{"id":2554243,"date":"2026-01-27T14:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T19:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/will-scotus-stop-virginia-democrats-gun-control-gambit\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T14:04:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T19:04:23","slug":"will-scotus-stop-virginia-democrats-gun-control-gambit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/will-scotus-stop-virginia-democrats-gun-control-gambit\/","title":{"rendered":"Will SCOTUS Stop Virginia Democrats&#8217; Gun Control Gambit?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwill-scotus-stop-virginia-democrats-gun-control-gambit%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2554243&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>virginia Senate Democrats advanced SB 749, a bill that would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, purchase, or transfer of so-called \u201cassault firearms\u201d \u2014 defined in the measure as semi-automatic center-fire rifles or pistols with fixed magazines holding more than 10 rounds \u2014 and make violations a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. The bill\u2019s grandfathering for existing firearms would not cover large-capacity magazines,which the article warns could criminalize many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dems-unconstitutional-gun-bill-would-jail-law-abiding-virginians\/\" title=\"Dems&#039; &#039;Unconstitutional&#039; Gun ... Would Jail Law-Abiding ...\">current gun owners<\/a>. Governor Abigail Spanberger has said she respects the Second Amendment but pledged during her campaign to sign magazine-capacity limits and assault-weapon restrictions. The piece notes a potential check on such state laws: the U.S. Supreme Court is considering petitions in Viramontes v. Cook County (challenging an assault-weapons ban) and Duncan v. Bonta (challenging a 10\u2011round magazine ban). The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >court previously declined similar cases<\/a> from maryland and Rhode Island, with only Justices Thomas, alito, and Gorsuch voting to hear them; Thomas sharply criticized the denial, and Justice Kavanaugh signaled he might take up related cases in the near future. If the Court again declines review,the article argues,state-level bans and magazine limits could remain in place for millions of Americans. (Article by Shawn Fleetwood, The Federalist.)  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The U.S. Supreme Court has the opportunity to stifle Virginia Democrats&rsquo; tyrannical bid to restrict their constituents&rsquo; Second Amendment rights. The question is: Will they?<\/p>\n<p>While much of the country was focused on the latest immigration-related news out of Minnesota on Monday, Virginia Senate Democrats quietly <a href=\"https:\/\/bearingarms.com\/camedwards\/2026\/01\/26\/gun-ban-permit-to-purchase-bills-get-first-hearing-in-virginia-n1231342\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">advanced<\/a> an <a href=\"https:\/\/lis.virginia.gov\/bill-details\/20261\/SB749\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">amended bill<\/a> that would effectively criminalize hundreds of thousands of gun owners across the commonwealth. <a href=\"https:\/\/lis.virginia.gov\/bill-details\/20261\/SB749\/text\/SB749SC1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SB 749<\/a> seeks to outlaw the importation, sale, manufacturing, purchase, or transfer of an &ldquo;assault firearm,&rdquo; which the measure redefines as a &ldquo;semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol with a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 10 rounds.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Those found guilty of violating the law would be subject to a <a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/title18.2\/chapter1\/section18.2-11\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Class 1 misdemeanor<\/a>, which is punishable by up to a year in jail &ldquo;and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/bearingarms.com\/camedwards\/2026\/01\/26\/gun-ban-permit-to-purchase-bills-get-first-hearing-in-virginia-n1231342\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">noted<\/a> by Bearing Arms&rsquo; Cam Edwards, however, the real kicker comes in the bill&rsquo;s &ldquo;grandfather clause.&rdquo; While the measure would grandfather in existing owners of these &ldquo;assault firearms,&rdquo; such an allowance wouldn&rsquo;t apply to &ldquo;large capacity&rdquo; magazines &mdash; meaning that the legislation, if passed, would essentially turn countless Virginians into criminals overnight.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">There&rsquo;s probably no better description of the modern day Democratic Party than the fact that a Bangladeshi migrant moved to the US, acquired citizenship, got elected in Northern Virginia, and now wants to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/emails-reveal-secret-service-and-ice-coordinating-with-fbi-to-strip-gun-rights\/\" title=\"Emails Reveal Secret Service and ICE Coordinating With FBI to Strip Gun Rights\">strip gun rights<\/a> away from Virginians who can trace their family back to&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/itLdSMQFVG\">https:\/\/t.co\/itLdSMQFVG<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Christian Heiens &#127963; (@ChristianHeiens) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChristianHeiens\/status\/2015896437717168140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 26, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>While SB 749 is still undergoing consideration in the state Senate and revisions are always possible, Democrats&rsquo; trifecta control of the commonwealth should not give Virginia gun owners cause for comfort. Despite Gov. Abigail Spanberger&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.governor.virginia.gov\/newsroom\/news-releases\/2026\/january-releases\/name-1111414-en.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent claims<\/a> that she &ldquo;respect[s] the Second Amendment,&rdquo; the former congresswoman <a href=\"https:\/\/abigailspanberger.com\/richmond-times-dispatch-spanberger-vows-to-sign-gun-bills-including-ban-on-sales-of-assault-style-weapons\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pledged<\/a> during her gubernatorial campaign to sign legislation that restricts gun magazine capacities and bans the sale, transfer, and purchase of so-called &ldquo;assault weapons&rdquo; throughout the state. <\/p>\n<p>Although the outlook may seem dim, there is a bright spot that should give Virginians hope. Similar gun control laws passed in other states are being challenged in federal court and are currently pending before the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<p>During conference last week, the justices purportedly considered petitions asking the court to take up and hear oral arguments in <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/docket\/docketfiles\/html\/public\/25-238.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Viramontes v. Cook County<\/a><\/em>  and <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/docket\/docketfiles\/html\/public\/25-198.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Duncan v. Bonta<\/a><\/em>. While <em>Viramontes<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/DocketPDF\/25\/25-238\/370875\/20250827115014594_25-%20Petition.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">centers around<\/a> Illinois&rsquo; Cook County criminalizing the sale, possession, or transfer of so-called &ldquo;assault weapons&rdquo; (like the commonly owned AR-15), <em>Duncan<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/DocketPDF\/25\/25-198\/369886\/20250815150715228_1.%2025-%20Petition%20and%20Appendix%20Volume%20I%20of%20III.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deals with<\/a> California&rsquo;s ban on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-law-capping-magazine-capacity-struck-down-by-federal-judge\/\" title=\"Federal judge strikes down California law capping magazine capacity.\">gun magazines capable<\/a> of holding more than 10 rounds.<\/p>\n<p>Both cases give SCOTUS the chance to address what it refused to a year prior. As The Federalist previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/06\/02\/scotus-rejects-second-amendment-challenges-to-maryland-ar-15-ban-rhode-island-magazine-cap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>, the court rejected consideration of challenges to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cnns-s-e-cupp-loses-it-over-anti-grooming-laws\/\" title=\"CNN&#039;s S.E. Cupp Loses It Over Anti-Grooming Laws\">similar laws passed<\/a> by Maryland and Rhode Island that banned the possession of AR-15s and gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Only Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch signaled that they would take up and hear arguments in the cases. (At least four justices must <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscourts.gov\/about-federal-courts\/educational-resources\/about-educational-outreach\/activity-resources\/supreme-court-procedures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">agree<\/a> to hear a case before it can be considered by the full court.)<\/p>\n<p>In his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/orders\/courtorders\/060225zor_4f15.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scathing opinion<\/a> responding to the court&rsquo;s decision to deny cert, Thomas noted that he &ldquo;would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America,&rdquo; adding that such a question &ldquo;is of critical importance to tens of millions of law-abiding AR&ndash;15 owners throughout the country.&rdquo; He further underscored that the Constitution &ldquo;allows the American people &mdash; not the government &mdash; to decide which weapons are useful for self-defense.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>While agreeing with the court&rsquo;s decision to deny hearing the cases, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/orders\/courtorders\/060225zor_4f15.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a> calling the lower court&rsquo;s decision upholding Maryland&rsquo;s law &ldquo;questionable.&rdquo; Equally significant, however, is that the justice said that he would be amenable to taking up such cases should they come before the court in the near future.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Although the Court today denies certiorari, a denial of certiorari does not mean that the Court agrees with a lower-court decision or that the issue is not worthy of review. The AR&ndash;15 issue was recently decided by the First Circuit and is currently being considered by several other Courts of Appeals,&rdquo; Kavanaugh wrote. &ldquo;Opinions from other Courts of Appeals should assist this Court&rsquo;s ultimate decisionmaking on the AR&ndash;15 issue. Additional petitions for certiorari will likely be before this Court shortly and, in my view, this Court should and presumably will address the AR&ndash;15 issue soon, in the next Term or two.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Americans are about to find out within the next few weeks whether Kavanaugh will stick to his word. Should he and the other justices decline to take up the <em>Viramontes<\/em> and <em>Duncan<\/em> cases, millions of Americans&rsquo; Second Amendment rights will once again be subject to the whims of gun-grabbing Democrat-led governments for years to come. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court can block VA Democrats&#8217; gun ban<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2554244,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AR-15.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[3685,50385,6994,32209,38033],"class_list":["post-2554243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-democrats","tag-gun-control-2","tag-scotus","tag-second-amendment","tag-virginia-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AR-15.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2554243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2554243"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2554243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2554247,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2554243\/revisions\/2554247"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2554244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2554243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2554243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2554243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}