Virginia Democrats Punish One Of Their Own For Voting Against Northam-Backed Gun Ban

A House panel was discussing a bill introduced by state Sen. Chap Petersen, which had passed unanimously in the state Senate, which would allow part-time law enforcement officers to purchase their service firearms when they retired. Currently, full-time officers can purchase their firearms once they retire.

Amy Friedenberger, state capitol correspondent for The Roanoke Times, reported that many of the people who were present when the bill was being discussed in the House suggested it was killed because Petersen had voted against Gov. Ralph Northam’s (D-VA) gun ban proposal. Friedenberger even suggested gun-control advocates liked Petersen’s bill.

“House panel dealing with guns killed a bill from Sen. @ChapPetersen, Democrat, that would have allowed part-time law enforcement to purchase their service firearms at retirement (only full-time can right now). It passed out of the Senate 40-0,” Friedenberger tweeted. “People in the room — including gun control advocates who liked the bill — believe Democrats killed it because Petersen voted against the assault weapons bill yesterday.”

Graham Moomaw, a reporter for The Virginia Mercury, also reported that Petersen appeared on “Fox and Friends” the morning his bill was killed to explain why he voted against the Northam gun ban.