[ducttape45]

I posted this in another thread but it bears asking here as well.

I'm hearing of more and more sheriffs and/or state governments vowing not to support or enforce any gun laws, or similar executive orders, or passing laws to nullify government laws that go against the 2nd Amendment.

My question is this; can they do that? Wouldn't that amount to a war between local/state and federal government bodies?

Does anyone know?

[jjotto]

Sheriffs have their own political constituencies unrelated to the federal government, as do state governments for that matter. Neither has to enforce federal law (see ‘sanctuary cities’ for illegal immigrants).

Executive orders don’t apply outside of the Executive Branch.

‘Nullification’ likely won’t pass legal hurdles, but the Feds can enforce on their own and withhold fed money from state and locals that don’t cooperate.

[tacticalogic]

What I've been wondering about is that exemption for law enforcement.

If a local sheriff decides to stand up to the feds, he should be able to deputize local citizens to assist. If he deputizes everyone who owns an assault rifle, then they should be exempt.