James Gates, owner of NOVA Firearms, faced strong opposition when opening a new gun shop in McLean, Va. Now, reports have come out that detail how that opposition came about—an exchange of emails shows Democratic elected officials working together to thwart Gates’ expansion efforts.
In one email, state Sen. Barbara Favola wrote: “Basically, we convinced the land owner that his business tenants would lose business. In other words, moving a gun shop to a small cluster of shops in the middle of a neighborhood was bad for business.”
The attacks on the gun shop, which is located near an elementary school, continued at the hands of Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust. He sent out a mailer depicting a School Zone sign riddled with bullet holes.
The result? “They protested us the day we opened,” said Gates. “But, to be honest, that helped us more than it hurt us. Business is good.”
