One of the few lawyers remaining in the state senate says President Obama’s gun proposals are about more than guns.
Shortly before the President presented his proposals for dealing with gun violence, a state senator introduced a bill making it a felony to enforce any new federal gun laws. A similar proposal is in the House.
Senator Brian Munzlinger of Lewistown, the sponsor of the bill introduced in the Senate, wants to charge any federal agent enforcing new federal gun laws with a felony.
At the time he introduced his bill, Senators were expecting the President to change gun laws through executive orders. But Obama is recommending Congress change the laws. He has ordered federal agencies to take steps to identify potentially dangerous people and to have policies to deal with them.
Columbia Senator Kurt Schaefer says the argument is about more than guns. He says the real argument is about the rule of law. And he says the issue should not be debated emotionally. He says the state should resist any Second Amendment erosion because any erosion of one amendment means all amendments are vulnerable.
Shafer is one of five lawyers in the 34-member Senate, one of only two among the 24 majority Republicans.
(Munzlinger was interviewed by members of the Senate press corps)
AUDIO: Shaefer on Senate floor 2:26
AUDIO: Shaefer interview in office 12:21
(Shaefer was interviewed by Bob Priddy, Missourinet, and Bob Watson, Jefferson City News-Tribune)
