Wild Wild West

Sumner County has joined a growing list of Tennessee local governments in passing a resolution that asks local law enforcement to ignore duly passed state and federal laws regarding guns. On Monday night, the Sumner County Commission passed the "Wild West" resolution, essentially declaring the "unalienable right" to keep and bear arms. The resolution's language interprets the U.S. Constitution and multiple Supreme Court decisions in a way that views most or all regulations on gun possession and sale as an "infringement" on an individual's rights.

Specifically, the resolution says:

The sanctuary county resolution was first introduced by Commissioner Jeremy Mansfield and states that Sumner County “will not authorize or appropriate government funds, resources, employees, agencies, contractors, buildings, detention centers, or offices for the purpose of enforcing or assisting in the enforcement of any element of such acts, laws, orders, mandates, rules or regulations” that infringe on the right to keep and bear arms as described in the nearly three-page document.

A copy of the full resolution can be found on page 38 here.

The resolution passed 18-4 with only Commissioners Krueger, Ring, Echols, and DeWitt voting "NO."

The Hendersonville Standard reports on Commissioner Baker Ring's reservations:

“Our oath of office says we are to support and defend the constitution of the State of Tennessee and the constitution of the United States,” Ring said. “I cannot vote for the original resolution with wording in there that tells us we must violate state law if we pass this.”

Rather than take a firm stand, County Executive Anthony Holt responded in typical weasel-word fashion:

 

Sumner County Mayor Anthony Holt said Monday that he would not veto the resolution. He also called for civility among everyone involved in the debate.

“Nobody… me, any elected official (or) any commissioner is going to take anybody’s guns in Sumner County,” Holt added. “I don’t know of anybody here that… needs to be demonized because they really believe that everyone’s Second Amendment rights needs to be protected.”

If the Sumner County Sheriff's office follows the plain language of the resolution, they would be in violation of state and federal law regarding guns.


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County Commission Candidates 2014

From information provided by incumbent County Commission Baker Ring of Gallatin

2014 Elections, County Commission

First District:
Mike Akins (running)
Moe Taylor (running)

Second District:
Billy Geminden (running)
*Shawn Utley (not running)
...

running:
Jennifer Briley Anderson (running)
Larry Hinton (running)




Third District:
Steve Graves (running)
David Satterfield 
running:
Alan Driver


Fourth District:
*Joe Matthews (running for Circuit Court clerk) (not running for CC)

Frank E. Freels 

Fifth District:
Ben Harris (running)
Baker Ring (running)

Sixth District:
Jim Vaughn (running)
*Paige Brown Strong (not running)
Kevin Pomeroy

Seventh District:
*Trisha LeMarbre

Kirk Moser (running)
Eighth District:
Paul Decker (running)
Merrol Hyde (running)

Ninth District:
*Chris Hughes (not running)
*David Kimbrough (not running)
running:
Jerry Becker
Chris Taylor
Mark Nodini
Benjamin McCroskey


Tenth District:
Jo Skidmore (running)
Paul Goode (running)
running:
Caroline Shoemaker Krueger (running)


Eleventh District:
Paul Freels
Jerry Stone (running)

Twelfth District:
Bob Pospisil (running)
Michael Guthrie (running)


* denotes not running
bold deotes running again
italics denotes has voted against school funding in 2011-2012

Jerry Stone vs. Logic and Common Sense

Well, Jerry Stone is at it again.  Taking on common sense in a desperate attempt to hold on to the County Commission seat he holds so dear. But, this time, it's Hendersonville Alderman Scott Sprouse taking Stone on -- and not letting him get away with bizarre and just plain dumb arguments.

It's all about the controversy over convenience voting in Sumner County.

Now, here's Sprouse calling out Stone in a strong way:

BLOCK THE VOTE UPDATE: Commissioner Stone Strikes Back
Last week Sumner County Commissioner Jerry Stone fought the opportunity to promote democracy and save taxpayers more than $125,000 every election year. He made his reason very clear: his personal need for last minute politicking outweighs his support of the public good.
Commissioner Stone must be feeling the heat for being selfish enough to think such a thing but honest enough to say it. Now he is backpedaling with a bizarre explanation.
Stone wrote: "The proposal furthers the goal of those who favor moving control from local elected officials to regional centers controlled by a...ppointed bureaucrats. I will always oppose proposals to move toward centralized decision making and away from local elected officials."

Stone did a great job of using Tea Party buzzwords, but the comment is just plain dumb. Nothing in the proposal would change who manages Sumner County elections. The proposed voting centers would be managed by the same local election officials who manage the current polling places.
What's really sad is Commissioner Stone's desperate swings at those who support the proposal. When he reads that many Strong Schools founders and members support the proposal, he dismisses us as a "special interest group". (Duh! Education is a durn good special interest.) When he reads a local elected official supports the proposal, Commissioner Stone dismisses the opinion because the official "was funded by the biggest Obama bundler in the state." (Is he talking about me because our highly respected neighbor Charles Bone gave my non-partisan reelection campaign $200 or is he talking about Baker Ring or Zach Young? Either way, is that the best shot he can take?)
Maybe Commissioner Stone opposes "moving control from local elected officials" because he is afraid voters would move control from local elected officials like him.

Stone's comments reflect a degree of paranoia not normally seen in local elected officials.