GOP subcommittee rebukes Sheriff concealed gun policy

[Gladiator]

GOP subcommittee rebukes Sheriff concealed gun policy - Total Buzz - OCRegister.com

GOP subcommittee rebukes Sheriff concealed gun policy

April 6th, 2009, 6:00 pm
posted by NORBERTO SANTANA JR.

The county’s GOP central committee is gearing up for a showdown with Sheriff Sandra Hutchens over her concealed weapons policies.

This weekend, a resolution committee for the GOP voted 7-0 to condemn Hutchen’s new gun policies, which are stricter than the policy she inherited from former Sheriff Mike Carona.

Allan Bartlett, a GOP activist who heads up the resolution committee, said the panel convened this weekend to hear the resolution prepared by Bruce Whitaker – who works for County Supervisor Chris Norby.

Speaking only for himself, Bartlett said the resolution committee decided to weigh in because of the importance of the gun issue to local Republicans.

“This is a core issue of freedom for the Republican Party,” Bartlett said. “This is way of showing those in our party that we’re backing up our words with actions. This is a small step in sending a message to our voters that we want to get back to the basics of what made our party great in the past.”

While Bartlett said the committee wasn’t making a proclamation on Hutchens, he said her gun policies are not popular.

“Our right to self defense is in the sheriff’s hands. And by interpreting California law as narrowly as she has decided, it’s having a chilling effect on citizens even applying.”

While Hutchens supporters have argued that the issue is not that central to moderate Republicans, such as those in the New Majority, a spokesman for the group declined to comment saying it had not been discussed at any leadership meetings.

Hutchens said she was disappointed in the resolution committee’s vote and said she respectfully disagreed with their take on the issue.

“I understand the concern by the central committee, about the gun issues,” she said. “But I’m disappointed in the fact that they don’t understand that I feel strongly about the integrity of this department.”

“I’m not going to sell the integrity of this office because some people are unhappy about the law. I’m not going to be the vehicle to find a way around that law.”

The issue of concealed weapons permits has been raging since Hutchens took office and decided to tighten how such licenses were granted. Carona made expanding such permits a central part of his three election campaigns.

However, those permits also got on the radar of federal prosecutors who alleged that Carona handed them out to campaign supporters.

Hutchens has been motivated by that since she took office and her policy sharply contrasts with Carona’s.

Hutchens has said that although sheriff’s have broad discretion to hand out such permits, she said state law creates narrow exceptions. Others disagree with her saying that the legislature left such decision in the hands of local sheriffs.

When asked whether she supports in concept the idea of having concealed weapons permits handed out in a uniform manner (often called Shall Issue), Hutchens said she could not comment without seeing specifics of a proposal.

“I think it’s up for debate,” she said. “It’s not a simple decision.”

And despite all the tension in recent months over the gun permits, Hutchens said concealed weapons is “not an issue I’ve studied in terms of ideology and the data.”

That kind of answer, Bartlett said, is what drove the rebuke from the GOP committee.

“By not answering the question,” Bartlett said, “I got the sense that the committee members gave each other the look…that sends the message.”

So while Hutchens has often said she isn’t a politician, that’s how GOP committee members saw her, adroitly skipping a tough question.

Yet Hutchens said it’s not that complicated.

“I don’t think I’m a classic politician in that I’ve taken a stand that in all likelihood can harm me.”

As usual, Hutchens said she’s comfortable letting voters judge her fate.

But the next stop is the full Republican Central Committee on April 20 at the Hyatt hotel in Irvine, which is a public meeting.

[Dan M.]

And despite all the tension in recent months over the gun permits, Hutchens said concealed weapons is “not an issue I’ve studied in terms of ideology and the data.”

This is indescribably !!

[swdr]

Pity the article didn't include that Hutchens was asked about Simple "Shall Issue" -- keep the FBI background check and the Cal DOJ background check and the legal training and the firearms training and all the handgun restrictions and inspections, all this for ordinary law-abiding citizens, and just remove the subjective so-called "good cause" -- and she still wouldn't answer.

[Harry Carry]

Originally Posted by swdr

Pity the article didn't include that Hutchens was asked about Simple "Shall Issue" -- keep the FBI background check and the Cal DOJ background check and the legal training and the firearms training and all the handgun restrictions and inspections, all this for ordinary law-abiding citizens, and just remove the subjective so-called "good cause" -- and she still wouldn't answer.

It's appropriate at this point, for many reasons, to begin calling her 'Stonewall Sandy'.

[IAmASensFan]

It is interesting that every place in penal code that allows a CCW holder "a way around the law" also allows Law Enforcement "a way around the law".

So, can we assert that LEO's have no legal bearing to carry a concealed firearm?

Originally Posted by 12050 a(1)(c)

The sheriff of a county or the chief or other head of a
municipal police department of any city or city and county, upon
proof that the person applying is of good moral character, that good
cause exists for the issuance, and that the person applying is a
person who has been deputized or appointed as a peace officer
pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 830.6 by that sheriff
or that chief of police or other head of a municipal police
department, may issue to that person a license to carry concealed a
pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon
the person. Direct or indirect fees for the issuance of a license
pursuant to this subparagraph may be waived. The fact that an
applicant for a license to carry a pistol, revolver, or other firearm
capable of being concealed upon the person has been deputized or
appointed as a peace officer pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) of
Section 830.6 shall be considered only for the purpose of issuing a
license pursuant to this subparagraph, and shall not be considered
for the purpose of issuing a license pursuant to subparagraph (A) or
(B).

[IAmASensFan]

Originally Posted by Harry Carry

It's appropriate at this point, for many reasons, to begin calling her 'Stonewall Sandy'.

This might account for why she looks so terrible these days.

[X-ffdo]

Bangwall Sandy?

[Barky]

Originally Posted by X-ffdo

Bangwall Sandy?

Not with my model 36..

[rickr96]

Her failure to answer very specific questions makes it clear to me that our appointed Sheriff is anti self-defense...

She's been nothing but erratic and secretive since being appointed to office.


Anti Self Defense, erratic and secretive... Not what I want from a Sheriff...

[JackOfClubs]

The issue of concealed weapons permits has been raging since Hutchens took office and decided to tighten how such licenses were granted. Carona made expanding such permits a central part of his three election campaigns.

Er, not quite. Tightening the licensing criteria was a part of the problem, but a big part was that she also revoked existing permits without cause.

To say nothing of the scandal of using security cameras to spy on private notes of Supervisors and initimidating the general public who showed up for the meeting.

I'm pretty sure the GOP resolution mentioned thses issues so leaving it out must be sloppy reporting by the Register.

[THE Gimper]

Originally Posted by JackOfClubs

Er, not quite. Tightening the licensing criteria was a part of the problem, but a big part was that she also revoked existing permits without cause.

Actually, the statement is correct. The issue started when she anounced a tighter policy. Revocations followed very quickly, but the whole thing started with her tougher policy.

[Quietpi]

Hm. Do we have to have an association between the appointed sheriff and the outstanding Thomas J. Jackson, for whom honor was sacrosanct?

[IAmASensFan]

Originally Posted by rickr96

Her failure to answer very specific questions makes it clear to me that our appointed Sheriff is anti self-defense...

She's been nothing but erratic and secretive since being appointed to office.


Anti Self Defense, erratic and secretive... Not what I want from a Sheriff...

well said.

[gr8fatman]

“I’m not going to sell the integrity of this office because some people are unhappy about the law. I’m not going to be the vehicle to find a way around that law.”

What she ment to say is: “I’m not going to sell the integrity of this office because some people are unhappy about my personal agenda. I’m not going to be the vehicle to find a way around that flawed ideology.”

[swdr]

Originally Posted by Hutchens

“I’m not going to sell the integrity of this office because some people are unhappy about the law. I’m not going to be the vehicle to find a way around that law.”

"But some say that she's already sold that integrity by holding ordinary law-abiding citizens to a higher standard than she holds judges and district attorneys." -- a quote missing from the article.