News

The Democratic Party of Virginia 2008 platform will contain language supporting common sense gun legislation, including background checks for private sellers at gun shows. Fairfax County Democrats took the lead in advocating for the provision in recent party meetings and congressional district conventions.

Licensed gun dealers are required to perform background checks at gun shows to ensure buyers are eligible to own guns under law. Private sellers are not. The Virginia Tech panel, appointed by Governor Kaine after the tragic killings last April, examined our state laws and recommended that background checks be required of private sellers at gun shows. The Virginia General Assembly unfortunately disagreed and failed to pass bills that would have required background checks.

Lu Ann McNabb, a member of the Sully District Committee and FCDC, met with FCDC’s State Affairs Committee and at their suggestion, drafted the language of the resolution with help from State Affairs Chair Rex Simmons and State Affairs member Don Morrison. With no opposition, McNabb’s resolution made its way through FCDC channels and was approved by the full membership at its May meeting. Similar resolutions were considered and passed at the 10^th and 11^th Congressional District Democratic conventions.

All the resolutions went to the state party resolutions committee which held a public hearing where advocates and opponents could discuss their positions. Testifying in favor of the resolutions were McNabb, Simmons, Delegate Chuck Caputo, who proposed legislation requiring background checks of private sellers at gun shows, and Joseph Samaha, father of Reema Samaha who was murdered last year at Virginia Tech. There was no testimony in opposition.

After the public hearing, the resolutions committee, the Governor’s office, and the Obama and Warner campaigns came together and crafted a report that will serve as the state party 2008 platform. The report will be voted on by delegates to the state convention on June 14. Even though the platform does not deal with many specific policy proposals, the language requiring background checks of private sellers at gun shows made it into the report on a unanimous vote.

Specifically, the platform will contain the following provision:

We support the right to keep and bear arms as defined in the Virginia and U.S. Constitutions. We continue to support common-sense firearms safety legislation, including background checks at gun shows and with private sellers to ensure that buyers are not terrorists, convicted felons, under a court order, or deemed dangerous to themselves or society.