Gun advocate seeks repeal of in-restaurant ban

A Virginia gun lobbyist is seeking the repeal of a law that forbids a person with a concealed-carry permit from carrying a gun into a restaurant.

“A person with a permit to carry a concealed weapon should be able to walk into a Red Lobster,” said Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights group. “You don’t want to leave your gun in the car for it to be stolen.”

The law allows a person with a permit to openly carry a weapon, but it bans everyone from carrying a concealed weapon into a restaurant that serves alcohol, even someone with a concealed-carry permit.

Mr. Van Cleave’s group wants the law to allow people with a permit to carry a concealed weapon as long as they don’t drink. If people want to drink wine with their meal, they would have to carry the gun openly, Mr. Van Cleave said.

A bill advocating such action failed during the 2001 General Assembly session, defeated in the House by a 58-41 vote. It’s not clear if the move to repeal the ban will have more support when the General Assembly convenes Wednesday.

State Delegate Vincent F. Callahan Jr., Fairfax Republican, said he thinks a repeal would fail. The restaurant lobby also has vowed to fight a repeal of the ban.

But state Sen. Jay O’Brien, Fairfax Republican, said as long as the law forbids people from carrying concealed guns from drinking, he would support a repeal.

Mr. Van Cleave also said the law discriminates against women who prefer to carry their guns discreetly inside their purses.

• Suit over

A lawsuit filed by Virginia Delegate Winsome E. Sears against her one-time political rival, former Delegate William P. Robinson Jr., and a private investigator has ended in an out-of-court settlement.

Two months ago, Mr. Robinson was dropped from the $1 million lawsuit filed last year in federal court. The lawsuit contended Mr. Robinson and Brian F. Melchor of Portsmouth had obtained Mrs. Sears’ credit report without her permission in an effort to discredit her during her political campaign.

Mrs. Sears, a Republican, successfully challenged Mr. Robinson, a Democrat, for his House of Delegates seat in 2001. The district includes parts of Norfolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.

Brad Marrs, Mrs. Sears’ attorney, said an agreement was reached with Mr. Melchor and signed last week by a U.S. District judge in Richmond.

Mr. Melchor said he obtained Mrs. Sears’ credit report for an anonymous person, Mr. Marrs said. The investigator has also said he destroyed the report, Mr. Marrs said. Mrs. Sears was awarded $35,000 for attorney fees and $10,000 in damages.

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