-Moses Lake, WA
Thirty-nine elected sheriff officers from across the state of Washington joined in signing a short letter saying they will “protect the 2nd amendment”. While the majority of the sheriffs who signed the letter are from conservative leaning counties the letter was bi-partisan with
Clark, Whitman, Whatcom, Island, Jefferson, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Thurston county democratic leaning counties also joining in and signing the letter.
The letter stated that it was formed by the concern of the public who want their second amendment right to be safeguarded. The letter states that those elected into the sheriff’s position are to uphold and defend both constitutions the one of the federal government and the one of the state government.
Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones said that no legislative decisions prompted the letter but as president of the Washington State Sheriff’s Association giving the approval of the joint letter.
The joint letter comes after the proposed house bill 5038 which bans open carrying of guns on the grounds of the state Capitol in Olympia. According to Crosscut, supporters of the measure said the goal is to help prevent political disagreements from escalating into violence, and to prevent armed individuals from intimidating people exercising their First Amendment rights.
“Guns and polarized politics is a bad combination,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue, in February.
The association’s letter added that the 37 sheriffs who signed will
“pledge to do everything within our power to steadfastly protect the Second Amendment and all other individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution.”
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