“Abigail Spanberger isn’t going to ban America’s rifles under our watch,” NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) Executive Director John Commerford promised after the Democrat Virginia governor signed a bill banning so-called “assault” weapons and high capacity magazines.
“We’re not going to stand idly by and let this new governor ban America’s rifles in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Commerford said in a statement announcing that NRA-ILA immediately filed two lawsuits, one federal and one state, challenging Spanberger’s assault of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution:
“Our teams of world-class appellate attorneys are ready to win in federal and state court and protect your rights across the Commonwealth.
“Abigail Spanberger isn’t going to ban America’s rifles under our watch.”
The lawsuit, filed in union with other prominent pro-Second Amendment organizations, is just one of many to come, as Just The News reports:
“Other lawsuits are coming. Gun Owners of America and the Virginia Citizens Defense League are planning to file lawsuits on Friday. The Trump administration has also warned it was planning to take legal action if the bill was signed into law.”
Virginia’s bill allows people who already own the banned firearms them to keep them, enabling them to continue to enjoy their Second Amendment rights.
But, anyone new is subject to a Class 1 misdemeanor conviction, Virginia’s CBS 6 News reports:
“The law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to import, sell, manufacture, purchase, or transfer an assault firearm. Anyone convicted of that violation is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting any firearm for three years from the date of conviction.”
🚨BREAKING: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed legislation banning America’s Rifle!
— NRA (@NRA) May 15, 2026
The NRA is filing two major lawsuits in Virginia to challenge @GovernorVA's anti-Second Amendment agenda.
"We're not going to stand idly by and let this new governor ban America's rifle… pic.twitter.com/iYH212Sqa5
