Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis made headlines in Maryland recently when he suggested he might not enforce new state gun laws that he believed were unconstitutional, despite court rulings to the contrary.
But Sheriff Lewis didn't stop there. He also threatened “all-out civil war” if the federal government attempted to enforce gun laws in Wicomico County.1
Despite these threats, Sheriff Lewis still holds a certification from the Maryland Police Training Commission to train law enforcement officers in the state.
The mission of the Maryland Police Training Commission is to "ensure the quality of law enforcement...through the establishment and enforcement of standards and the facilitation and delivery of training, education and prevention programs." Simply put, it is difficult to see how a law enforcement officer who is threatening to wage war with the United States government meets any recognized standards of public service.
There is no place in public service for those who promote "Second Amendment remedies." Thank you for standing with us in this important campaign.
Sincerely,
Josh Horwitz
Executive Director
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
Executive Director
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
"Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis made headlines in Maryland recently when he suggested he might not enforce new state gun laws that he believed were unconstitutional, despite court rulings to the contrary."
ReplyDeletePerhaps we should look closer at some of his other comments in the "headlines" as opposed to what the special interest group picks out.
"Who am I to tell them what they should or should not protect their families with?" Lewis asked on WRDE. "Who am I to tell them they shouldn't have a magazine with 30 rounds behind the door when some thug is trying to break into their home? ... If you start coming into people's homes to disarm them solely because you believe they don't have a Second Amendment right to bear arms, you better stand by. It will be, without a doubt, a civil war."
"In an interview Thursday, the sheriff stressed he's not going to ignore any state or federal laws and gave assurances his deputies will "continue to use good common sense."
"We have discretionary power to review all cases that come before us," he said. "Any police officer on patrol uses their discretion all of the time. If they're using a firearm to commit a crime, that's a no-brainer, they're getting arrested. I'm doing nothing different today than before the law was passed."
http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2014/09/21/sheriff-opposes-gun-restrictions/16027911/
So in essence, he appears to be practicing the same discretion practiced by the federal government. For instance, Baltimore is a sanctuary city and there is an order in place,
"According to the order, “no City funds, resources, or personnel shall be used to investigate, question, apprehend, or arrest an individual solely for an actual or suspected civil violation of federal immigration law” and “no City Department, agency, officer or employee shall condition the provision of City services or benefits on the immigration status of the individual seeking those services or benefits unless such conditions are lawfully imposed by federal or state law.”
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/07/27/Baltimore-Illegal-Immigrants-Welcome-With-Open-Arms
And of course, the federal government has exercised its discretion quite overtly by telling the states of Washington and Colorado that it wouldn't enforce federal laws regarding marijuana.
No one seems to bat an eye in regards to these very overt cases of non-enforcement of laws. However everyone seems to get the vapors when someone uses the same discretion in regards to gun laws.
Like a typical gun loon he talks out of both side of his mouth and each side differs from the other. Any police officer who says he won't enforce the law, should be fired. If he promotes breaking the law, he is a criminal.
DeleteIf he promotes breaking the law, he is a criminal.
DeleteThere's a law against promoting breaking the law?
Perhaps you should write to the US Attorney General and let him know...
DeleteRight SS, like pot laws and guns laws are comparable, because of course pot is killing 30,000 people a year in America. You are a true delusional gun loon.
DeleteWhat we "get the vapors about," ss, is the ridiculous and incendiary talk of civil war.
DeleteIt cracks me up that the cud-chewing bed-wetters (bed-wetting cud-chewers? Any preference, anyone? I refuse to go with cud-wetting bed-chewers, though--that would be silly) of CSGV aren't even trying to get Sheriff Lewis removed from office, much less arrested. They're reduced to abject pleading that he lose his Police Training Commission certification.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how that's going.