A West Virginia state senator recently invited the National Rifle Association, currently based in Fairfax, VA, to relocate to his state in the aftermath of the recent massive gun rights rally in Richmond, which one Virginia politician said had “terrorized” the city.
Virginia House Delegate Lee Carter wrote in a tweet, “The ‘pro-gun’ people that terrorized Richmond yesterday probably don’t realize that all they did was tag team with fascists, strengthen the liberals’ resolve to pass gun control bills, and force the most gun-friendly Dem (me) to not show up for a day.”
But countering that, Republican West Virginia State Sen. Randy Smith reportedly wrote to the NRA to extend the invitation, according to the Associated Press. Smith used West Virginia’s lower taxes as one incentive.
“Where Virginia is pushing for stricter gun laws, West Virginia has worked on and passed a number of legislation in support of gun rights,” Smith reportedly wrote.
From all accounts, the Richmond rally was peaceful and ended with participants actually picking up litter, leaving the neighborhood around the capitol cleaner than when they arrived. While more than 22,000 people attended the rally, not a single shot was fired, nor was anyone injured.
The NRA has been under fire for more than a year, with investigations opened in New York, where the NRA is incorporated. Controversy has swirled around NRA finances, a string of lawsuits, staff shakeups and veteran Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre. Recent internal turmoil has also been reported.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is a perennial anti-gunner, and he has continued pushing a gun control agenda with Democrats in the Assembly moving to adopt even more strict gun measures.
