We’re gonna listen, and we are going to make Virginia safer.
WRVA’s John Reid interviews State Senator Mark Obenshain in the aftermath of Governor Ralph Northam’s letter to the press criticizing the Crime Commission’s deliberations in the aftermath of the Virginia Beach shooting… without, of course, sending that letter to the Crime Commission itself.
John Reid rightly calls Northam’s political posturing as “bad form” — and one simply cannot echo that sentiment enough.
The fact of the matter is that there are a great number of shareholders involved in reducing violent crime — whether that is the rising challenge of “lone wolf” terrorism, Antifa violence, inner city crime or drug-related violence. Law enforcement, prosecutors, public defenders, and previously tried initiatives such as Project Ceasefire in Boston all deserve a comprehensive review, and not just a kneejerk reaction from Democratic lawmakers.
Reid also discusses the danger of “red flag” laws being used to target political dissenters rather than those who are truly mentally ill. Obenshain cites Alan Dershowitz’s concerns about civil liberties while balancing that mental health concerns are being evaluated, especially when individuals are a threat either to themselves or others.