fishertodd
ΜΟΛΏΝ ΛΑΒΕ
- May 12, 2013
- 109
Last evening I sent Jeff Gahler (Republican candidate for Harford County Sheriff) an email asking him to address a number of issues, including one question on the second amendment. To my utter amazement, he actually took the time to send me a two-page, detailed and thoughtful response this morning. It surprised me because I have not yet received a response from any of the other candidates running for this office. Today Jeff Gahler earned my support. If you have not yet decided on your pick for Harford County Sheriff, please give Jeff your consideration.
Are you running as a Constitutional Sheriff in the tradition of Richard Mack?
I am not running as a “Constitutional Sheriff”, but rather as the best candidate for Sheriff who fully believes in and supports the Constitution. I am very familiar with Sheriff Mack and, in fact, when he was in the State in 2013, at an event hosted by the Institute for the Constitution in Anne Arundel County, I, along with a future member of my command staff, was in attendance.. Although I do not agree with everything Sheriff Mack presented or his stance on every issue, his perspective and mine are pretty much synonymous when it comes to attacks on the 2nd Amendment. I would like to add that while each sitting Sheriff and Chief of Police in the State of Maryland was invited, none were in attendance.
What is your position on the 2A and the numerous infringements of our God-given right to personal defense? Would you instruct your deputies to continue to enforce unconstitutional laws and make arrests if, for example, an otherwise law-abiding citizen were caught bearing arms without a concealed carry permit?
I am fully in support of every citizen’s right to keep and bear arms. Regrettably, the State and Federal “knee jerk” reactions in response to the high profile incidents (fueled more by the media than needed) are threatening this right and in direct conflict with the 2nd Amendment, baring the Federal Government from infringing this right. Nowhere is this effort more visible and troubling than here in our state. I am a proponent of changing Maryland’s current handgun permit process to a “shall issue” state, meaning that if there is not a clear cause for rejection (past criminal acts or mental illness), then citizens should be afforded the right to carry a handgun for their protection and for the protection of others. The police cannot be everywhere and the only way to stop an active shooter is to immediately and directly engage and neutralize the threat by whatever means available.
I have very publicly asserted my commitment to work with other Harford County elected officials to both defend the rights of law abiding citizens and modify existing laws and regulations so as to truly enhance public safety once elected. I firmly believe that the challenge for law enforcement today is to make the same commitment to defend our Constitutional Rights, particularly the 2nd Amendment, and make our communities safer. This is a stand I am proud to hold as a platform of my campaign and a stand that the current Sheriff refuses to share.
I don’t have all the answers to reduce crimes of violence committed by criminals with firearms, but do know that target hardening of our schools, mandatory sentences for criminals using a firearm in the commission of a criminal act, and expanded (shall issue) concealed carry permits are parts of the road to improvement.
I have written two letters on this topic that can be found on my website and on a few of the media sources that were considerate enough to print them. The first was following the shooting at Sandy Hook and in advance of what I knew would be a rallying call for more ineffective legislation and the second in response to an editorial in the Aegis in which the editor disagreed with my belief that more guns are part of the solution to these mass shooting incidents.
Are you running as a Constitutional Sheriff in the tradition of Richard Mack?
I am not running as a “Constitutional Sheriff”, but rather as the best candidate for Sheriff who fully believes in and supports the Constitution. I am very familiar with Sheriff Mack and, in fact, when he was in the State in 2013, at an event hosted by the Institute for the Constitution in Anne Arundel County, I, along with a future member of my command staff, was in attendance.. Although I do not agree with everything Sheriff Mack presented or his stance on every issue, his perspective and mine are pretty much synonymous when it comes to attacks on the 2nd Amendment. I would like to add that while each sitting Sheriff and Chief of Police in the State of Maryland was invited, none were in attendance.
What is your position on the 2A and the numerous infringements of our God-given right to personal defense? Would you instruct your deputies to continue to enforce unconstitutional laws and make arrests if, for example, an otherwise law-abiding citizen were caught bearing arms without a concealed carry permit?
I am fully in support of every citizen’s right to keep and bear arms. Regrettably, the State and Federal “knee jerk” reactions in response to the high profile incidents (fueled more by the media than needed) are threatening this right and in direct conflict with the 2nd Amendment, baring the Federal Government from infringing this right. Nowhere is this effort more visible and troubling than here in our state. I am a proponent of changing Maryland’s current handgun permit process to a “shall issue” state, meaning that if there is not a clear cause for rejection (past criminal acts or mental illness), then citizens should be afforded the right to carry a handgun for their protection and for the protection of others. The police cannot be everywhere and the only way to stop an active shooter is to immediately and directly engage and neutralize the threat by whatever means available.
I have very publicly asserted my commitment to work with other Harford County elected officials to both defend the rights of law abiding citizens and modify existing laws and regulations so as to truly enhance public safety once elected. I firmly believe that the challenge for law enforcement today is to make the same commitment to defend our Constitutional Rights, particularly the 2nd Amendment, and make our communities safer. This is a stand I am proud to hold as a platform of my campaign and a stand that the current Sheriff refuses to share.
I don’t have all the answers to reduce crimes of violence committed by criminals with firearms, but do know that target hardening of our schools, mandatory sentences for criminals using a firearm in the commission of a criminal act, and expanded (shall issue) concealed carry permits are parts of the road to improvement.
I have written two letters on this topic that can be found on my website and on a few of the media sources that were considerate enough to print them. The first was following the shooting at Sandy Hook and in advance of what I knew would be a rallying call for more ineffective legislation and the second in response to an editorial in the Aegis in which the editor disagreed with my belief that more guns are part of the solution to these mass shooting incidents.
