On Thursday a Virginia pol made national headlines.

A Richmond-area lawmaker brandished an AK-47 on the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday in a wild stunt aimed at rallying support for tougher gun laws.

Del. Joe Morrissey, D-Highland Springs, pulled the weapon out shortly after the day’s session got underway, a time when legislators typically welcome school groups and other visitors in the chamber’s gallery.

So, who is this Joe Morrissey person? Just your average authoritarian it seems.

A Virginia politician found guilty of committing a vicious assault in 1999 may be angling to become the state’s next attorney general.

Democratic Del. Joseph D. Morrissey was disbarred and lost his law license in 2003 after attacking a man — beating him with a large ring around his finger.

According to legal brief filed on behalf of the victim, Morrissey shouted, “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to beat your head in,” and then attempted to make good on his promise.

When the man attempted to escape his beating, Morrissey “smashed his head into the corner of a brick wall,” according to a court filing by the victim’s lawyers.

In 2002, a jury decided that Morrissey must pay his victim $40,000 in compensatory damages and $1,000,000 in punitive damages. The amount was later reduced.

Thanks to Train of Abuses, who writes, “If I was a thug and bully, I wouldn’t want citizens to be able to defend themselves either. I suppose this is also symbolic of the state as a whole and how they tend to act towards the people.”