Quote of the Day
After careful review of the legislation and existing Supreme Court precedent, I find the assault weapon ban signed by the Governor on May 15, 2026 unconstitutional – and as a result, unenforceable. The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the Second Amendment protects firearms commonly owned by law abiding citizens.
As Commonwealth’s Attorney, I took an oath to uphold both the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Virginia. That oath requires more than mechanical enforcement of statutes. I must exercise prosecutorial discretion, constitutional judgment, and fidelity to the rule of law. As such, my office will not support criminal charges resulting solely from technical violations of the unconstitutional assault weapon ban.
Phillip Blevins Jr.
Smyth County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Virginia
May 17, 2026
Smyth Co. Commonwealth’s Attorney says ‘assault weapons ban’ is ‘unconstitutional’ | WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather
See also:
- Meet the Virginia Prosecutors Who Say They Won’t Enforce Democrats’ ‘Assault Firearm’ and Magazine Ban – Bearing Arms
- Smyth County Commonwealth’s Attorney calls assault weapon ban ‘unconstitutional’
- Virginia Gun Ban Ignites Firestorm As Local Prosecutor Refuses Enforcement And Lawsuits Fly
It may be noteworthy that in 2019 and 2020 many of the counties and cities in Virginia declared themselves 2nd Amendment sanctuaries. For example:
- Quote of the day—Ben Joseph Woods | The View From North Central Idaho (2019)
- Quote of the day—Stephen A. Elswick | The View From North Central Idaho (2020)
It is good to know a notable number of Virginia politicians are faithful to their state motto:
Sic semper tyrannis.
Which translates from Latin to “Thus always to tyrants.”
Now let’s start getting DA’s and AG’s (probably not in Virginia, although it would be nice, but wherever we can get them) who will refuse to enforce laws against murder and battery of gun control swine.
And governors who will give out immediate pardons to those heroes.
Words. What is needed is action. There is precedent in VA or would it be WV. A few years ago WV issued an invitation to counties in VA to join them. The county commissioners in the non-metro counties could constitute themselves as the VA legislature (which is what was done in CW1) and pass the resolution. WV would approve and then it is on to DC.
I still think it’d be better to bring a suit against Virginia regarding the borders of the District of Columbia as described in our Constitution in Article 1 Section 8 Take a sizable chunk of Fairfax county including ALL of Alexandria and incorporate it into Washington DC. Just making the borders reflect reality….