Oregon sheriffs balk at enforcing new gun laws

Linn County, Ore. Sheriff Tim Mueller / KOIN-TV

PORTLAND, Ore. Two Oregon sheriffs have written Vice President Joe Biden to say their departments won't enforce any new gun laws he considers unconstitutional.

In his letter, Sheriff Tim Mueller of Linn County said politicians are "attempting to exploit the deaths of innocent victims" by supporting laws that would harm law-abiding Americans. Crook County Sheriff Jim Hensley said later that day he sent the same letter.

"We must not allow, nor shall we tolerate, the actions of criminals, no matter how heinous the crimes, to prompt politicians to enact laws that will infringe upon the liberties of responsible citizens who have broken no laws," the letter says.

Mueller says he took an oath to support the Constitution, and laws preventing citizens from owning certain semi-automatic firearms and ammunition magazines would violate their rights.

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Though the letter might add fuel to an already hot topic, Mueller told The Associated Press he wishes people could have a civilized discussion about the issue, rather than resort to threats and name-calling.

Biden headed a task force tasked to recommend gun control measures to President Obama in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. School shooting. Mr. Obama was to unveil a set of proposals Wednesday.

Mueller told CBS Portland, Ore. affiliate KOIN-TV he wrote the letter partly because he felt Biden's task force didn't consult law enforcement enough when putting together its report.

"I didn't just fall off the cabbage truck yesterday; I know that the chances that the vice president is actually going to read this is pretty slim," Mueller told KOIN Tuesday.

Hensley, the other sheriff, told KTVZ he believes in the Second Amendment, and he says officials should consider other factors that may have a role in mass shootings, such as violent video games.

[kem45]

Maybe people should read the state of Oregon constitution before opening their mouths about Oregon sheriffs.
Oregon, Section 27. Right to bear arms; military subordinate to civil power. The people shall have the right to bear arms for the defense [sic] of themselves, and the State, but the Military shall be kept in strict subordination to the civil power.

Every state has their own constitution that interprets the US constitution.

Sheriffs has the legal right to refuse to confiscate guns if they feel that law will endanger their citizens. federal can confiscate citizens weapons, but the sheriff can refuse and they have the legal right to stop federal if they choose too.

It is no different then the marijuana laws, Oregon allows medical marijuana the police and sheriffs does nothing to medical marijuana holders, but FBI continues to raid certain ones that don't get resistance from the sheriff.

And just reading the constitution means nothing unless you research what the founders meant for the amendments. and research the Supreme court interpretations to make them law and opinions from the Supreme court is not laws.
And by law the Supreme courts interpretation ruled it is unconstitutional to ban guns.

[WhereisOT]

But Sheriff....hows the crime rates in bigfoot Country...
With all those guns "concealed carry" and all those Officers and neighborhood watches and such and still such a crime problem....

Could be worse no doubt...but arming every child, woman and man probably won't do much will it...
And refusing to uphold Laws or "jailing" those who would rather enforce Laws might be a problem..
Besides wouldn't "jailing" other Officers of the Law just add to the workload...

Maybe "deputize" the local bigfeets...Unless, holy sh**, could they be slinging all the drugs and burglarizing all the Peoples and stealing all the auto's..
You just never know...

[kem45]

gtshorty8611
I could not agree with more. I'm a widow, If I did not have a gun to scare off an intruder, I and my 3 children could be dead.

So far Government
(Bush & Obama administration) has taken US citizens right to trial by jury away.

Obama administration has taken away the right to peaceably assemble.

Obama administration took away the right to choose to purchase or not, without a penalty.

Bush & Obama administration Trying to take away the Right to Bare Arms.

Obama administration TSA treating all Americans & children like criminals because of Foreigners attacks.
All of these in the past 8 years, Make no since what so ever.

If the founders seen what the 21st century Government was doing now, The founders probably would already believe it is a tyrannic government.

[13fenwick13]

Tabatha's comment to CBS is laughable. The sheriff DID take an oath, to uphold the Constitution [and Bill of Rights]. NOT to uphold the wishes of the the guy in the Executive office of the White House. That's called tyranny.

The sheriff doesn't uphold "the law of the land". I'm not sure where Tabatha came up with that wording... perhaps from a badly written movie-of-the-week staring some long-forgotten egotistical actor, repeating the words written by a writer that never shot a rifle, nor read the Constitution.

[mama_leisa]

I am merely a working, taxpaying mother, who doesn't understand the need for semi automatic firearms to be in the posession of citizens other than our military.

I live in Vermont, support hunting and I understand the right to own a gun for hunting, target shooting etc. But since when does a deer have to be shot with a semi automatic rifle? Since when does hitting the bullseye require multiple shots?

I would be more concerned with our National Guards being sent across the ocean to fight outside the United States. I grew up thinking that the Natioinal Guards duty was to protect the United States and its legal cizens. Is it possible if the Guards were home there would be less illegal immigrants cossing our borders? Less illegal drugs being transported across our borders?

These attacks with guns have escalated more and more, is it the media that should back off? When I was growing up there were no private computers, or cell phones, or video games. We had responsibility and were held accountable for our actions. There were discussions at the dinner table.

Someone needs to address the safety of our children, maybe it is time for us to show respect for our leader in Washington D.C. to work with him and not against him. Time to realize that is isn't him or me. It is US

[9mikee]

I am a workng, taxpaying father, who doesn't understand the need for the "right" of a woman to choose to kill a child in her womb.

Someone needs to address the safety of the unborn children, maybe its time for us to show respect for human life no matter if it is born or unborn.

I would prefer that you not show too much respect to the leaders in WA and show more respect for the rigts that have been given to us by God that are spelled out in our Constitution. Understand that once they (the glorious leaders) that you respect so much start taking away our freedoms there will be no stopping them.

Oh... and don't cherry pick my rights. The Constiution is not a living document for you to pick or choose which you like best.

[dsjones26]

Sheriff Tim Mueller if you are a firm believer of the U.S. Constitution then I suspect you are aware of the First Amendment. You know the one about Freedom of Speech. Can you yell fire in a crowded theater - NO? Can you yell nasty things with a bullhorn against blacks, gay, women -HATE SPEECH and the U.S. Supreme court has rules time and time again that there are limits to any rights. So unless you want to over throw the U.S. Government because you, with you menial knowledge of what the constitution is all about - yeah I bet you $10,000 (you can't cheat and look it up) name what the 3rd Amendment is do you? There is no absolute right to anything in the constitution. If we can limit the ability to Free Speech it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand you can limit the 2nd Amendment. Oh, I forgot—they do already. Can you walk into Wal-Mart or order on-line a fully automatic machine gun or a rocket launcher? Hey, we need to defend our house from an invasion of "body snatchers". Give up the ghost Sherriff Timmy if the majority of Americans want Obama's plan to succeed do us all a favor and quite defending your minority view and get the heck out of Dodge and go play soldier with you "boys" in Iraq where they play with "real" weapons of war. And just let you know the real reason the NRA is pulling your leg is that it gets them paying members into the NRA thereby enriching their war chest into millions, all the major players with the NRA own stock in these gun companies or are on the board of directors so it would do them a disservice to =go along with these laws to see their "blood" money get smaller & smaller. You are you "boys" are on the wrong side of history ounce again. So get a life and go join the Marines if you really think you're a tough guy.

[KPeters_from_UK]

Thank you!

[gtshorty8611]

REALLY?!?! I am military and law enforcement. I fight overseas to protect the rights that i have at home. I dont need some politician telling me what rights i can have and which ones they want to take away. This country was built on the fact that we need weapons to prevent the government from taking all of our rights away. How do you think we defeated the british? with words? NO!! with guns and american willpower. I also work law enforcement and while the shootings as of late are tragic, you cannot even begin to fathom the number of lives that are saved each year because of "gun toting" americans. You just dont hear about it in the news. Take these guns away and you put the firepower in the hands of the criminals that do not care about the law. And if you think this law will stop the flow of guns from mexico think again. Tell me again how that worked out on drugs? enough said

[savantinaz]

Hello people. You know, a hundred years ago we had no laws restricting ownership or possessing firearms. What the hell happened?

The idiot left in DC want to punish the entire country and spend zillions of dollars to post officers near schools in reaction to an isolated incident at one school in one state.

Would the incident have happened if these new laws were in effect at the time of the shooting? Of course! These laws would have had zero effect on any of the school shootings in the present or past. Go through the entire cases and apply the new laws and you will see that they would not have prevented or changed the outcome of the shootings.

Anyone out there think I'm wrong. I'd love to hear from you.

[gtshorty8611]

agreed. laws wont stop the evil and mentally ill. this will still happen. what will they take away when it happens again? our kitchen knives?

[hockeybub]

Don't quite get it...God protects the U.S....but just in case, ya'll better pack some heat.

Now who's the hypocrit?

[cheapster512]

how about NOT enforcing seatbelt laws? or speeding laws? how about forgetaboutit with the insurance My kid nishould see fit to belt them in any way I want, Lets get the sheriffs to pick and choose the laws to enforce," that;s the ticket after all, we elected them so they should NOT enforce laws that hurt the electors

[cubscout09]

So, this may all be moot. Oregon has a Democratic Governor and the Democrats have a 16-14 majority in the Senate and a 34-26 majority in the House.

Ceasefire Oregon hit the ground running on December 14th with a proposal for gun control legislation.

http://www.ceasefireoregon.org/cfo/index.html

What do you think is about to happen?

[hockeybub]

Mueller stands as candidate for the GOP with gun-nut money and the NRA buys another politician.