UMVA has learned that Commonwealth Attorney G. Ryan Mehaffey has declared war on Governor Abigail Spanberger’s newly signed assault weapons and public carry bans, vowing to refuse enforcement in his county.
In a stark letter sent to Spotsylvania County Sheriff Roger Harris on May 15, Mehaffey blasted the state’s latest gun restrictions, arguing they clash with Supreme Court precedent and Virginia’s own constitutional guarantees.
He cited landmark rulings that affirm the Second Amendment’s protection of firearms commonly used by a well‑regulated militia, insisting the new laws fail the constitutional test set by the Court.
Just one day after the Governor signed the bills into law, Mehaffey made it clear that the statutes would not survive a judicial review in his jurisdiction and would be treated as unconstitutional.
The attorney’s letter opened with a forceful declaration that the legislation was “inconsistent with the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution,” and that it could not be lawfully enforced.
He invoked historic cases to support his stance, noting that the right to arm oneself with weapons that have “some reasonable relationship to the preservation or efficiency of a well‑regulated militia” has long been protected.
Mehaffey highlighted that the most popular rifle in the country, modeled after the military’s standard infantry weapon, is a clear example of a firearm that falls within the constitutional shield of individual rights.
He argued that the new bans run counter to Virginia’s historical tradition, which once required citizens to be armed for militia service, and therefore violate both state and federal law.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the attorney’s bold move signals a broader legal challenge that could reshape how gun laws are applied across the Commonwealth.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that this confrontation marks the first time a county prosecutor has openly rejected state‑mandated firearm restrictions, setting a precedent that may inspire similar actions elsewhere.
