Unlike their Federal counterparts, the Virginia House of Delegates takes seriously the U.S. Constitution and voted 96-4 in support of House Bill 1160 (HB1160).  HB1160 prevents any employee or member of the military of Virginia from assisting an agency of the U.S. armed forces in investigating, prosecuting or detaining a citizen of the U.S. in violation of the U.S. Constitution or the Constitution of Virginia.  

Liberty lovers everywhere owe thanks to Delegate Bob Marshall for introducing the bill and championing it through to victory in the State House.  He said, “Under the recently passed 2012 federal Defense Authorization Act, American citizens may be indefinitely detained, incarcerated, not presented with charges and denied counsel based on an accusation by federal agents of collaboration with or support of terrorists,”   He continued, “While Virginia cannot directly undo this purported law which undermines the Sixth Amendment, I introduced HB 1160, which will prevent the use of any Virginia agency or member of the Virginia National Guard or Virginia Defense Force to assist in any way to unlawfully detain a citizen of Virginia on behalf of the United States Government in violation of the Constitution of Virginia.”

Hopefully, the final bill signed by Governor Bob McDonnell, who is at this time reported to oppose the bill, will recognize protections for all persons and not just citizens.