Judge Blocks Part of Gov. Ralph Northam’s Executive Order That Shut Down Indoor Gun Ranges

Governor Ralph Northam issued an executive order last month to temporarily close indoor gun ranges as non-essential — recreational and entertainment — businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.

Gun-rights groups sued, contending that the governor doesn’t have the authority in the state constitution to declare a state of emergency to close indoor gun ranges.

Bearing Arms reported that a circuit court judge overturned part of Gov. Northam’s order pending litigation on the matter. An excerpt (emphasis added):

Judge F. Patrick Yeatts declared in an order on Monday that Northam’s actions are likely to have exceeded his constitutional authority, and declared that the portion of the governor’s executive order on essential businesses that deals with indoor ranges not be enforced while the litigation continues.

Yeatts noted in his decision that the Virginia state constitution declares that “the body of the people, trained to arms is the proper, natural safe defense of a free state.” Since that is the case, clearly the right to bear arms includes the right to train with them. Since gun ranges provide a place where that training can take place, they are protected under the right to keep and bear arms.

The legislature passed a law in 2012 that bars the governor from interfering with the people’s right to keep and bear arms, even in an emergency. Bearing Arms notes the irony: Ralph Northam was a state senator at the time who supported the law). Did he forget that he voted for the law, or did he forget about the law itself?

Just as closing gun shops interferes with law-abiding citizens’ right to acquire firearms legally for self-defense, closing gun ranges, indoor or outdoor, deprives them of the ability to legally train to use their firearms.

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One comment

  1. Gentle readers whilst I have no wish to wish to besmirch His Excellency Ralph Shearer “Coonman” Northam the esteemed Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and High Priest of the Temple of Baal as being intellectually challenged how some ever whilst I am tastefully attire my official Virginia “My Governor is an idiot” tee shirt I do wish to point out that one of the nonessential business in the Commonwealth of Virginia that was deemed His Excellency Ralph Shearer “Coonman” Northam the esteemed Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and High Priest of the Temple of Baal were medical supply stores. So I can safely say I do not besmirch His Excellency Ralph Shearer “Coonman” Northam the esteemed Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and High Priest of the Temple of Baal but rather with preponderance of evidence prove beyond the shadow of reasonable doubt prove he is an idiot! Further gentle readers His Excellency Ralph Shearer “Coonman” Northam the esteemed Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia who pruports to be a medical doctor precludes what he refers to as elective medical proceedures include such things as cancer treatments, kidney dialouses, hip replacements and even emergency dental treatments! I am an old soldier who served in Vietnam and with all the drugs that we ingested there and the the fact that I did all ready had malaria I may just be immune to what my Mexican friends refer to as the beer virus!