Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 2020)
NATION Tuesday, January 21, 2020 East Oregonian A7 Thousands rally at Virginia Capitol for gun rights By ALAN SUDERMAN AND SARAH RANKIN Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. — Thousands of gun-rights activists rallied peacefully at the Virginia Capitol on Mon- day under a heavy police presence, protesting plans by the state’s Democratic lead- ership to pass gun-control legislation. The size of the rally and the expected participation of white supremacists and fringe militia groups raised fears that the state could see a repeat of the violence that exploded in 2017 in Charlot- tesville. But the rally con- cluded uneventfully around noon, and attendees spilled into the streets, chanting and waving signs. A spokesman for the Capitol police said that as of 11 a.m. (EST) there had been no reports of arrests or injuries. The Richmond protesters, who were mostly white and male, came out in the thou- sands despite the chilly tem- perature to send a message to legislators, they said. “The government doesn’t run us, we run the govern- ment,” said Kem Regik, a 20-year-old private security AP Photo/Sarah Rankin Demonstrators are seen during a pro-gun rally on Monday in Richmond, Va. Thousands of pro-gun supporters were expected at the rally to oppose gun control legislation like univer- sal background checks that are being pushed by the newly elected Democratic legislature. offi cer from northern Vir- ginia who brought a white fl ag with a picture of a rifl e captioned, “Come and take it.” Gov. Ralph Northam was a particular focus of the pro- tester’s wrath. One poster showed his face superim- posed on Adolf Hitler’s body. Many of the protest- ers wore camoufl age. Some waved fl ags with messages of support for President Don- ald Trump. Trump, in turn, tweeted support for their goals. “The Democrat Party in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia are working hard to take away your 2nd Amend- ment rights,” he tweeted. “This is just the beginning. Don’t let it happen, VOTE REPUBLICAN in 2020!” The Virginia State Police, the Virginia Capitol Police and the Richmond Police had a strong presence, with offi - cers deploying on rooftops, others patrolling in cars and on bicycles. Authorities were looking to avoid a repeat of the vio- lence that erupted in Char- lottesville during one of the largest gatherings of white supremacists and other far- right groups in a decade. Attendees brawled with counterprotesters, and an avowed white supremacist drove his car into a crowd, killing a woman and injuring dozens more. Law enforce- ment offi cials faced scathing criticism for what both the white supremacist groups and anti-racism protesters said was a passive response. In contrast to Charlot- tesville, there was little sign of any counterprotesters challenging the gun-rights activists. Police limited access to Capitol Square to only one entrance, and a long line formed to get into the rally zone. Thousands more stood outside on nearby streets. PJ Hudson, 31, a truck driver from Richmond, wore an AR-15 and posed for pictures. “I love this. This is like the Super Bowl for the Sec- ond Amendment right here,” said Hudson, whose shirt said “Black guns matter.” An RV festooned with Trump material and selling Trump merchandise parked in front of the line to the square, but was booted by a police offi cer shortly after it parked Monday: “You got two minutes before it’s towed. Clock’s ticking.” Advocates also fi lled the hallways of the building that houses lawmakers’ offi ces. One couple, Jared and Marie March, traveled from Floyd County, over three hours west of Richmond, to meet with lawmakers. “Guns are a way of life where we live,” said Marie March, who was concerned about a proposed red-fl ag law that she said would allow citizens to be stripped of their guns due to “sub- jective criteria.” A proposal to establish universal back- ground checks amounted to “more Big Brother,” she said. “We just feel like we need to push government back into their rightful spot.” Monday’s rally was orga- nized by an infl uential grass- roots gun-rights group, the Virginia Citizens Defense League. The group holds a yearly rally at the Cap- itol, typically a low-key event with a few hundred gun enthusiasts listening to speeches from a hand- ful of ambitious Republican lawmakers. But this year, many more attended. Second Amendment groups have identifi ed the state as a rally- ing point for the fi ght against what they see as a national erosion of gun rights. Trump’s lawyers urge dismissal of ‘fl imsy’ impeachment case By ZEKE MILLER, ERIC TUCKER AND LISA MASCARO Associated Press WASHINGTON — Pres- ident Donald Trump’s legal team asserted Monday that he did “absolutely nothing wrong,” urging the Senate to swiftly reject an impeachment case that it called “fl imsy” and a “dangerous perversion of the Constitution.” The law- yers decried the impeachment process as rigged and insisted that abuse of power was not a crime. The brief from Trump’s lawyers, fi led before argu- ments expected this week in the Senate impeachment trial, offered the most detailed glimpse of the lines of defense they intend to use against Democratic efforts to convict the president and oust him from offi ce over his dealings with Ukraine. It is meant as a counter to a fi ling two days ago from House Democrats that summarized weeks of testimony from more than a dozen witnesses in laying out the impeachment case. The 110-page fi ling from the White House shifted the tone toward a more legal response. It still hinged on Trump’s assertion he did nothing wrong and did not commit a crime — even though impeachment does not depend on a material vio- lation of law but rather on the more vague defi nition of “other high crimes and misde- meanors” as established in the Constitution. “It is a constitutional trav- esty,” the lawyers wrote. The prosecution team of House managers was spend- ing another day on Capitol Hill preparing for the trial, which will be under heavy security. Before the fi ling, House prosecutors made their way through crowds of tour- ists in the Rotunda to tour the Senate chamber. In their own fi ling Monday, House prosecutors replied to Trump’s not guilty plea by making fresh demands for fair trial in the Senate, where the Republican majority aligned with Trump has not yet dis- closed the rules. “President Trump asserts that his impeachment is a par- tisan ‘hoax.’ He is wrong,” the prosecutors wrote in their reply. They wrote that the pres- ident can’t have it both ways — rejecting the facts of the House case but also stone- walling congressional sub- poenas for witnesses and tes- timony. “Senators must honor their own oaths by holding a fair trial with all relevant evi- dence,” they wrote. The White House docu- ment Monday, much more fulsome than its weekend pleading, says the two arti- cles of impeachment brought against the president — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — don’t amount to impeachment offenses. It asserts that the impeachment inquiry, centered on Trump’s request that Ukraine’s presi- dent open an investigation into Democratic rival Joe Biden, was never about fi nding the truth. “Instead, House Democrats were determined from the out- set to fi nd some way — any way — to corrupt the extraor- dinary power of impeach- ment for use as a political tool to overturn the result of the 2016 election and to interfere in the 2020 election,” Trump’s legal team wrote. “All of that is a dangerous perversion of the Constitution that the Sen- ate should swiftly and roundly condemn.” The impeachment case accuses Trump of abusing power by withholding mili- tary aid from Ukraine at the same time that he was seeking an investigation into Biden, and of obstructing Congress by instructing administra- tion offi cials not to appear for testimony or provide docu- ments, defying congressional subpoenas. ADVERTISERS: LOOKING TO REACH A KEY AUDIENCE SEGMENT ? Advertise Here! The Hermiston Elks Lodge Hosting Membership Open House Sat. January 25, 2020 Between 11am and 4pm The Hermiston Elks Lodge, 480 E. Main Appetizers and Beverages Available Elks Lodge has donated over $3.5 million dollars back to the community! Meet with Elk members from Hermiston and across the state to find out more about how you can make a difference in your community. + ENJOY THESE BENEFITS Section remains in homes all week Streaming, puzzles and TV listings You OWN your fixed ad space all year Attractive rates Limited Time Offer SCREEN time For more information, contact David Downing 541-571-1089 Meet with Elk members from Hermiston and across the state to find out more about how you can make a difference in your community. T HE H ERMISTON L ODGE NEEDS YOUR COMMITMENT OF TIME AND SKILLS TO CONTINUE SERVING THE H ERMISTON COMMUNITY LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN FOR 70 YEARS Elks invest in their communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, meet the needs of today’s veterans and improve the quality of life. Since 1868, Millions and Millions of Americans have joined The Elks, Find out why! Contact your Angela Treadwell, Sales Manager today to schedule an appointment! atreadwell@eastoregonian.com or call us today! 541-966-0827
