{"id":2622190,"date":"2026-07-01T12:49:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T16:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-files-lawsuit-against-virginia-over-assault-weapon-ban\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T12:51:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T16:51:07","slug":"doj-files-lawsuit-against-virginia-over-assault-weapon-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-files-lawsuit-against-virginia-over-assault-weapon-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ files lawsuit against Virginia over &#8216;assault weapon&#8217; ban"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/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%2Fdoj-files-lawsuit-against-virginia-over-assault-weapon-ban%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=2622190&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>The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Virginia over its recent \u201cassault weapons\u201d ban, signed into law by Governor Abigail Spanberger.The lawsuit, led by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, claims that the legislation violates the Second Amendment by infringing on law-abiding Virginians&#8217; right to keep and bear arms. The law, part of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >broader gun control measures enacted<\/a> in april, bans the sale, import, manufacture, and transfer of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/will-scotus-stop-virginia-democrats-gun-control-gambit\/\" title=\"Will SCOTUS Stop ... Democrats&#039; Gun Control Gambit?\">semi-automatic center-fire rifles<\/a> and pistols capable of holding more than 20 rounds, as well as high-capacity magazines over 15 rounds. Critics argue that the term \u201cassault weapons\u201d is politically motivated and not a technical firearm classification. The lawsuit highlights that many responsible Americans use these rifles lawfully for purposes such as self-defense. Virginia Republicans have welcomed the federal challenge, stating that Virginians shouldn&#8217;t have to rely on federal intervention to protect their gun rights.meanwhile, a Virginia judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the ban, citing violation of the state constitution, which temporarily halts its implementation. The case is part of ongoing legal battles over \u201cassault weapons,\u201d wiht the Supreme Court set to hear a related case next term to determine if the Second and Fourteenth amendments guarantee the right to possess AR-15-style firearms.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"438\">Department of Justice<\/a> filed a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lawsuits\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1641\">lawsuit<\/a> against <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/virginia\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"96\">Virginia<\/a> on Wednesday over a proposed \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/assault-weapons\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2501\">assault weapons<\/a>\u201d ban signed by Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abigail-spanberger\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11780\">Abigail Spanberger<\/a> (D-VA) that was previously meant to take effect the same day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assistant Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/harmeet-dhillon\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"10095\">Harmeet Dhillon<\/a> filed the lawsuit against the commonwealth and the Virginia State Police, alleging Virginia \u201cbesmirched\u201d the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/second-amendment\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1043\">Second Amendment<\/a> by passing such legislation.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4632174\/judge-block-virginia-ice-mask-ban\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Judge blocks Virginia ICE mask ban hours before going into effect<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4630658\/judge-sparkle-sooknanan-complaint-doj\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Bar complaint accuses Biden-appointed district judge of dishonesty during DOJ tenure<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4630150\/judge-bars-trump-administration-blocking-funding-hudson-river-tunnel\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Judge bars Trump administration from blocking funding for Hudson River tunnel<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cVirginians can be justly proud of their centuries-long tradition of leadership in the cause of liberty,\u201d the filing said. \u201cSadly, however, that tradition was recently besmirched by the Virginia legislature\u2019s enactment of SB749, a statute that infringes law-abiding Virginians\u2019 fundamental right to keep and bear arms and thus violates the Second Amendment.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ban was signed by Spanberger as part of sweeping <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gun-control\/\">gun control<\/a> legislation in April that banned the sale, purchase, import, manufacture, and transfer of semiautomatic center-fire rifles or pistols that can hold more than 20 rounds, which she referred to as \u201cassault weapons.\u201d The gun control legislation also includes a ban on high-capacity magazines that can hold more than 15 rounds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the lawsuit, Dhillon also takes issue with the term \u201cassault weapons,\u201d framing it as politically charged.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe law thus uses politically charged rhetoric to describe the arms to which it applies. The term \u2018assault firearm\u2019 is not a technical term used in the firearms industry,\u201d the filing said. \u201cRather, the term \u2018assault weapon\u2019 (and derivatives of that term) is a rhetorically charged political term developed by anti-gun publicists.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, the lawsuit argues that because millions of \u201claw-abiding Americans\u201d own AR-style rifles and use them for a lawful purpose, the ban would bar citizens from using \u201cordinary semiautomatic rifles for a variety of lawful purposes, including but not limited to self-defense.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virginia Republicans responded to the DOJ\u2019s lawsuit, calling it \u201cwelcome news.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is welcome news, but Virginians shouldn\u2019t have to rely on federal intervention to protect their Second Amendment freedoms. Democrats are targeting law-abiding, responsible gun owners \u2013 and now they\u2019re using YOUR tax dollars to defend their unconstitutional gun grab,\u201d a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/VA_GOP\/status\/2072338763297263718?s=20\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a> Wednesday read.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The filing comes less than a week after a Virginia judge issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-blocks-virginia-assault-weapons-ban-days-before-it-takes-effect\/\" title=\"... before it takes ...\">preliminary injunction barring state police<\/a> from enforcing the ban. In that case, a Lancaster County judge handed down the ruling based on the plaintiff\u2019s argument that the ban violated the Virginia Constitution.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4625471\/judge-block-virginia-assault-weapon-ban\/\">JUDGE BLOCKS VIRGINIA ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN DAYS BEFORE IT TAKES EFFECT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The judge\u2019s ruling means Spanberger\u2019s ban will no longer take effect on July 1 as planned, and the preliminary injunction will last until the end of the year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to the Lancaster County ruling, Spanberger\u2019s office said the governor \u201cfirmly believes\u201d such weapons don\u2019t belong on the streets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elsewhere, the Supreme Court <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4630568\/supreme-court-challenge-assault-weapons-bans\/\">agreed to take up<\/a> an \u201cassault weapons\u201d ban case next term, related to challenges to Illinois and Connecticut laws. The court will rule on the argument over \u201cwhether the Second and<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/14th-amendment\/\"> 14th Amendments<\/a> guarantee the right to possess AR-15 platform and similar semiautomatic rifles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>reached out to Spanberger\u2019s office for comment on the DOJ lawsuit.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ sues Virginia over assault weapons ban signed by Gov. Spanberger<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2622191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AR-style-rifles.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[82049,7076,50385,5468],"class_list":["post-2622190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-assault-weapon-ban","tag-doj","tag-gun-control-2","tag-virginia"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AR-style-rifles.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622190","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\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2622190"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2622194,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622190\/revisions\/2622194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2622191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2622190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2622190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2622190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}