'O’Rourke Is Delusional': Sheriffs Rip Into Beto For Wanting to Send Cops to Confiscate AR-15s

Townhall.com ^ | October 18, 2019 | Julio Rosas

[jazusamo]

Law enforcement officials who have previously been critical of gun control measures now have harsh words for Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke after he proposed police go home-to-home in order to confiscate AR-15s from American citizens.

O'Rourke was pressed on MSNBC after the fourth Democratic debate on what would be done if someone is not willing to sell their AR-15 to the government, as he suggested.

"Yeah, I think just as in any law that is not followed or flagrantly abused, there have to be consequences or else there is no respect for the law," O'Rourke replied. "So you know, in that case I think there would be a visit by law enforcement to recover that firearm and to make sure that it is purchased, bought back so that it cannot be potentially used against somebody else."

"Mr. O’Rourke is delusional in regards to his gun control ideas," San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari told Townhall, pointing to how the former Texas Senate candidate has gone from allowing people to keep their AR-15s to now wanting to send police to take them away.

"The biggest fear of any free society is the government at your door wanting to take away your rights by force. I do not see the men and women of law enforcement sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution doing this," Ferrari continued."In an act of desperation, Mr. O’Rourke is shamefully using tragedies our country has experienced and fear for his political gain. The very foundation of law enforcement is public trust. Frankly, no one should trust a man who talks out of both sides of his mouth."

"I'm not sure whether his statements are naive or just plain ignorant and arrogant. Maybe it's all three," said Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage. "The thought of anyone utilizing my sheriff's office or any other law enforcement agency in this country as their personal Gestapo to go door to door violating citizen's rights is disgusting, unrealistic and downright un-American."

Cage is concerned if any law enforcement agency participates in O'Rourke's plan on a large scale, "bloodshed would be inevitable," adding that "some of my constituents are already adopting the mantra of 'Come take mine Beto!'...His rhetoric has gotten old and I look forward to the day when he shuts up."

Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams told Towhnall he also would have concerns for the safety of his deputies because it would be an "unconstitutional" order and would put them "in the crosshairs."

"I think that you have to be concerned for the safety of the citizen [too] because, at that point, they don't know if law enforcement is coming to protect them or disarm them and that creates a very tense situation."

Reams said he does not know how a candidate would think they would be able to order local police to carry out confiscation if they became president, adding, "I think [Beto] is sorely mistaken if he thinks law enforcement is going to willingly agree to go down that path."

Commenting on the backlash that followed after O'Rourke's comments on Wednesday, Lauren Hitt, his national rapid response director, maintained he would not "send officers door to door to collect weapons - just as we do not send the IRS door to door to collect taxes."

While sheriffs are more willing to oppose gun control laws they deem as being unconstitutional, some law enforcement organizations, such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), have voiced support for an "assault weapons" ban.

IACP did not return Townhall's request for comment on O'Rourke's proposal.

[jazusamo]

Beto is a lot of bricks short of a load.

[Grampa Dave]

What happened when the Brits try to take away our guns the first time at Lexington in April, 1775?

Thomas Jefferson, “I enclose you a list of the killed, wounded, and captives of the enemy from the commencement of hostilities at Lexington in April, 1775, until November, 1777, since which there has been no event of any consequence …

I think that upon the whole it has been about one half the number lost by them, in some instances more, but in others less. This difference is ascribed to our superiority in taking aim when we fire; every soldier in our army having been intimate with his gun from his infancy.” - Thomas Jefferson, letter to Giovanni Fabbroni, June 8, 1778

SECOND AMENDMENT

Right to Bear Arms

Passed by Congress September 25, 1789. Ratified December 15, 1791. The first 10 amendments form the Bill of Rights:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

[Lurkinanloomin]

“Yeah, I think just as in any law that is not followed or flagrantly abused, there have to be consequences or else there is no respect for the law,”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey, O’Dork, why doesn’t that apply to the millions of fraudulently documented foreigners?

[jazusamo]

Excellent post, Grampa Dave.

Thanks!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

EXCELLENT -- short, and right to the point!

"The biggest fear of any free society is the government at your door wanting to take away your rights by force."

   -- San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari

[jazusamo]

Great point!

It’s also a good example of Rats only enforcing laws they agree with.

[frank ballenger]

O’Rourke at the weapons grab site talking to SWAT team:
“You guys rush into that house as soon as I can safely crouch behind this barricade. When I give the word ‘Take ‘Em Down’ rush in. I saw Lee Marvin say that in Delta Force on Netflix. Always wanted to try it.”

[I want the USA back]

He’s saying it for a reason. It is his goal. He would do it if he could.

[SMARTY]

If he knew the law, he’d STFU and stop making an a&^ out of himself.

He’s pretty typical of all the Liberals. He writes checks with his mouth that his a%# can’t cash

[SERKIT]

Can we just all agree to point and laugh at Robert Francis O’Dork knowing full well he won’t qualify to be part of the next debate? Who can take him seriously when he is a freakishly tall, lanky, Hispanic Leprechaun with flailing arms who uses a beat-box mic for crowds as low as 12?

[samtheman]

Excellent post! Thanks.

[Menehune56]

Bobby Franky is such a lightweight he’s can’t be considered a serious candidate.

[petro45acp]

Beto won’t be president, but the next mudbrained dim that does get the job will likely be in line with beta’s views. Get to know and if appropriate, support by your local sheriff (nod to James Garner). Likely, they will be between their community and the forces of municipal evil....

KYPD

[jazusamo]

True. :^)

[jazusamo]

MAGA!

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[notaliberal]

"Yeah, I think just as in any law that is not followed or flagrantly abused, there have to be consequences or else there is no respect for the law," O'Rourke replied.

Except if you are an illegal alien.

[fproy2222]

I wish some reporter would ask something like this:
“Why do you think a law to remove guns from law abiding citizens will work any better than the laws that do not keep guns out of the hands of criminals?”

[Buttons12]

Commenting on the backlash that followed after O'Rourke's comments on Wednesday, Lauren Hitt, his national rapid response director, maintained he would not "send officers door to door to collect weapons - just as we do not send the IRS door to door to collect taxes."

True. They'll just do a remote shutoff of your rights. Confrontation is so 19th c.

[real saxophonist]

Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams

Steve is my sheriff. His predecessor, John Cooke (now a Colorado state senator) is of the same mindset.

[grumpygresh]

Deputy sheriff beto can raise his merry band of leftists and try himself.