Some Virginia counties are considering the passage of a “No Shut
Down” Resolution meant to resist the enforcement of Governor
Northam’s New York-style COVID
restrictions. A draft of the resolution orders sheriffs to
arrest state and federal agents attempting to enforce the
unconstitutional orders.
Members of the Campbell, Bedford, and Appomattox Boards of
Supervisors are reportedly taking the matter under serious
consideration.
While the issue didn’t come up for a vote at a recent Bedford
County Board of Supervisors meeting, citizens have been vocal in
their support and the Campbell and Appomattox boards are expected
to begin officially reviewing the resolution soon, though some
members have expressed doubt that the boards can order sheriffs to
arrest shut down officials.
“We are working with our county teams to urge the County Board
of Supervisors and County Sheriff to nullify these illegal orders
out of Richmond,” a petition circulating the counties reads
before a sampling of the resolution.
“Therefore the [ ] County Board of Supervisors will not
recognize the Governor’s decree pursuant to the Constitution of
Virginia Article 1 Section 2…Orders its Sheriff to arrest any
State Police officer, state health agent, or federal agent
attempting to enforce the unconstitutional order…Orders its
Commonwealth’s Attorney not to prosecute the unconstitutional
mandates prohibiting the people’s right to peaceably
assemble…”
The resolution resists any
executive orders the governor may pass. These two paragraphs are in
question by the Campbell County and Appomattox County supervisors.
It ORDERS county offices to comply, or else they lose their
funding. @ABC13News
pic.twitter.com/MFeoV0UhNG— Brhett Vickery (@BrhettVickery)
November 21, 2020
Under the proposed resolution, any office that enforces Governor
Northam’s executive order would lose county funding. As I
recently
reported for National File, on Thanksgiving Eve in Warren
County, Virginia, the Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to
residents restricting the size of holiday gatherings under penalty
of law and encouraging neighbors to spy on and report their fellow
neighbors for suspected violations.
