By Susan Duclos
Via The National Sheriffs Organization:
The Office of Sheriff is not a department of county government, it is the independent office through which the Sheriff exercises the powers of the public trust. No individual or small group hires or fires the Sheriff, or has the authority to interfere with the operations of the office. Elected sheriffs are accountable directly to the constitution of their state, the United States Constitution, statutes, and the citizens of their county....
Yesterday I posted letters from the Utah Sheriffs Association and two Missouri Sheriffs to Obama making it clear they would fight to defend their citizens Second Amendment right to bear arms.
Previously Sheriffs from Kentucky, Oregon , Colorado and Alabama have already issued their own letters or spoken out publicly saying they would not enforce or allow and new gun regulations to be enforced in their counties.
Yesterday, via a press conference, the New Mexico Sheriffs Association said that 29 NM Sheriffs stand "behind the right to bear arms."
Via Daily Times:
The association wanted to take an early stance on gun control "just to get ahead of this thing and say We are going to honor our oath and our oath says we will uphold and honor the Constitution,'" said San Juan County Sheriff Ken Christesen, chairman of the sheriffs association.
He said in the wake of the recent public shootings he's fielded questions from San Juan County residents concerned their gun rights might be threatened.
Christesen said existing gun laws provide all the oversight needed to control guns and ammunition. More regulations, such as limiting the amount of bullets in a magazine, are a waste of resources and won't decrease gun violence, he said.
"We've always had gun crimes in San Juan County. It doesn't matter if it was a single-shot shot gun, an AK-47 or a lever action 30-30. People are still going to do what they do," he said. "But at least guns give you a chance to protect yourself.
"I don't think we need to change anything with guns. Especially when it comes to taking away people's rights."
Christesen said the best way to respond to the recent shootings is to use existing laws to keep guns away from convicted felons and mentally ill people.
"It's not a gun problem it's a criminal problem," he said.
Other Sheriffs speaking out:
Coos Country Oregon Sheriffs Craig Zanni released a letter (PDF) to his citizens telling them he would protect their Second Amendment rights.
Pine County Minnesota Sheriff Robin Cole wrote a letter to his citizens as well, saying he would consider any new federal regulation on guns to be illegal and would “refuse to carry it out.”
"We will not enforce that."
Madison County Alabama Sheriff Blake Dorning told WHNT News 19 that his office will not enforce new gun control legislation if he feels those laws violate the Second Amendment. Dorning said he has serious doubts about President Obama’s latest proposals, stating that any gun laws which do pass would have to be in line with the U.S. Constitution and Alabama state law in order to be enforceable.
“The federal authorities can try to enforce it. I’m the Sheriff of Madison County. I took a constitutional oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America, to defend the Constitution of the State of Alabama, even if it takes my life. That is my position.”
Smith County Texas Sheriff Larry Smith says he will not enforce an unconstitutional law that takes away firearms from law abiding citizens in Smith County.
"I will not enforce an unconstitutional law against any citizen in Smith County. It just won't happen."
Josephine County, Oregon Sheriff Gil Gilbertson, said in a letter to Biden: (Full letter here)
"As such, any rule, regulation, or executive order repugnant to the constitutional rights of the citizens of this County will be ignored by this Office, nor will this office, or the citizens, allow enforcement of unconstitutional activities by federal officers.
We refuse to participate, or allow our law-abiding citizens to be criminalized through constitutionally repugnant actions by misguided intentions or politicians."
Yavapai County, Arizona, Sheriff Scott Mascher:
I have received many questions and concerns from our public and YCSO staff about recent gun control issues.
As your Sheriff, I have taken an oath of office to support and uphold the Constitution of the United States, and to protect the people of Yavapai County. I take this oath seriously.
Now we have politicians that want to prevent millions of law abiding, honest Americans from owning certain firearms and magazines because of the mentally ill and violent criminal offenders.
I do not believe that extreme acts of violent criminal behavior should ever misguide a politician into enacting orders or laws that would take away Constitutional Rights and Liberties from law-abiding Americans.
As Sheriff, I refuse to participate or cooperate with any unconstitutional order that will infringe upon our 2nd amendment rights.
These Sheriffs are elected officials who take their oath to protect their citizens very seriously and are vowing, by press conference, letters to citizens, and/or letters to the Obama administration, to do just that by protecting the citizens from Obama's gun grabbing agenda.
