse derisively referred to as an "unemployed plumber".

'Not bad for an unemployed plumber' man says in passing after news of PW library numbers. #PuebloRecall

— Nick Bonham (@NickBonham1) September 11, 2013

And Victor Head, a the plumber in Pueblo who borrowed money from his grandmother to start the recall against Senator Giron had a message for Morse:

'And I have a message for John Morse ... Who's unemployed now?' -- Victor Head, Pueblo Freedom & Rights. #PuebloRecall #COpolitics

— Nick Bonham (@NickBonham1) September 11, 2013

Virginia can take something away from last night's victory in Colorado. The victory in Colorado was started by the grassroots. NRA did not start it and only got involved when it picked up steam. The signatures for the recall petitions were collected by the grassroots, with over a 90% validity rate to boot. They were out spent by those supporting the incumbants, but they won, and won big in a district that Barack Obama carried handily last year.

This year in Virginia, Ken Cuccinelli is being out raised by Terry McAuliffe by a margin of 2-1. But Colorado proved that if you have committed grassroots, they can trump big money. For some reason, Cuccinelli his having problems firing up his base. There is still time to change that. Hat tip to John Lott.

Update:

Here is the breakdown of the pro-and anti-recall spending via the Denver Post yesterday by way of Jim Geraghty.

Pro Recall

•NRA: $360,000
(Note: updated total for the NRA $361,703 on the two recalls)

•I Am Created Equal: $56,800

•Colorado Citizens Protecting Our Constitution: $29,800

•Victor Head, Pueblo resident: $5,800

•Dianna Harris, Colorado Springs resident: $4,500

AGAINST RECALL

Total raised: $3 million

Itemized donations in Colorado: $1.5 million

Itemized donations outside of Colorado: $1.5 million

Some top donors

•Taxpayers for Responsible Democracy: $620,000

•Michael Bloomberg: $350,000

•DLCC Unincorporated Individual Acct: $300,000

•Eli Broad: $250,000

•Mainstream Colorado: $211,800

So, if my math is correct, the pro-recall grassroots was out spent 6-1 and still won a decisive victory.

Cuccinelli Picks Up Endorsement of Democrat Strategist

The Roanoke Times via the Richmond Times Dispatch reports this morning that Attorney General and GOP Nominee for Governor Ken Cuccinelli has picked up the endorsement of "smash-mouth Democratic strategist" Dave "Mudcat" Saunders.  Sanders was credited with helping then Democrat candidate for Governor Mark Warner burnish his rural "sportsmen" creds even though he is a Conneticutt yankee, on the way to winning the 2001 election.  Unlike GOP stratigist Boyd Marcus, who has signed on to the McAuliffe campaign for money, Saunders is not taking a paid position with the Cuccinelli campaign.

“I’m not on the payroll,” Saunders said. “No, I’m not Boyd Marcus. I’m a Democrat.”

Saunders does not like McAuliffe's "corporatist" background.

“What these corporatists have done to us in rural America and in urban America," Saunders said in a telephone interview. “I can’t support a corporatist. I just can’t. This guy is not my kind of Democrat.”

It could also be Saunders does not like McAuliffe's stated support for gun control, something that he worked very hard to get Warner to avoid.

Will this get Cuccinelli a lot of votes?  Probably as many as the Marcus endorsement is going to get McAuliffe.  But it does provide them with something to throw back when people start talking about Republicans endorsing McAuliffe.

New York Post Calls Bloomberg Hero to Virginians, Poll Says Something Else

Two different news outlets described the same poll two different ways.  The New York Post described the findings of the just released Quinnipiac University like this:

Mayor Bloomberg’s bullish advocacy for stricter gun-control laws has won him considerable support — in Virginia.

But Newsmax.com described it like this:

A majority of Virginians say New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg went too far when he claimed that many of the guns used in city crimes are coming from Virginia. But, almost half of voters in a new poll said their state lawmakers should do more to address gun control issues.

VSSA had the opportunity to talk about the article and the 2013 Election on Cam Edwards of NRANews.

Public Concern About Crime Falls with Crime Rate

The Washington Post included this graphic in an article that purports to show a "broad evolution in Cuccinelli’s views on crime and punishment."

Rather than focus on the article, which is more of a thinly veiled swipe at Cuccinelli charging he has become the "kinder - gentler" Republican when it comes to crime, let's focus on the chart.  You'll note the continuing theme of the last couple of weeks - that crime has reduced dramatically in Virginia.  Over the last 18 years, the crime rate has reduced 42%.  At the same time, we know that over the last 6 years, the sale of firearms in the state has increased 75%.

So while Bloomberg wants to claim that his crime problems are due to Virginia guns, it would seem that the large number of firearms in the Commonwealth has not negatively impacted the safety of Virginians.

Virginia Primary Post Mortem

Some thoughts on yesterday's Democrat and Republican Primary.  Two longtime GOP Delegates, Beverly Sherwood, and Joe May, lost.  Some may call them upsets but when you dig a little deeper in to the numbers, there were several problems each of them faced and neither seemed to completely respond.

Let's start with Sherwood, who lost by 78 votes.  This is the first election in which she has run after redistricting.  She acquired new parts in Warren County and she lost those by a total of 94 votes.  Clearly, she should have done more to introduce herself to these new voters.  Bev was a good friend to Virginia's gun owners, chairing the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee for a number of years.  Her opponent, Mark Berg has indicated he opposes infringements on our 2nd Amendment Rights.  This should be a wash in terms of our support in  the General Assembly.

Joe May too had new territory in his district as a result of redistricting and he too lost those precincts (in Frederick County) badly.  Delegate May was considered more or a moderate than Delegate Sherwood.  The insurgent nature of their opposition was helped by the fact they both voted for the tax increases in the new transportation bill this last session.  Some will likely say it resulted in their defeat, but three other incumbents who were challenged and won, also voted for the transportation bill, so it it played a roll in May and Sherwood's defeat, it was likely just one of several factors.  May was so so on our issue earning a "C" rating from the NRA in the 2011.  IT is interesting to note that of the two incumbents that lost, Joe may received the second largest number of votes of the incumbents (2200), but lost by the largest margin (15 points).

Both Delegate Todd Gilbert and Bobby Orrock won, Gilbert with 92% of the vote and received the largest number of votes of any of the incumbents (3655).  He also voted against the transportation plan.   Orrock defeated Dustin Price by 13% and received 1366 votes.  Speaker of the House Bill Howell was also challenged but like Gilbert, handily defeated his opponent with 92% of the vote.  Both Orrock and Howell voted for the transportation bill.

The take away from these incumbents is to never be complacent.  Elected officials aways have to be doing outreach for new supporters and new blood in their organizations.  Gilbert clearly did that based on the high number of votes he received.  Orrock may want to make sure he is doing that outreach.  While he won handily, he got half the votes of about a two thirds fewer votes than Gilbert.

As for the Democrats, they had two state wide offices up for primary voters yesterday.  They decided to go with known candidates - State Senator Ralph Northam for Lt. Governor and State Senator Mark Herring for AG.  Northam beat back an Indian-American, Aneesh Chopra, who ran on a strong platform of gun control.  While Northam is no friend to gun owners (he has a "D" rating from the NRA), he was fending off charges of being a shill for the NRA.  When a candidate tells you that his "D" rated opponent is a shill for the NRA, you get the idea just how anti-rights the guy making the charge is.

In the AG's race, State Senator Mark Herring (also an NRA "D" rated candidate) soundly defeated former Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Fairfax.  In choosing the known quantities,  state Democrats opted not to go with the "diverse" ticket many thought they would choose, and chose three white males for statewide office.  Not that that should make a difference but since Democrats are always pointing out how the GOP has no diversity on their national and Virginia statewide tickets, the irony is not lost on this writer.

Virginia gun owners have a clear choice this election.  Do we go with the candidates that have a solid record of supporting our rights (Ken Cuccinelli and Mark Obenshain) and their ticket mate who expresses strong support for our rights (E.W. Jackson) or do we opt for three candidates that for the first time in a number of years do not shy away from telling us just how they want to restrict our rights (McAuliffe, Northam, and Herring).

Now let's get to work and help the guys who stand with us.

Meet the Democrat Candidates for Statewide Office in 2013

Virginia Republicans nominated their candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General at this past weekend's state convention.  Two of the three (Ken Cuccinelli for Governor and Mark Obenshain for Attorney General) have solid voting records supporting the rights of Virginia gun owners.  The third, Rev. E.W. Jackson, who is running for Lt. Governor, received an "AQ" rating from the NRA prior to the convention and there is no reason to believe he will not stand by his commitment to Liberty.  So let's take a look at the Democrats who will be nominated by primary on June 11, 2013.

Terry McAuliffe, candidate for Governor, is unopposed and the June primary is a mere formality.  He is on record as wanting to reinstate the recently repealed handgun rationing law, banning modern sporting rifles, but tried the typical anti-rights trick of trying to show his pro-rights bona fides by purchasing a very expensive shotgun at Dick's Sporting Goods earlier this year.

The Lt. Governor Candidates are Aneesh Chopra - Former U.S. Chief Technology Officer under President Obama.  Chopra is very out front with what he wants to do to the rights of Virginia's gun owners if he is elected:

• Universal background checks. Closing the gun show loophole and keeping weapons out of the hands of dangerous people.
• Banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines. This will help keep military-style weapons off our streets.

The other candidate for Lt. Governor is State Senator Ralph Northam.  Northam earned a "D" rating from the NRA the last time he ran for re-election.  During his time in the Senate he has opposed repealing handgun rationing, and repealing the restaurant ban.

For Attorney General, we have Sen. Mark R. Herring, and Justin Fairfax a former Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Fairfax was kind enough to provide a You Tube video of him talking about is gun ban agenda.

Here's a newsflash Mr. Fairfax, none of the things you mentioned in that video would have stopped the shootings you listed.

Then there is Senator Mark Herring.  He received a "D" rating from the NRA in 2011.  Besides voting against repealing handgun rationing and repeal of the restaurant ban, he also voted against keeping personal information of Concealed Handgun Permit holders private.

So, it is very clear which candidates for statewide office this year support your right to keep and bear arms, and it is not the Democrat candidates.

Political Eyes Will Be on Virginia in 2013

According to the Washington Post, all political eyes will be firmly focused on  the race for Governor in Virginia between Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Terry "Party Animal" McAuliffe in 2013 to get an indication of what 2014 may hold for the nation.

Both candidates have serious vulnerabilities.


At a moment when the national Republican Party is trying to smooth its edges and broaden its appeal, its Virginia nominee will be an unapologetic tea party favorite who leans hard right on social and fiscal issues.

Cuccinelli is “almost a test case of the argument that Republicans win when they don’t trim their beliefs,” said Bob Holsworth, a retired political science professor and a partner in the Richmond public-service consulting firm DecideSmart.

And in an off year, when turnout tends to be low and organization matters, the Democratic contender is someone who has never held office, is largely unknown to Virginia voters and who flopped when he ran four years ago.

We'll see if that nine-year tradition of spanking the party in the White House continues and if it portends any messages for 2014 as it did with four years ago.

New Poll Shows Cuccinelli, McAuliffe in Dead Heat - Cuccinelli Has Edge on Experience

The latest Quinnipiac University poll of the 2013 Virginia Governor's race shows Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe in a statistical dead heat.  But the poll also found that while a large number of voters don't know enough about either candidate, of those that do, more believe Cuccinelli has more of the necessary experience to be Governor.  From the Richmond Times Dispatch:

Cuccinelli is viewed to have the right experience for the job by a margin of 44-22 percent, while McAuliffe registered 28-23 percent.

The poll also identified weaknesses for both candidates - a little less than a third viewed Attorney General Cuccinelli as "too conservative" while about a third viewed him as having a political philosophy that is just about right.  McAuliffe was viewed by about 21% to be too liberal and about right by 29%.

Clearly, if Cuccinelli can raise the money to introduce himself to those who say they don't know enough about him before McAuliffe defines him, then the AG can keep the race from being about him, and instead make it about what he will do to keep the state going in the direction that Governor Bob McDonnell has steered the last four years.  McAuliffe may have a more difficult task in showing the voters that he is more than just a political hack looking to add to his resume.

AG Ken Cuccinelli's Speech at CPAC This Morning

Will Bloomberg Use Virginia As Next Test of His Strategy?

Bloomberg was taking a victory lap yesterday after his annointed candidate won the Democratic Primary to replace disgraced Chicago Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.  As the NRA told The Hill, Chicago's 2nd District was never a pro-gun district even though one of the candidates running had an "A" rating from the NRA.  Bloomberg spent heavily in the district, the NRA spent nothing.

“We fully expect Mayor Bloomberg to try to spend a considerable amount of his fortune in the upcoming months, as he has already in the past few weeks. But the simple fact remains: Illinois-2 was never a pro-gun district, so to try and suggest this is a major victory of any kind is disingenuous,” said NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam.

Bloomberg and his gun control minions are channelling Vice President Joe Biden, saying public sentiment has changed and Tuesday's results prove it.  But while Bloomberg has deep pockets, it is unlikely he is going to put his money where there is no path to victory and a large number of the U.S. Congressional districts are gerrymandered so much from one side to the other that it leaves him very few districts with which to work.

Which brings us to this year's Virginia's Governor's race.  Virginia is referred to as "purple" as it has gone for Obama in the last two presidential elections and Democrats have won the last two U.S. Senate elections, yet has 8 of its 11 congressional seats in Republican hands and currently has a Republican Governor.  It is one of two states with statewide elections this year and the GOP candidate, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, is strongly pro-rights while the Democratic candidate, Terry McAuliffe, is trying to play what the anti-rights crowd consider the middle ground.   McAuliffe made a point of purchasing a very expensive shotgun at Gander Mountain recently while calling for reinstatement of handgun rationing and banning so-called "assault weapons."  It looks like Virginia will be the only one of the two states that will be competitive this year.  This mixture is tailor made for Bloomberg's strategy.

Bloomberg's anti-rights efforts are more of a threat than the Brady Campaign et al have ever been.  First, he has money, lots of it, and he is not adverse to spending it.  But there is something else that makes him a threat to our rights.  He has figured out how to wrap a radical message in a package that seems non-controversial to the average person.  Most people believe criminals should not have firearms.  Those of us who dig deeper know that he doesn't really like firearms and thinks only the police should have them.

There has been a reawakinging of the grassroots.  The question is, will it last long enough to put Bloomberg in his place.  Virginia in 2013 could be the first test.

Will Bolling Help Put McAuliffe in the Governor's Office?

A new poll shows the race for Virginia Governor between Terry McAuliffe and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli currently tied.  When Lt. Governor Bill Bolling's name is added as an independent candidate, Bolling garners 13% support, tipping the scales in McAuliffe's favor. Bolling has said he will announce on March 14th whether he intends to run as an independent.  NRO's Jim Geraghty has a good take on the poll. Asking rather 13% is really the theshold of a credible independent candidate, Geraghty ends with:

But this may come down to what Bolling really wants to see: his own victory… or Ken Cuccinelli’s defeat.

Radford Latest State University to Ban Concealed Carry on Campus

WSLS NBC 10 reports that the Radford University Board of Visitors voted nine to five yesterday to ban students and employees from carrying firearms from buildings and university outdoor events.

The university's employees, students, and volunteers are prohibited from carrying, maintaining, or storing a firearm or weapon on any university property. Any visitor or other third party attending a sporting, entertainment, or educational event, or visiting an academic or administrative office building, dining facility, or residence hall, is prohibited from carrying, maintaining, or storing a firearm or weapon on any university facility, even if the owner has a valid permit. This prohibition also applies to all events on campus where people congregate in any public or outdoor areas.


Any such individual who is reported or discovered to possess a firearm or weapon on university property will be asked to remove it immediately from university property. Failure to comply may result in a student conduct referral, an employee disciplinary action, and/or arrest.

Since Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli last year said that colleges and universities must pass a regulation to restrict carrying concealed firearms by legal permit holders, most all of the state's public colleges and universities have voted to do so.  In the past, institutions of higher education had simple policies banning firearms but the Cuccinelli opinion said a simple policy was insufficient.

AG Cuccinelli to Kick Off Colonial Shooting Academy Grand Opening

Colonial Shooting Academy, billed as the "Nation's Largest Indoor Shooting Range," will welcome Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to kick off their Grand Opening Celebration today at 4:00 pm. Members of the media are encouraged to attend.

Grand Opening Details

• When: Wednesday, April 25 – Sunday, April 29
• Where: Colonial Shooting Academy, 6020 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230
• Hours: Monday – Saturday, 9:00 am – 9:00 pm; Sunday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

The ranges will be closed from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm on Wednesday, April 25 during the grand opening presentation.

Grand Opening Door Prizes

• Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm, #209301, Reg. $549.95
• Apple iPad2, 16GB, Reg. $299.99
• H&R Handi Combo 30-06/20 Ga. #72679, Reg. $234.95
• MGM Targets APS Auto Popper, Reg. 129.95

Michael Paul Williams Misses the Point

Where do I start?  The below screed from Richmond Times Dispatch commentator (I refuse to refer to him as a reporter because most all of his articles are slanted to his point of view) Michael Paul Williams is so filled with hate toward gun owners and out right ignorance of the issue of self-defense,  I almost hesitate to include the video in the post.  But it is good to see and hear how our opponents view us and how they present themselves.



His disdain for gun owners and the NRA seeps out with every word. But his comment about anyone needing to carry a firearm to their church service for protection might want to consider finding another church illustrates just how ignorant he is. It's not that a person feels the need to defend himself against a member of his or her church, it's about protecting yourself and fellow congregation members from wackos like this and this.

In related news, anti-rights State Senator Don McEachin said yesterday that he would fix this with legislation next year.

McEachin says places of worship should not have to put up signs specifically banning weapons from their premises. He also suggests the Attorney General is ruling via "fiat," because the General Assembly refused to consider a bill that would have loosened the law regarding guns in church.

Sadly, the response of people like Williams and McEachin is predictable.

Typical Anti-Rights Drivel from the Daily Press

The Newport News Daily Press is no friend of gun owners.  They often pen editorials decrying Virginia's pro-rights approach to firearms ownership.  This editorial, Pistols in the Pews, offers little that is constructive and instead is a snarky response to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's opinion on self-defense in Virginia's house of worship.

Is it going to come to this: Will the ushers who pass the offering plates "pass the ammunition," too?

While decrying the opinion, they do pose one question that make's sense:

The carve-out of churches never made much sense. We allow guns practically everywhere on public property, including streets and libraries, parks and public buildings. The exception are obvious ones: schools, airport terminals and courthouses. On private property, the choice is up to the owners. So why were churches set aside as a special category of place?

But after this little glimpse of logic, they descend into the type of name calling we have come to expect from the anti-rights crowd. Discussing how the opinion came about - in response to Delegate Mark Cole's request after he could not get legislation expressly allowing self-defense in houses of worship they offer:

What is lamentable is that gun bills that addressed real needs also failed. Like legislation that would close the loophole that enables people who by law can't buy guns to do so, so long as they buy from private sellers at gun shows. Licensed dealers at the shows have to run purchasers through background checks, to weed out those who aren't allowed to have guns (like convicted felons and people who have protective orders against them). Private sellers don't have to vet their customers.

Never-give-an-inch gun rights activists insist there's no such loophole. There is. It helps make Virginia a leading exporter of illegal guns. Sloppy procedures at some guns shows and some dealers put into the wrong hands guns that cause a lot of carnage.

The Daily Press hates the fact that localities can't create a patch work of gun laws like. It probably was expecting too much for the paper to think logically about the AG's opinion,

More on AG Cuccinelli Self Defense in Houses of Worship Opinion

A number of media outlets yesterday reported on Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's opinion that self-defense is sufficient cause for carrying a fiream in houses of worship during regular services.  Most of the outlets carried the AP report written by Bob Lewis.

Current law is somewhat unclear in that it prohibits carrying during regular services "without good and sufficient reason."  Unfortunately, the legislature did not define what constitutes good and sufficient reason.  In steps Delegate Mark Cole who asked the AG for clarification in the form of an AG Opinion.

Cole said he sought the opinion the one-paragraph provision in the state's criminal statutes after receiving inquiries from some churches in his district resulting from recent deadly shootings in churches.

Gunfire last month killed the pastor of an Illinois church and wounded two people in the congregation.

Cuccinelli wrote that the self-defense is at the heart of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms.

WAVY10 in Portsmouth ran this story on local reaction to the opinion.

Local churches react to "armed worship": wavy.com

The Brady Campaign reaction was typical.

Brian Malte, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said the opinion by the pro-gun Republican attorney general nudges Virginia closer toward making firearms more prevalent throughout society.

"Places of worship don't need loaded guns brought into them," Malte said. "The way Attorney General Cuccinelli states it, it looks like he's giving an opening to guns in churches, and we oppose that."

Rosalind S. Helderman somewhat parrots the Brady response when she wrote on the Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog:

The legal opinion comes in response to an inquiry from state Del. Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg), who had sponsored an unsuccessful bill in 2010 to make it legal for a concealed weapons permit holder to carry a handgun in a place of worship during religious services with the permission of a religious leader.

If widely followed, Cuccinelli’s ruling would have the same effect — opening places of worship to weapons unless they are barred by the religious institution.

The AG stated that places of worship can choose to restrict or bar weapons if they wish, indicating that churches, synagogues, mosques and other institutions have a private property right to set their own rules with regards to guns.  AG opinions are only advisory and do not carry the force of law.

Hopefully, the AG's opinion will not cause a mad rush by churches to post "no guns" signs. That is a sure way for someone wishing to cause harm in a church to pick easy victims, as we have seen with other self-defense free zones.