Arizona leaders have doubled down in opposition to President Joe Biden’s executive orders on gun control announced at a press conference in the White House Rose Garden.
On Wednesday, Governor Doug Ducey signed legislation making Arizona a Second Amendment sanctuary state, and on Friday Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot said he was “concerned that the President’s executive actions and proposed legislation accomplish absolutely nothing to protect American citizens.”
Wilmot said Biden’s plans will “instead trample on their constitutional rights afforded by the 2nd Amendment.”
“If reducing gun violence is the goal, enforcing existing laws and holding criminals accountable is the only proven method to reduce crime. It is an irrefutable fact that those areas of this nation with the strictest gun control have the highest rates of gun violence. Where people have the ability to defend themselves, crime is lower and people are safer. These executive actions taken by the President and his proposed weapon bans serve only one purpose, and that is to further limit law abiding citizen’s right to self-defense. If the President wants to reduce gun violence,” wrote Sheriff Wilmot, “then his actions should address the root cause of gun violence and focus on the mental health crisis and the moral decay of our society.”
Wilmot noted that FBI’s statistics show that there were 10,258 homicides committed with firearms in this country in 2019. Of those, less than 500 were committed with rifles of any type.
“In fact, more homicides were committed with knives than with rifles,” advised Wilmot. “Yet, the President’s focus is on what he terms ‘assault rifles’ when in fact those types of rifles statistically played no meaningful role in overall gun violence. Today’s modern sporting rifle, which the President likes to label as ‘weapons of war’, are the most popular rifle in America and are used by law abiding citizens every day for sporting purposes and home defense.”
“As Sheriff of Yuma County, I am committed to providing for public safety and am sworn to uphold and defend the constitution. I firmly support the Second Amendment, and I am committed to enforcing the laws of the State of Arizona. I will take no action to enforce or comply with any unconstitutional executive actions on gun control or any other constitutional rights guaranteed to the citizens of the United States.” Wilmot concluded, “I firmly support your right to defend your homes and your families and I have yet to find any firearm offense that is not already covered by existing law. The reality is, new laws serve only one purpose, and that is to further restrict law abiding citizens.”
The governor signed Rep. Leo Biasiucci’s bill, HB2111, which preemptively protects gun owners in the state from any federal gun control laws that are passed by the U.S. Congress.