The sheriffs resisting Washington's new gun laws: 'I'm not going to enforce that'

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

The sheriffs resisting Washington's new gun laws: 'I'm not going to enforce that'

Newly implemented ballot initiative and upcoming bills could produce some of the strictest gun laws in the US

Jason Wilson in Portland
Sat 26 Jan 2019 11.00 GMT

In Washington state, a freshly implemented ballot initiative and a raft of new bills may produce some of the tightest firearms regulations in the US. But standing in the way is a group of rural law enforcement officers who say point blank that they won’t enforce any of it.

The Klickitat county sheriff, Bob Songer, is one of them. He told the Guardian that the initiative passed last November “is unconstitutional on several grounds. I’ve taken the position that as an elected official, I am not going to enforce that law”.

Songer also cited ongoing litigation by the National Rife Association gun industry lobby and others which aims to demonstrate the laws violate both the second amendment and the state’s constitution. He also said that if other agencies attempted to seize weapons from county residents under the auspices of the new laws, he would consider preventively “standing in their doorway”.

In November, the state’s voters handily passed an initiative, I-1639, which mostly targeted semi-automatic rifles. As of 1 January, purchasers of these weapons must now be over 21, undergo an enhanced background check, must have completed a safety course, and need to wait 9 days to take possession of their weapon. Also, gun owners who fail to store their weapons safely risk felony “community endangerment” charges.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/26/washington-state-gun-laws-law-enforcement-rural

[alittlelark]

1. Sounds like there will be some job openings in WA....

...

[3Hotdogs]

3. Depends on if they are elected.

Yahoo country will elect this bozo and give 'im a raise.

[dameatball]

2. Do your job or someone else will.

[ManiacJoe]

4. Unfortunately for WA state,

the anti-gunners are really good at writing really bad legislation which then gets misleadingly advertised to the uneducated masses.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

5. As Moby said...

..."Extreme ways are back again
Extreme places I didn't know"

[LawnKorn]

6. There is a precedence for this.

Last edited Sat Feb 2, 2019, 06:04 AM - Edit history (1)

Sheriff Nick Finch took on the Governor of Florida and avoid being fire, arrested, and imprisoned for the way he enforced gun laws.
After an incident in Liberty County, Florida, Sheriff Finch went to court and won for not arresting a man with a pistol in his pocket. Finch is a member of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association.

[Alea]

7. New Mexico Counties voting in 2A Sanctuary Counties

I think WA State has some too. Spreading fast.