Augusta County sheriff goes rogue, declares he won’t enforce new gun laws

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Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith

Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith has now declared himself, in effect, a constitutional sheriff – the final arbiter within his jurisdiction on new state laws set to go into effect on July 1 on gun rights.

And as such, Smith has gone public with the not surprising at all declaration that he “will not enforce gun control laws” passed by the Virginia General Assembly, signed into law by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, and set to go into effect tomorrow – July 1.

“The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office is committed to upholding the Constitution in its entirety, regardless of state law,” Smith declared, nonsensically – given what he’s saying he’s going to do, or not going to do – in a lengthy statement posted to Facebook late Tuesday night, hours before the new laws go into effect across Virginia.

Including in Augusta County, whether the MAGA sheriff here accepts that as fact or not.

ICYMI: Issues with the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office

“As your sheriff, I took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Smith wrote, signaling himself to be confused as to what his actual job is – that he is neither the governor nor the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, but rather, a mere elected county sheriff, and that as such, his job is to enforce the laws on the books, not the ones that he chooses to enforce based on his political whims.

“I will continue to stand for the rights of the citizens of Augusta County, and I will continue to work to ensure that those rights are protected. The same is true for my deputies, who strive every day to protect and serve our community. We are members of this community, and we respect your individual rights while remaining committed to doing our very best to keep Augusta County safe,” Smith wrote.

With Smith’s declaration, the people of Augusta County will, in fact, be materially less safe than residents of jurisdictions in Virginia that will have the new gun laws that are on the books enforced by local law enforcement.

How we got here

Among the bills passed by the General Assembly, later signed into law by Spanberger, and set to go into effect on July 1:

A new law banning the sale, purchase, manufacturing and transfer of high-capacity semi-automatic weapons and magazines holding more than 15 rounds.

An updated law requiring background checks for the private sale of firearms.

A new law cracking down on untraceable ghost guns to make sure officers have the ability to track weapons used in crimes.

A new law requiring the safe storage of firearms.

MAGA judges in Lancaster County and Washington County, selected by plaintiffs in the gun lobby for this purpose, issued separate injunctions preventing the Commonwealth from enforcing the assault-weapons ban until Dec. 31, as a suit brought by the lobby and its backers in the manufacturing sector plays out in state courts.

Another MAGA judge in Lynchburg had been holding up a 2020 law requiring background checks with an injunction issued last fall, but after the General Assembly passed a new background check bill earlier this year, he allowed the injunction to dissolve.

That new law, HB 1525, directs Virginia State Police to conduct background checks for the sale or transfer of all firearms.

It’s all about politics, but you knew that already

Smith, in his policy statement delivered by social media post – a la Donald Trump – made his issue with the situation involving the gun measures out to be the result of the confusion in the courts, pretending that we don’t know that the confusion in the courts is by design of the gun lobby, its money backers among gun manufacturers, and the judges chosen to issue injunctions to muddy up the legal landscape.

“While the legal landscape continues to evolve, I believe it is important for the citizens of Augusta County to know where I stand. As your sheriff, I have always taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Virginia. That oath continues to guide every decision I make, and my commitment to protecting the constitutional rights of the citizens I serve has not changed,” Smith wrote.

He was referring there to his previous push, in 2019 and early 2020, to play along with the efforts of Team Trump, which gemmed up an astroturf Second Amendment sanctuary movement to try to gin up voter anger in rural counties ahead of the 2020 elections.

“In 2019, I stood alongside the people of Augusta County and the Augusta County Board of Supervisors in support of the resolution declaring our county a Second Amendment sanctuary. Earlier this year, in 2026, I recommended that the Board reaffirm that position. I commend them for doing so without hesitation, without debate, and with a unanimous vote. No mass meeting was needed for our community to see that the local government supports your current way of life,” Smith wrote, making it clear that what he’s doing is entirely about politics.

Smith, you might want to note, is up for re-election in the 2027 cycle.

And to be clear, he is well-aware that he will have opposition, and that it will be well-funded.

This move tonight is his way to launch his 2027 re-election campaign, by playing to the Trump vote – and that, of course, is good politics on his part: Trump won Augusta County with 70-plus percent of the vote in each of his three runs for president, in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

Might want to clean this part up

Smith wrapped his policy pronouncement in a way that he may end up coming to regret.

“I encourage everyone to remain informed, engaged, and respectful as these discussions continue at the state level. Your voice matters, and your involvement is an important part of our system of government. Hopefully, the courts will force the repeal of these gun laws and require the Commonwealth of Virginia to strike the new laws,” Smith wrote.

Leaving out there the question: what happens, Donnie, when the state Supreme Court overrules the local yokel MAGA judges?