Over the past few months, sheriffs across the country have emerged as bulwarks for freedom by telling President Obama they will not enforce any new federal gun control laws. Now, Colorado’s Weld County Sheriff, John Cooke, has made clear that if the Democrat-sponsored gun control bills for his state are signed into law they will not be enforced.
Speaking specifically of expanded background checks and bans on high capacity magazines, Cooke said “these are feel-good, knee-jerk reactions that are unenforceable.” He said these two measures are simply part of the “uniformed,” hectic response Democrats have employed in trying to do something in the wake of the Aurora theater shooting.
He said that if Governor John Hickenlooper signs the measures into law he “won’t bother enforcing” them.
If signed, the ban on high capacity magazines outlaws rifle magazines holding more than 15 rounds and shotgun magazines holding more than 8; the bill also outlaws rifles and/or shotguns with fixed magazines that exceed the ban limit.
The ban would take effect July 1, and only higher capacity magazines and pertinent firearms owned prior to that date would remain legal.
Sheriff Terry Maketa of El Paso County, Colorado, who is standing against these measures with Sheriff Cooke, said that if the ban on high capacity magazines is signed into law, then as far as he’s concerned every magazine and firearm he sees that is high capacity was owned prior to July 1.