A8
East Oregonian
NEWS
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Oregon sheriffs make a break from the past
about delivering on their
promise.
While sheriffs in other
states were refusing to
enforce new laws this win-
ter, a raft of new gun laws
were making their way
through the Oregon Legis-
lature. But this time, Ore-
gon’s sheriffs were quiet.
That may be because in
the past few years things
have changed in parts of
rural Oregon.
“I think the militia
thing has really dropped
off,” said Zanni. “That
became
huge
when
President Obama was first
elected.”
He says his constitu-
ents are still worried about
new gun laws but he’s
noticed less vitriol and more
patience. Gun owners spent
eight years worrying that
the Obama administration
was coming for their guns.
But no one came for their
guns.
“I think over the years
that it’s kind of like … the
world hasn’t come to an
end, so it’s not quite as big
a deal,” Zanni said.
This year the Oregon
State Sheriff’s Association
changed how it approaches
the state government as
well.
“I think we have made
a concerted effort to have
a good relationship with all
the legislators,” said exec-
utive director John Bishop.
“Going in and beating
heads and saying ‘You’re
stupid and we’re not going
to do this’ doesn’t work
anymore.”
He says sheriffs have the
expertise that can improve
legislation. But they have to
be in the room to share it.
Bishop also talks to
his counterparts in other
states.
“Now as far as Colorado
and Washington, I think
they’re just sort of a little bit
behind this,” he said.
Bishop says he thinks
other states will come to the
same realization as well.
County sheriffs
change approach
to gun laws
By JONATHAN
LEVINSON
Oregon Public Broadcasting
COQUILLE — Early
this past June, Coos County
Sheriff Craig Zanni was in
his Coquille office field-
ing an email from a sover-
eign citizen. The sender was
claiming that the Oregon
state government doesn’t
have grounds to operate
because it can’t provide him
with a copy of the 1859 state
constitution.
Sovereign citizens reject
the legitimacy of the state
and federal government. All
of it: taxation, currency, the
courts and, of course, gun
laws.
Zanni says a significant
number of people in his
OPB photo by Jonathan Levinson
southern Oregon county,
population 69,000, hold Coos County Sheriff Craig Zanni, center, speaks with sheriff department dispatchers on June 6 in Coquille. Zanni says a signif-
similar views. Except for icant number of people in his southern Oregon county, population 69,000, hold sovereign citizen views. Sovereign citizens
the rare exception, he says reject the legitimacy of the state and federal government. All of it: taxation, currency, the courts and, of course, gun laws.
Except for the rare exception, Zanni says they’re not dangerous.
they’re not dangerous.
“Most of them are reason-
able people,” he said. “Like
“The sheriff is the most explained Shortell. “States Northwest, the actual and Idaho.
most people, I just want to powerful law enforcement create them, states could makeup of the electorate has
“I think what we’re see-
live my life and be left alone, officer in the country, no eliminate them, states can changed too. As the militia ing now … is people mov-
so I understand that.”
one supersedes his jurisdic- redraw their boundaries and movement gained traction ing to these places because
Along with national mili- tion,” Mack falsely claimed as such, they are treated as in the 1970s and 1980s, the their perception of these
tia organizations like the in an interview with the simply a part of the state.”
Pacific Northwest was an places is they are over-
Oath Keepers and Three Oath Keepers militia. “The
attractive destination with whelmingly white, over-
Voters eat this up
Percenters (whose
President of the
its vast, sparsely populated whelmingly conservative,”
A lot of this is about pol- and affordable land.
said Beda.
core beliefs overlap
United States cannot
Beda says if enough
significantly
with
tell your sheriff what itics. Sheriffs have to win
“Specifically, a lot of
elections if they want to these groups looked to … white conservative Califor-
sovereign citizens),
to do.”
their ideology has
Portland
State keep their jobs. And in rural places like Eastern Oregon, nians move to rural coun-
experienced a resur-
University profes- counties with small pop- Eastern Washington and ties because they believe it
sor of political sci- ulations, a politician can’t Idaho because land was rel- reflects their values, then it
gence since President
ence Chris Shor- afford to ignore organized atively cheap,” says Steven will ultimately reflect their
Barack Obama was
tell says that is at voters.
Zanni
Beda, assistant professor of values.
first elected in 2008.
Their
outsized
odds with the U.S.
“A small group of very history at the University of
A new approach
political influence was on Constitution.
engaged voters can have an Oregon. “So they could buy
Last November, Dem-
full display in recent years
“Most
notably
the outsized impact,” Shortell up land and build their own
ocrat Kate Brown won her
when
Oregon
sheriffs supremacy clause,” said said, “particularly in elec- bunkers.”
grabbed national headlines Shortell, “Which lays out tions that are what we would
Fast forward to the early re-election bid for governor
for refusing to enforce pro- that when there’s a con- call off cycle.”
2000s, and families are and Democrats won super-
posed state and federal gun flict between federal law
Constituents were cheer- leaving California in search majorities in both houses
laws, a concept plucked right and state law, federal law is ing them on when Oregon of lower housing prices and of the Oregon Legislature.
sheriffs said they wouldn’t cost of living. Many are Brown and many legislators
supreme.”
from the militia playbook.
But as sheriffs in other
But Shortell says these enforce the 2015 back- again looking to rural parts had campaigned on passing
states try the same thing, sheriffs are right on one nar- ground check bill. But while of the Pacific Northwest, stricter gun laws, and soon
it played well with voters, particularly Eastern Oregon after taking office they set
Oregon sheriffs say they row point.
“That doesn’t mean that the law doesn’t actually
have already realized that
the existence of federal laws involve sheriffs.
strategy doesn’t work.
Sheriffs dig in
can’t constrain the actions of
In Oregon, if you want to
In 2013, eight Ore- state officials,” said Shortell. sell a handgun to a friend,
gon sheriffs, led by Linn
So if the federal govern- you go to a gun store, pay
County Sheriff Tim Muel- ment bans certain kinds of $35 for a background check
ler, sent letters to the Obama firearms, that law would with the state police — not
administration saying they apply to each state and all of the local sheriff — and
wouldn’t enforce new fed- its counties.
you’re on your way. Unless
2019
eral gun laws.
And while there may be the gun is stolen or one of
“Nor will I permit the some wiggle room in the you is a felon, the sheriff
enforcement of any uncon- state-federal relationship, wouldn’t be involved.
stitutional regulations or that isn’t the case with the
Political migration
orders by federal officers county-state relationship.
In some parts of rural
within the borders of Linn
“Counties are entirely
County Oregon,” Mueller a construct of states,” Oregon and the Pacific
wrote.
Two years later, in 2015,
the Oregon Legislature
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passed a bill requiring back-
ground checks for private
gun sales. And again, Ore-
gon sheriffs dug in.
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