By Jeff Hulbert
Virginia Sheriff Scott Jenkins, who has gained national prominence for his plan to shield his citizens from Democrats’ gun control schemes, says more of his fellow sheriffs are now on board with his idea.
Jenkins serves in Culpeper County, a rural enclave in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains just 75 miles to the southwest of the nation’s capital. He is entering his eighth year as its chief law enforcement officer there.
In recent months, his willingness to take visible Second Amendment stands on behalf of the 47,000 Culpeper residents has won him accolades from gun rights groups across the country.
Most notable is his declaration that he is willing to deputize Culpeper County firearms owners to shield them from new firearms restrictions, penalties or confiscations.
In Richmond, where Democrats bent on drastic gun control have taken up a slew of infringement bills, Sheriff Jenkins politely waited his turn in the citizen testimony lines at the first set of hearings for his chance to criticize the schemes as empty politics.
Jenkins leaned in as he scolded the Democrat lawmakers for their plans to allow localities to ban firearms carry in parks, government buildings and at special events, comments that triggered jeers from the red-shirted Moms Demand Action attendees in the gallery.
The last thing we need are more gun-free zones. You didn’t get a mandate when you were elected in November. Listen to those who are operating in the realm [of constitutional laws] and not to the voices of those who are shoveling money into this state.
The Sheriff says the Bloomberg-funded attacks on his defense of Second Amendment rights only strengthens his resolve.
Sheriff Jenkins says that as the Second Amendment sanctuary movement swept the Old Dominion more and more of his fellow sheriffs have reached out to him to say they are looking at a deputization program as a constitutional response to unconstitutional laws.
And Jenkins says he will not knuckle under on this issue to statehouse Democrats if push comes to shove.
Sheriff Jenkins’ comments came after the Democrat-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee voted out the first group of gun control proposals to the House floor.
There to witness the hearings and to pack the hallways at the hearing were more than a thousand gun rights supporters—many wearing NRA shirts given out earlier in the day.
A significant number of the 2A crowd streaming into Richmond today are expected back for what promises to be a massive rally set for January 20th on the grounds of the State Capitol. Virginia officials are bracing for throngs of gun rights supporters that could number anywhere from 10-25,000 people.
Many attendees, including militia participants who have pledged to travel to Virginia from across the country, will be openly armed (firearms are only prohibited inside the capitol and legislative buildings) as they demonstrate for their rights in the face of the most drastic gun law proposals ever seen in the Old Dominion.
Jeff Hulbert is the founder of Patriot Picket