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Virginia Dem Atty General Touts Blocking Huge Gun Show: ‘I’m Pleased’

   DailyWire.com
Mark Herring
Zach Gibson/Getty Images

On Thursday, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, touted on social media having blocked a massive gun show from taking place in his state.

Herring tweeted: “BREAKING: I have successfully BLOCKED a massive gun show from operating at full capacity this weekend in NOVA. Putting hundreds or even thousands of Virginians at risk for the sole purpose of selling guns is just not worth it and I’m pleased that the Judge agreed with me.”

Only hours prior to the decision by the judge to block The Nation’s Gun Show from holding its event, The Nation’s Gun Show claimed that Herring had said the show would be a super spreader and the producers had a blatant disregard for the Covid virus. They continued:

We are simply asking to be open like the Walmart is right across the parking lot from us and other Walmarts all over the state. If you ever go into any Walmart there is usually an average of 400 people inside at any given time. Let’s say they’re only open 10 hours a day, that means 4,000 people per day. We are open three days and will have 4,000 people, maybe, per day which adds up to 12,000 people for the weekend. That is the same number of people that went through the show in August this year, and we had a third less than that at the show in October. …

The Dulles Expo Center is 130,000 sq ft building and the Walmart beside us is an 80,000 sq ft. building, we are 50,000 sq ft. bigger. The Walmart beside us has one giant aisle and the all the rest of the aisles are an average of 6ft or less. We have wider aisles, 14 ft average, so we have more space to social distance. Also, our show and the building management are self-imposing a 50% occupancy limit.

We are bigger and better able to social distance. We limit our occupancy, everyone wears a mask and follows the COVID REQUIREMENTS. We have also had two shows already and have not been a super spreader.

After the decision was handed down, The Nation’s Gun Show wrote, “We are very sorry for the incredible financial burden and terrible inconvenience this is inflicting on all involved.”

NRSC senior advisor Matt Whitlock snapped at Herring, “Absurd. They require masks, distancing (it’s a giant space) and limited capacity like any store. And it’s not just guns, you’re shutting down dozens of small businesses that operate rely on this to feed their families. Would you be doing this if it weren’t a gun show?”

Whitlock continued, “This is nuts. The gun show worked with county health officials to make a safe event (mask requirement, limited capacity, wider aisles) and after county health officials gave the go-ahead, the Attorney General stepped into block it because he’s anti-gun.”

“This is a BRAZEN example of a politician using COVID as an excuse to further non-COVID priorities,” Whitlock noted. “The facility for the show is 130,000 Sq. feet. There are normally 400 people at a time, and they were going to lower capacity further and require masks. Huge hit to businesses.”

 

Commentator Caleb Hull retorted, “You’re not some kind of hero. People are buying guns right now for self-protection and you’re blocking them from exercising their rights. The gun show operates in a building 50,000 square feet larger than the Walmart next door. Walmarts aisles are 6 ft wide, while the gun show’s are 14 ft wide. AG Herring is shutting down the gun show while keeping the Walmart next door open. We all know why. Communist.”

Author and radio host Dana Loesch: “How are Virginians put at risk at gun shows? I’d love to see your data to compare it to mine.”

Media consultant Nick Short: “What else will you block or shut down using the coronavirus excuse Mark? Are you going after the churches next for putting hundreds or even thousands of Virginians at risk for the sole purpose of worshipping God?”

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