RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia National Guard is responding after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam stated that there could be consequences if laws aren’t followed in localities that have recently become Second Amendment sanctuaries.
“If we have constitutional laws on the books and law enforcement officers are not enforcing those laws on the books, then there are going to be some consequences but I’ll cross that bridge if and when we get to it,” said Northam on Thursday when asked about Second Amendment sanctuaries.
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Below is the full response from Maj. Gen. Timothy P Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia:
"We have received multiple questions regarding proposed legislation for the 2020 General Assembly session and the authority of the Governor of Virginia to employ the Virginia National Guard in a law enforcement role. Please make sure you share this message with your all of your personnel.
We understand and respect the passion people feel for the U.S. Constitution and 2nd Amendment rights. We will not speculate about the possible use of the Virginia National Guard. I encourage everyone to be patient while we allow our elected officials to work through the legislative process.
We have not received any requests from the Governor, or anyone on his staff, about serving in a law enforcement role related to any proposed legislation.
I expect our Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force to be professional and respectful in their discussions about this subject. As private citizens, our personnel are free to express their opinions to their elected officials, but they should not engage in any political activity while in a uniformed status.
We will provide regular updates when appropriate during the General Assembly session. Please utilize your chain of command to direct any questions or concerns to my office, and we will do our best to address them."