A Virginia gun-rights group responded to a power provider spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in an underhanded attempt to suppress gun voters.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) announced a protest campaign aimed at Dominion Energy on Monday. It encouraged its members to reach out to the power company and voice their displeasure at Dominion’s apparent attempt to dissuade gun owners from voting for Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin.
“Let’s make sure Dominion Energy knows that gun owners in Virginia do NOT appreciate the company interfering with our right to self-defense,” the group said in a press release.”Let’s call them, email them, and protest at their office.”
The protest announcement comes in the wake of disclosures showing that Dominion, one of the largest power companies in the state, donated $200,000 to the shadowy Accountability Virginia PAC. The PAC has been running targeted ads in Republican areas of the state attacking Youngkin for not receiving an official endorsement from prominent gun rights groups, including the VCDL and the NRA. However, it appears to be run by a liberal consulting group, and its donations are run through the country’s biggest liberal fundraising network.
“Apparently in concert with the McAuliffe campaign, Dominion Energy is using so called dark money to suppress gun owner turnout!” VCDL said. “NO, I’M NOT KIDDING.”
The group acknowledged it hasn’t endorsed Youngkin because he has not filed out its survey. But, unlike Accountability Virginia PAC, the group pointed out that McAuliffe is much further away from the interests of gun-rights advocates than Youngkin.
“The VCDL-PAC cannot endorse Glen Youngkin because Youngkin has not returned the VCDL survey,” the group said. “So, we are not 100% sure what he will do with the various kinds of gun legislation that might arrive on his desk as governor. That said, we DO know exactly what Terry McAuliffe will do because he has both told us what he will do and he has a record from his previous four years as governor.”
Youngkin opponent Terry McAuliffe (D.) has promised to institute new gun-control measures, including an “assault weapons” ban.
“Virginia’s next Governor, Terry will send a clear message that gun violence has no place in the Commonwealth,” his campaign website says. “He will ban the sale of assault weapons and get high-capacity magazines and ghost guns off of our streets. He will also close lethal loopholes that repeatedly allow firearms to get into the hands of dangerous individuals..”
Youngkin has not focused on guns as a candidate and doesn’t highlight the issue on his campaign website. However, his campaign previously told The Reload that he opposes McAuliffe’s gun-control proposals, including an “assault weapons” ban.
VCDL said that while it hasn’t endorsed either candidate, the policy distinctions between them are clear.
“Glen Youngkin has shown zero support for any of McAuliffe’s draconian anti-gun measures,” the group said.
Ultimately, the group warned Virginia’s gun owners against being discouraged from voting in the upcoming gubernatorial race due to the attack ads against Youngkin.
“Don’t use the Accountability Virginia PAC ads as a reason not to vote,” the group said. “Be sure to vote for the candidates of your choice in the General Election. Your future and your rights are in your hands.”
Dominion Energy did not respond to a request for comment.
