Prince William Declares Itself A 'Constitutional County'

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — The Prince William County board of supervisors voted early Wednesday to make the county a so-called Constitutional County by adopting a resolution that contains language that veers slightly from the anti-enforcement sentiment championed by the "Second Amendment sanctuary" movement. But the content of the Prince William resolution, for the most part, shares the concerns expressed by dozens of other counties and towns in Virginia with new gun control laws that could be introduced by state lawmakers in 2020. The 6-2 Republican majority approved the resolution down party lines after hours of public comment.

Prince William County's status as a Constitutional County may be short-lived as new supervisors who will be sworn in Jan. 6 will switch control of the board to Democrats, with a 5-3 majority. Board Chair-elect Ann Wheeler, a Democrat, has said "any effort by the outgoing Board to hamper the enforcement of new gun safety legislation passed in Virginia will be immediately repealed when the new Board take office in January."

The Prince William County resolution states the board of supervisors urges the Virginia General Assembly, its governor, the U.S. Congress and the president "to vigilantly preserve, uphold and protect the rights of the law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms under the Constitutions of Virginia and the United States by rejecting any provision, law, or regulation that may unlawfully infringe or place any additional unlawful burdens on the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms."

The board decided not to declare Prince William County a so-called Second Amendment sanctuary, bucking the trend set by several Republican-leaning counties and cities across the state that were concerned about new gun laws that could be introduced when Democrats take control of the state legislature in January.

Hundreds of people packed the Prince William County government center in Woodbridge to express their opposition to the passage of any new laws that tighten restrictions on gun purchases and ownership and to support a Second Amendment sanctuary resolution introduced Dec. 3 by Board Chairman Corey Stewart.

But Stewart's resolution was revised to take out references to a Second Amendment sanctuary and other potentially problematic language. For example, the new resolution, introduced around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, left out sections of the original resolution that stated the county's intent not to aid federal or state agencies in enforcing measures deemed restrictive of Second Amendment rights, according to the Prince William Times.

Whether the revised resolution would still hinder law enforcement agencies' ability enforce any new gun control legislation is unclear.

In a statement released Tuesday, Philip Van Cleave, head of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, expressed concern over a proposed bill that would prohibit the sale and transport of assault firearms and certain firearm magazines. The early draft of the bill, filed by incoming Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, a Democrat from Fairfax County, would made it a felony to possess a pistol, rifle or shotgun that falls under its "assault weapon" definition and does not appear to make any exceptions for gun owners who already have them.

Saslaw appears to have backed off from the bill, telling the Virginia Mercury that the bill he filed will not be the main assault weapon proposal and will be amended at a later date.

"You can bet that he and the other gun controllers have been watching the massive crowds of gun owners showing up at Board of Supervisors, City Council, and Town Council meetings across the Commonwealth with great concern," Van Cleave said, referring to Saslaw. "Virginia Citizens Defense League is not going to accept anything but the complete defeat of all gun bills that in any way, shape, or form, affect law-abiding gun owners in a negative way."

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, has proposed several gun control bills in previous years that were defeated by the Republican-held General Assembly. The bills include universal background checks, red flag laws that would allow authorities to take guns from people deemed dangerous and reinstatement of a one-handgun-a-month law. Polls have found broad support in Virginia for those measures.

The proposed ban on particular types of firearms has generated the strongest outrage in the Virginia localities that have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries within the past few weeks. During the public comment period late Tuesday, one county resident said he is worried that a possible law could make gun owners criminals by banning assault rifles, which he said can be used for self defense or hunting. The resident emphasized he is concerned about possible gun confiscation. A pending assault weapon ban backed by Northam, though, reportedly will include a provision allowing Virginians to keep firearms they already have, including assault weapons.

Stewart told the Prince William Times the resolution was revised after consulting with the county police department and county staff to remove language considered problematic. But the outgoing chairman downplayed the revisions to the resolution. "It's almost identical in terms of its effect," he told the news outlet.