90 Sheriffs and Two Sheriffs Associations Have Pledged to Ignore "Obama Gun Control"
If Oath Keeper Sheriff Richard Mack is to be believed, the number of sheriffs who are now refusing to enforce new federal gun regulations is up to 90.
Last week, Reason's Ed Krayewski noted that a handful of sheriffs around the country had pledged to ignore new gun regulations being pushed by President Obama. If Oath Keeper Sheriff Richard Mack is to be believed, the number of sheriffs who are now refusing to enforce new federal gun regulations is up to 90.
"Sheriffs have risen up all over our great nation to stand up against the unconstitutional gun control measures being taken," Mack wrote on the site for the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA). "I applaud these public servants for their courage and conviction. I would encourage other Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers to add their voices to the growing numbers of faithful protectors of our freedom."
As I wrote when covering Mack's primary run against big-government Republican Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, Mack founded the CSPOA to
enlist and train sheriffs and peace officers (a term Mack prefers to "law enforcement officers") to "understand and enforce the constitutionally protected Rights of the people they serve, with an emphasis on State Sovereignty and local autonomy."
Mack's list of anti-gun regulation sheriffs links to dozens of letters to Vice President Joe Biden, in which sheriffs not only argue against the constitutionality of new gun regulations ("The Second Amendment guarantees each of us the right to keep and bear arms to protect ourselves from anyone who would seek to cause us harm. This includes the federal Government."), but also make explicit promises of non-compliance.
"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," reads a letter from Sheriff Gil Gilbertson in Josephine County, Oregon.
Sheriff Chuck Heiss of Johnson County, Missouri, wrote
As the duly elected Sheriff of Johnson County, Missouri, it is my sworn duty to protect and defend the Constitutions of theUnited States of America, and the State of Missouri against all enemies both foreign and domestic. This means I not only have the duty to protect my constituents from incidents of crime, but I also have a duty and responsibility to protect and preserve the individual rights and liberties afforded and guaranteed to every citizen by our constitutions. This, Mr. President is a duty I fully understand, appreciate, and will carry out with great vigor and conviction. I will most certainly urge my fellow Sheriffs in the State of Missouriand across this great nation to rise to the defense and aid of all Americans should the federal government attempt to enact any legislation, or executive order that impedes, erodes, or otherwise diminishes their constitutional right to keep and bear arms. I will use all means legal to meet this solemn and sacred responsibility.
It's worth highlighting that while Mack has been tarred as a "small government extremist" by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the refusal of CSPOA members to comply with new federal gun regulations is not so different from the Seattle Police Department's refusal to enforce federal marijuana laws; or, the refusal of local law enforcement agencies in sanctuary cities to help ICE enforce federal immigration laws. Also worth highlighting: There are over 3,000 counties in the U.S., meaning the 90 county sheriffs who have signed on with the CSPOA represent, uh, three percent. (Thanks to the emailer for pointing this out!)
You can see the full list of signatories to Mack's pledge after the jump:
LIST OF STATE SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATIONS
2. New Mexico Sheriff's Association (30 out of 33 sheriffs)
LIST OF COUNTY SHERIFFS
1. Sheriff Glenn E. Palmer – Grant County, Oregon
2. Sheriff Gil Gilbertson – Josephine County, Oregon
3. Sheriff Tim Mueller – Linn County, Oregon
4. Sheriff Adam Christianson – Stanislaus County, California
5. Sheriff Brad A. DeLay – Lawrence County, Missouri
6. Sheriff Charles M. Heiss – Johnson County, Missouri
7. Sheriff Steve Cox – Livingston County, Missouri
8. Sheriff Jon Lopey – Siskiyou County, California
9. Sheriff Craig Zanni – Coos County, Oregon
10. Sheriff John Hanlin – Douglas County, Oregon
11. Sheriff John Bishop – Curry County, Oregon
12. Sheriff Larry Blanton – Deschutes County, Oregon
13. Sheriff Jim Hensley – Crook County, Oregon
14. Sheriff Denny Peyman – Jackson County, Kentucky
15. Sheriff Roy Klingler – Madison County, Idaho
16. Sheriff Blake Dorning – Madison County, Alabama
17. Sheriff Justin Smith – Larimer County, Colorado
18. Sheriff Al Cannon – Charleston County, South Carolina
19. Sheriff Ana Franklin – Morgan County, Alabama
20. Sheriff Andy Hughes – Houston County, Alabama
21. Sheriff Stacy Nicholson – Gilmer County, Georgia
22. Sheriff Robin Cole – Pine County, Minnesota
23. Sheriff Bill Snyder – Martin County, Florida
24. Sheriff Ed Kilgpore – Humboldt County, Nevada
25. Sheriff Tom Bosenko – Shasta County, California
26. Sheriff John D'Agostini – El Dorado County, California
27. Sheriff David Hencraft – Tehama County, California
28. Sheriff Dean Growden – Lassen County, California
29. Sheriff Dean Wilson – Del Norte County, California
30. Sheriff Mike Poindexter – Modoc County, California
31. Sheriff Thomas Allman – Mendocino County, California
32. Sheriff Mike Downey – Humboldt County, California
33. Sheriff Larry Smith – Smith County, Texas
34. Sheriff Kieran Donahue – Canyon County, Idaho
35. Sheriff Margaret Mims – Fresno County, California
36. Sheriff Pat Garrett – Washington County, Oregon
37. Sheriff Dan Staton – Multnomah County, Oregon
38. Sheriff Scott Mascher – Yavapai County, Arizona
39. Sheriff Micahel A. Helmig – Boone County, Ohio
40. Sheriff A.J. Rodenberg – Clermont County, Ohio
41. Sheriff Terry Maketa – El Paso County, Colorado
42. Sheriff John Cooke – Weld County, Colorado
43. Sheriff Scott Berry – Oconee County, Georgia
44. Sheriff Frank Denning – Johnson County, Kansas
45. Sheriff Stan Hilkey – Mesa County, Colorado
46. Sheriff Terry Box – Collin County, Texas
47. Sheriff Chuck Wright – Spartanburg County, South Carolina
48. Sheriff Greg Hagwood – Plumas County, California
49. Sheriff Frank McKeithen – Bay County, Florida
50. Sheriff Roger Garrison – Cherokee County, Georgia
51. Sheriff Tony Desmond – Schoharie County, New York
52. Sheriff Richard Devlin Jr. – Otsego County, New York
53. Sheriff Bruce Haney – Trinity County, California
54. Sheriff Wayne DeWitt – Berkeley County, South Carolina
55. Sheriff Bob 'Big Block' Colbert – Wagoner County, Oklahoma
56. Sheriff Joel W. Richardson – Randall County, Texas
57. Sheriff Mike Scott – Lee County, Florida
58. Sheriff Mike Winters – Jackson County, Oregon
59. Sheriff Brian Wolfe – Malheur County, Oregon
60. Sheriff Cameron M. Noel – Beaver County, Utah
61. Sheriff Tom Rummel – Sanders County, Montana
62. Sheriff Jeff Christopher – Sussex County, Delaware
63. Sheriff Brad Rogers, Elkhart County, Indiana
64. Sheriff David Edmunds – Summit County, Utah
65. Sheriff James Tracy – Utah County, Utah
66. Sheriff Robert Dekker – Millard County, Utah
67. Sheriff Frank Park – Tooele County, Utah
68. Sheriff J. Lynn Yeates – Box Elder County, Utah
69. Sheriff G. Lynn Nelson – Chache County, Utah
70. Sheriff James Cordova – Carbon County, Utah
71. Sheriff Jerry Jorgensen – Daggett County, Utah
72. Sheriff Todd Richardson – Davis County, Utah
73. Sheriff Travis Mitchell – Duchesne County – Utah
74. Sheriff Greg Funk – Emery County, Utah
75. Sheriff James D. Perkins – Garfield County, Utah
76. Sheriff Steven White – Grand County, Utah
77. Sheriff Mark Gower – Iron County, Utah
78. Sheriff Alden Orme – Juab County, Utah
79. Sheriff Lamont Smith – Kane County, Utah
80. Sheriff Blaine Breshears – Morgan County, Utah
81. Sheriff Marty Gleave – Puite County, Utah
82. Sheriff Dale Stacey – Rich County, Utah
83. Sheriff Rick Eldredge – San Juan County, Utah
84. Sheriff Brian Nielson – Sanpete County, Utah
85. Sheriff Nathan Curtis – Sevier County, Utah
86. Sheriff Jeff Merrell – Uintah County, Utah
87. Sheriff Todd Bonner – Wasatch County, Utah
88. Sheriff Cory Pulsipher – Washington County, Utah
89. Sheriff Kurt Taylor – Wayne County, Utah
90. Sheriff Terry Thompson – Weber County, Utah