Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
I’ve been writing this week about what’s taking place in Lewis County, New York, where thousands of residents are backing a Second Amendment Sanctuary ordinance that would prohibit county funds from being spent to enforce New York state gun laws. On Wednesday’s Bearing Arms Cam & Co. I spoke with county resident Patrick Morse, who’s helped to organize support for the ordinance as was on hand for this week’s county legislative meeting where hundreds packed the local courthouse to urge lawmakers to pass the ordinance.
Also in attendance at that meeting was Lewis County Sheriff Michael Carpinelli, and I’m pleased that the sheriff could take a few minutes out of his day to join me on today’s show to talk about why he’s backing the proposed ordinance and why he want other sheriffs in New York to do the same in their counties.
Several upstate sheriffs have spoken out in opposition to the ordinance, telling constituents that, while they’re supportive of the Second Amendment and don’t like the state’s SAFE Act gun laws, they have no choice but to enforce the law. In fact, a couple of them have even pointed out that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has the power to remove sheriffs from their elected positions, and have expressed concern about losing their jobs if they categorically state that they won’t be enforcing any state gun control laws.
Carpinelli, on the other hand, tells me he’s willing to lose his position if that’s what it takes to uphold his oath to follow the Constitution. The sheriff says while he took an oath of office to execute the laws of New York, he believes that when those laws conflict with the U.S. Constitution he is duty bound to follow the higher law.
Be sure to check out the entire interview above, and stay tuned. It sounds like the Second Amendment Sanctuary movement is reinvigorating gun owners in the state, things could get very interesting there before long.
Also on today’s program we have an armed citizen story from Tulare County, California where a man defended his family from several intruders who posed as sheriffs deputies before breaking down the family’s front door. Our recidivist report is all about the suspect accused of killing two sisters in a Texas A&M-Commerce dorm, who should have been behind bars and had a warrant out for his arrest when he allegedly committed the heinous crime. Finally, we salute a Tulsa police officer who used his discretion to take a man to treatment instead of jail, an act that has helped turn his life around.
You can always get the show by subscribing to Townhall Media on YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts. On tomorrow’s show we will be getting to a number of your emails, but we’ll also be joined by Pennsylvania State Senator Mario Scavello, who is blasting Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf for playing political games with public safety by proposing huge cuts to a state grant fund meant to help schools improve security, all while demanding new gun control laws “for the children.”
Thanks as always for watching, listening, and spreading the word!
Cam Edwards has covered the 2nd Amendment for more than 15 years as a broadcast and online journalist, as well as the co-author of "Heavy Lifting: Grow Up, Get a Job, Start a Family, and Other Manly Advice" with Jim Geraghty. He lives outside of Farmville, Virginia with his family. https://bearingarms.com/author/camedwards/