On October 17th VCDL held a Freedom Rally to protest the 7th District Republican Party continuing to hold their "Roundup" event at the anti-gun SnagAJob/Innsbrook Pavilion.

VCDL says the GOP 7th District Committee has strung them along every year and then ultimately ignored their complaints about gun owners being barred and even evicted from their selected location.

More info on the history of this controversy can be found at http://www.vcdl.org/static/innsbrook.html

I would really like to find someone to serve as a reporter or blogger (or both). There are also several other jobs that need to be done, so if you'd like to help in some other was as well, please let us know.

To volunteer please contact me at liberty@leonard-harris.com

As always thank you for your support.

http://www.richmondliberty.org/gallery/v/2009teasocial/

http://notlarrysabato.typepad.com/doh/2009/04/jeff-frederick-ousted.html

"The video is a bit ponderous, but when they play the tape of TSA agents interrogating a young political activist who wishes to exercise his right to remain silent, it’s riveting and offensive."

As United States Attorney, when Brownlee had the chance to show his true colors, his office prosecuted Ronald Blair Testerman, Sr. for engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license because he sold a .38-caliber pistol and three .22 caliber pistols. What makes this prosecution so unconscionable is that Testerman was 77 years old; at age of 18, he had enlisted in the United States Army and was honorably discharged after World War II; he worked at a construction company for 44 years; he had never been involved in the criminal justice system; and he was active in his church.

Brownlee’s office apparently argued that Testerman should have been sentenced to a sentence within the sentencing guidelines range of 27 to 33 months, but the judge disagreed and sentenced him to three years probation, including four months of home detention and a fine of $1,000.

Brownlee is running for Attorney General, where he would enforce existing law (as he did as United States Attorney), not decide policy, so that, while he may sound good on firearms policy issues, what really matters is his record on enforcing the federal firearms laws. Based on Testerman, it seems pretty clear that gun owners could not rely on him.

...

According to a press release issued by Brownlee, Testerman "sold six handguns in less than three months" and "had made business cards and ordered numerous handguns through wholesalers for the purpose of resale."

Of course, Brownlee does not state how it was known that Testerman ordered the handguns "for the purpose of resale" (the court opinion stated only that "he had used a friend's federal firearms license number to purchase guns directly from wholesalers"), which is critical since, to be guilty of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, a person must "repetitive[ly] purchase and res[ell] firearms" with "the principle objective of livelihood and profit."

Also, Bownlee does not mention that the jury acquitted Testerman of four counts of selling a firearm to a resident of another state, so it appears that the jury reached a compromise verdict so that the Government got something for its efforts.

[The] concern is that, rather than sending in undercover ATF agents to make buys from people like Testerman (who probably did not even know what he was doing was possibly illegal) and then prosecuting, if Brownlee was really pro-Second Amendment, he would have had a policy that the ATF would inform people like Testerman that ATF believed that they were acting unlawfully, and only prosecuting if the activity continued.

UPDATE evening Thursday Feb. 5, 2009 after HB 1587 was heard in the House Transportation Committee and SB 1431 was heard in the Senate Transportation Committee.

Delegate Bob Marshall's bill HB 1587 passed the House Transportation Committee this morning.
Vote count: 17-3.
Source: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=091&typ=bil&val=hb1587&Submit2=Go

YEAS--May, Oder, Saxman, Carrico, Cosgrove, Gear, Hugo, Scott, E.T., Fralin, Tata, Loupassi, Knight, Ward, Ebbin, Marsden, Nichols, McQuinn--17.
NAYS--Rust, Brink, Toscano--3.
ABSTENTIONS--0.
NOT VOTING--BaCote, Valentine--2.
Source: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?091+vot+H19V0132+HB1587

Senator Ken Cuccinelli's bill SB 1431 passed the Senate Transportation Committee this evening.
Vote count: 8-6. Update had not been registered in the legislative database as the committee hearing ended sometime after 6 PM.

Keep pressuring your representatives to support these bills as they move to the House and Senate floors.
We've got to keep going!
About 10 anti-REAL ID activists showed for the Senate Transportation Committee, and it was a bear.
Thanks for calling, writing and visiting your legislators!
Be sure to thank those delegates who voted in favor of HB 1587, even if they're not your representatives.

The names of those who voted in favor of SB 1431 will be posted as soon as the legislative database posts that information.

- Jo Whistler -
http://stoprealid.info

Dear VOTORS:

The Constitutional Subcommittee of the House Privileges and Elections Committee met this past Monday and failed to pass your HJ709. Delegate Jeff Frederick of District 52, the bill's sponsor, motioned to consider and vote on HJ709...but not a single other delegate seconded the motion. That effectively killed HJ709 for this year's session thus failing to place reasonable limits on real estate tax increases throughout the Commonwealth.

Refusing to second a motion to discuss is a convenient, and in my view...cowardly... way for delegates to avoid having a recorded vote on an issue they would rather not deal with.

These delegates are up for re-election in November. They need to know there are consequences for failing to deal with the issue of rising real estate taxes in Virginia. They owe you a justification for refusing to allow an honest debate on HJ709.

Please send a short email to each of the eight delegates listed below who refused to second the motion to consider HJ709. Ask them why they refused to give you a chance to see reasonable limits placed on real estate tax increases. You can use the suggested text or write your own...but write to them soon.

Legislative Update and Call to Action

HJ 709: Failed in Subcommittee

House Committee on Privileges and Elections Constitutional Subcommittee Members who refused to second Del. Frederick's motion to consider HJ709:

Del. William R. Janis (R) (chairman) - House District 56 (804) 698-1056
Del. Kenneth C. Alexander (D) - House District 89 (804) 698-1089
Del. John A. Cosgrove (R) - House District 78 (804) 698-1078
Del. Frank D. Hargrove, Sr. (R) - House District 55 (804) 698-1055
Del. Joseph D. Morrissey (D) - House District 74 (804) 698-1074
Del. Clarence E. Phillips (D) - House District 2 (804) 698-1002
Del. Lacey E. Putney (I) - House District 19 (804) 698-1019

Free at last! Oklahoma AG Drew Edmondson today dropped all charges against the “Oklahoma 3″—Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter—in response to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeal’s refusal to approve his request for a rehearing.

Full Story at http://www.freepauljacob.com/2009/01/22/oklahoma-3-are-free-ag-dismisses-charges/

The Constitutional Subcommittee of the House Privileges and Elections Committee met on Monday, but they ran out of time and your bill, HJ709, was not discussed. It has been rescheduled for this coming Monday, Feb. 2nd, again at 7:00 am. This gives us more time to make additional calls and send additional emails and for you to forward this email to more of your Virginia friends and neighbors. That is very important, because it will increase the number of calls and emails the Delegates get, adding pressure on them, before their November re-elections, to support our bill and limit your real estate taxes.

Please read the status report below and take the requested action by calling and emailing the list of Delegates before Monday, politely and firmly asking them to vote for HJ709. Please call and email all of the Delegates listed, not just your own. We have had a very favorable response to our previous requests for calls and emails...but we need far more. Thank you to those who took the time to send emails and make calls; please do so again.

IMPORTANT!
Please do these three things before Monday morning:

1. Click on the "Forward email to a Friend or Neighbor" link at the bottom of this email and send it to everyone on your email list who resides in Virginia. This is very important!
2. Send an email to each of the Delegates below. You can use the sample text provided below, modify it to personalize it or write your own. Please keep it short and respectful. Just click on the "blue" Delegate's name and enter or paste your request text. Please use the Subject Line: "Please Vote for HJ709".
3. Call each Delegate's listed phone number and ask the Delegate or the staff member to "Vote for HJ709". Leave a voicemail if necessary.

Legislative Update and Call to Action
Property Taxes
HJ 709 Constitutional amendment (first resolution); assessments of real property and tax rates.
Patron: Delegate Jeffrey M. Frederick

Constitutional amendment (first resolution); assessments of real property and tax rates. Provides that assessments of real property shall not increase annually by more than one percent plus the percentage increase, if any, in the rate of inflation. Increases in the rate of taxation on real property are limited to one percent per year.

Status:
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections and assigned to P & E subcommittee: Constitutional which will meet on Monday, February 2, at 7:00 a.m. in the 5th floor West conference room. This bill was on the docket for the January 26 meeting but was not discussed. The docket has not yet been released for Feb. 2 meeting, but HJ 709 is very likely to be on the docket.

Action to be taken: Call and email Delegates in the Committee on Privileges and Elections now and urge passage of this Constitutional Amendment.

House Committee on Privileges and Elections Membership:
Delegate Mark L. Cole (R) (chairman) - House District 88 (804) 698-1088
Delegate David B. Albo (R) - House District 42 (804) 698-1042
Delegate Kenneth C. Alexander (D) - House District 89 (804) 698-1089
Delegate Robert B. Bell, III (R) - House District 58 (804) 698-1058
Delegate Robert H. Brink (D) - House District 48 (804) 698-1048
Delegate John A. Cosgrove (R) - House District 78 (804) 698-1078
Delegate Rosalyn R. Dance (D) - House District 63 (804) 698-1063
Delegate David L. Englin (D) - House District 45 (804) 698-1045
Delegate Frank D. Hargrove, Sr. (R) - House District 55 (804) 698-1055
Delegate Riley E. Ingram (R) - House District 62 (804) 698-1062
Delegate William R. Janis (R) - House District 56 (804) 698-1056
Delegate Johnny S. Joannou (D) - House District 79 (804) 698-1079 (no e-mail)
Delegate S. Chris Jones (R) - House District 76 (804) 698-1076
Delegate R. Steven Landes (R) - House District 25 (804) 698-1025
Delegate Jackson H. Miller (R) - House District 50 (804) 698-1050
Delegate Joseph D. Morrissey (D) - House District 74 (804) 698-1074
Delegate John M. O'Bannon, III (R) - House District 73 (804) 698-1073
Delegate Clarence E. Phillips (D) - House District 2 (804) 698-1002
Delegate Lacey E. Putney (I) - House District 19 (804) 698-1019
Delegate James M. Scott (D) - House District 53 (804) 698-1053
Delegate Mark D. Sickles (D) - House District 43 (804) 698-1043

Sample Email Text
Subj: Please Vote for HJ709

Dear Delegate (Place Delegate's Name Here),

I'm writing to ask for your support of HJ709, a bill calling for a Virginia Constitutional Amendment changing Virginia's real estate tax system to one based on "Acquisition Value" and limiting annual increases in real estate property taxes. This bill is very important to me and my family here in Virginia.

It is important you understand that HJ709 is not a tax cut but rather merely imposes limits on real estate property tax increases that now are increasing faster than my family's income.

I urge you to vote for HJ709.

(Your Name Here)
(Your Town), VA

Actual Text of HJ709
VOTORS Logo
The following text of HJ709 amends Section 2, Article X of the Virginia Constitution:

"However, for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2012, and each tax year thereafter, the assessed value of real property shall be no greater than the assessed value of such property in the preceding tax year plus an increase of one percent and an increase equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the rate of inflation. When real property is sold, transferred, improved, or rezoned at the owner's request, it shall be assessed at fair market value for the tax year in which such event occurs. The rate of taxation on real property shall not be increased by more than one percent each year. The General Assembly shall enact such laws as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section."

This may seem redundant to send more emails and make more calls but it is very important to keep your desire for HJ709 in the forefront of these Delegates conscience as they begin to discuss it on Monday morning. A little more work now could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in the years to come.

I urge all of you to act again before Monday morning!


Sincerely,

Al Aitken
Chairman
www.votors.org
chairman@votors.org

540.825.1057
540.729.0536

Please note we are not endorsing itulip.com

Senate Democrats Defeat Right to Work Amendment

Richmond, January 28, 2009: Democrats on the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee yesterday defeated a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution that would have added Virginia’s right to work law to the state Constitution. The proposed amendment, sponsored by Sen. Ryan McDougle (R – Hanover) was defeated on a party-line 9-5 vote.

“Our right to work law is a credit to Virginia,” McDougle noted while presenting his bill. “It makes our business climate better than that of our surrounding states, allows businesses to flourish, and aids in the creation of new jobs. It is because of our right to work law that Virginia has been consistently recognized as the best state in the nation in which to do business.”

McDougle introduced the legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 347, in an effort to better protect Virginia’s right to work law against encroachment by the federal government. He expressed concern about proposed federal legislation that would make it easier for unions to organize in Virginia, particularly the unions’ impact on state and constitutional officer employees.

“The federal government should not be allowed to have authority over the operations of state offices,” McDougle stated. “Should the federal government attempt to undertake such changes, it will no doubt lead to litigation. The passage of this amendment would have provided courts deciding such cases with a clear direction as to where Virginia stands on the importance of the right to work law. It would provide Virginia stronger ground on which to stand in defending its right to work status.”

The joint resolution, supported by the whole Senate Republican Caucus, would have been the first step towards granting Constitutional protection to Virginia’s right to work law. To amend the Virginia Constitution, identical legislation must be passed during two separate General Assembly sessions with an election in between. It must then pass a statewide voter referendum. McDougle noted this fact in arguing that it is worthwhile to keep this possibility alive until the direction of federal legislation becomes more clear.

“We must take this calculated risk,” McDougle noted in his testimony before the vote was taken. “If it turns out not to be necessary, we will not go further in the process. However, if we do not act now, we will not be able to institute this amendment until 2012 at the earliest. We must act now and act decisively on this important issue.”

# # #

ACTION ALERT!!!

There are two bills being considered in the General Laws and
Technology Committee today in Senate Room "B" convening at 2PM.

Senator Emmett Hanger's SB1023
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=091&typ=bil&val=sb1023

Senator Cuccinelli's SB1431
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=091&typ=bil&val=sb1431

CALL, CALL, CALL...the legislators on this committee this morning.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?091+com+S12

Tell them you want them to support SB1431 & SB1023 to opt Virginia
out of Real ID.

For those of you who can make it to the committee meeting, please do
so.