Gun control is a hot, hot issue today what with the sweeping changes President Obama called for in recent days, not to mention the 23 Executive Orders/Actions that he unilaterally put into force without congressional approval. It remains to be seen just how much of Obama’s gun control agenda will actually be passed by Congress.
Today I want to roll back the clock a couple of decades and tell the story of how one man took the fight over the “Brady Bill” all the way to the Supreme Court and won. Significant elements of the Brady Bill were declared unconstitutional on June 27, 1997. Most of you will remember that the Brady Bill required background checks on anyone purchasing a firearm from a licensed dealer. And that was/is a good thing. Most peace officers welcomed the new law.
What you probably don’t know is that the federal government and the Clinton administration tried to force the implementation and enforcement of the background checks on local sheriffs around the country, when in fact, the Brady Bill was a federal law.
The one man that led the fight against parts of the Brady Bill, and won in the Supreme Court, was Richard Mack, the sheriff of Graham Country, Arizona at the time. I first met “Sheriff Mack” shortly after he and his family moved to Central Texas in 2011. In the years since the Supreme Court victory, Sheriff Mack has written several books on states’ rights versus federal rights, gun control and related issues. He speaks all across the country on these issues.
With Sheriff Mack’s permission, I’m going to share his story with you today. But before I begin, I will pre-answer one question: Why would a small-town sheriff fight a law that required background checks on gun buyers? Sheriff Mack and most other sheriffs around the country agreed that background checks were a good idea. But since it was a federal law, Mack and many other sheriffs believed the Brady Bill should be enforced by the federal government, not foisted on local sheriffs. The Supreme Court ultimately agreed.
Today, if you want to purchase a gun from a licensed dealer, the dealer must contact the FBI for the background check. Like Sheriff Mack, I agree that we should have background checks on firearm purchasers, and I also agree that the process should be enforced at the federal level.
Sheriff Mack travels and speaks all across the country in his efforts to educate peace officers about their rights and encourages them to uphold the Constitution as they have sworn to do. He speaks to all sorts of groups on the issues of states’ rights, gun control and other matters related to freedom. He has a great cause, and I support him!
In May 2010, Sheriff Mack founded the non-profit Constitutional Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association (CSPOA). The CSPOA holds national conventions to educate and motivate peace officers and public officials to enforce the constitutionally protected rights of the people they serve, with emphasis on state sovereignty and local autonomy. The CSPOA has a far-reaching mission that conservatives and gun owners could all support.
As we enter the dangerous process of gun control as envisioned by President Obama and his allies, I invite you to join Sheriff Mack in this important cause. You can get involved by visiting the Constitutional Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association at:
You can also purchase Sheriff Mack’s educational books at:
You can also contact him directly and have him speak on these issues in your local area. His office number is 830-307-3019. I highly recommend it! He’s a truly great speaker and a real Patriot.
To read Sheriff Mack’s incredible story, CLICK HERE. You’ll enjoy it!