You are scheduled to consider a draft “Second Amendment Ordinance” on March 15. The proposed ordinance would declare federal gun safety laws unconstitutional and direct our sheriff to ignore them. A brief reading of the draft raises several questions and concerns.
- Legality. A similar proposed ordinance failed in 2013. At the time, the county prosecutor told the Spokesman Review that federal courts, not county governments, have the authority to determine what laws are constitutional.
- Authority. The prosecutor also asserted that county commissioners have no authority to enact such ordinances.
- Ramifications. If the commissioners do enact an ordinance like the one proposed, it will certainly prompt lawsuits and a swift injunction stopping its implementation. Defending lawsuits will cost the county a lot of money that could be much better spent in other ways.
- Safety. If gun toting backers of this draft ordinance protest publicly, their demonstrations will pose a hazard to public safety. The additional policing required to protect the public will cost money that the sponsors of the ordinance should be made to pay.
- Necessity. We are surrounded by people carrying guns. The draft ordinance is baseless because it does not make the case that there is any need for more gun freedom.
Memo to County Commissioners
March 14, 2021
From: Kootenai County Democratic Central Committee
Reference: Defiant U.S. sheriffs push gun sanctuaries, imitating liberals on immigration (Reuters)
