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Virginia Governor's Bill To Ban Assault Weapons Fails, With Help From His Own Party

Four state Senate Democrats broke ranks in tabling a bill that would have banned the sale or transfer of certain assault-style weapons. It also would have banned magazines with more than 12 rounds.

Updated at 3:30 p.m. ET

Virginia's Democratic governor seemed poised to make broad changes to his state's gun control laws, but was dealt a stinging blow by his own party Monday when a state Senate committee blocked a bill that would have, among other things, banned sales of assault weapons.

Four Democrats on Virginia's Senate Judiciary Committee broke ranks with their party handing the Republican minority a victory in

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