This movement is old, very old. This is why sheriffs of both parties keep feeling more and more empowered and why states have never had the courage to amend/limit the independent powers granted to sheriffs. The current modern sheriffs movement was a big part of the Sagebrush Rebellion of the Reagan era and really took off since then. I live in a county where despite having a Dem Party lock on politics the sheriffs are still bad. In fact our former sheriff is in federal prison and his replacement is in the NM state pen. We'll see how the current sheriff does to learn if he upholds the law or if he is a law-breaker.
I've read numerous accounts of county sheriffs refusing to enforce laws that they deem unconstitutional. In many cases, their refusal is valid. It's unfortunate that Congress and state legislatures frequently pass laws that are unconstitutional even though their members take the same oath that sheriffs do - to protect and defend the Constitution.
This movement is old, very old. This is why sheriffs of both parties keep feeling more and more empowered and why states have never had the courage to amend/limit the independent powers granted to sheriffs. The current modern sheriffs movement was a big part of the Sagebrush Rebellion of the Reagan era and really took off since then. I live in a county where despite having a Dem Party lock on politics the sheriffs are still bad. In fact our former sheriff is in federal prison and his replacement is in the NM state pen. We'll see how the current sheriff does to learn if he upholds the law or if he is a law-breaker.
I've read numerous accounts of county sheriffs refusing to enforce laws that they deem unconstitutional. In many cases, their refusal is valid. It's unfortunate that Congress and state legislatures frequently pass laws that are unconstitutional even though their members take the same oath that sheriffs do - to protect and defend the Constitution.