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Washington AWB “Accidentally” Includes House Searches

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 Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat (courtesy seattletimes.com)

“In order to continue to possess an assault weapon that was legally possessed on the effective date of this section, the person possessing shall … safely and securely store the assault weapon. The sheriff of the county may, no more than once per year, conduct an inspection to ensure compliance with this subsection.” That’s an excerpt from Washington State Senate Bill 5737. Translation: county sheriffs can knock on the doors of homes with registered “assault weapons,” enter (without a warrant) and make sure they’re “secure.” Gun owners who fail to comply face up to a year in jail. Or worse, if you think about it. The passage has some people worried. People who you wouldn’t think would worry. Such as the Seattle Times’ pro-pro gun control writer Danny Westneat [above] and friends . . .

“I’m a liberal Democrat — I’ve voted for only one Republican in my life,” [Seattle trial lawyer and self-described liberal Lance] Palmer told me. “But now I understand why my right-wing opponents worry about having to fight a government takeover.”

He added: “It’s exactly this sort of thing that drives people into the arms of the NRA.”

I have been blasting the NRA for its paranoia in the gun-control debate. But Palmer is right — you can’t fully blame them, when cops going door-to-door shows up in legislation.

I spoke to two of the sponsors. One, Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, a lawyer who typically is hyper-attuned to civil-liberties issues, said he did not know the bill authorized police searches because he had not read it closely before signing on.

“I made a mistake,” Kline said. “I frankly should have vetted this more closely.”

That lawmakers sponsor bills they haven’t read is common. Still, it’s disappointing on one of this political magnitude. Not counting a long table, it’s only an eight-page bill.

Hey, Westneat & Co. listen up! That was no mistake. In fact, anyone who mistakes “gun control” for anything less than civilian disarmament, leading to the loss of other Constitutional rights, is making a big mistake. Live and learn?

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Robert Farago

Robert Farago is the former publisher of The Truth About Guns (TTAG). He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns.

0 thoughts on “Washington AWB “Accidentally” Includes House Searches”

  1. Poetic Justice
    But the sub-text to this move is that these companys are evile. Recall the big push to divest in South Africa and ChrisMathews recent statment that the 2ndA is Racist?
    It’s pure Saul Alynsky and they will push this meme as long as possible

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  2. And this wouldn’t be considered an “unreasonable search”? Where is the right to privacy, do we now live in Soviet Russia? Even seeing such draconian proposals such as this is truly disturbing. Laws such this should never be tolerated even if they were somehow passed into law as they are in direction violation of our constitutional rights.

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  3. Freedom and Liberties death by a thousands cuts (bills) is not giving up…They have NEVER given up, just keep coming back with more and more Unconstitutional bills…I think we as a nation need to put this to a vote…and not in the ballot box..where ,all have seen how that ends…we are at the end of the line…they will never stop trying to disarm this country and most gun owners NOW will never obey or comply…words are cheap..actions will determine the life of this Republic……

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  4. My first 38 super was made by Kimber. Then the second one by Colt.
    I soon discovered that S&W model 60-14 in 357 would shoot and eject the 38 super.
    I found a S&W 686 357 4 inch that also fires and ejects them.
    So, now I am looking for a 3 inch 1911 in 38 super to replace my 3″ S&W 45 for a carry weapon.
    I think the 38 super + P will come very close to matching the 357, and that is enought stopping power for anyone that is on the recieving end.
    I looks now, that the Wilson Combat is going to be on my to get list. Cost is excessively high, but…To each his on!

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  5. So these idiots decided to not make money. What is sad is that those geniuses made a financial decision based on emotion and not fact that will cost more taxpayer money in the long run. When the pension doesn’t get the required rate of return, more money will have to feed the fund. It’s just stupid and another abuse of power at the expense of the public.

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  6. Is any one surprised by this overreach? Their agenda has been clear for generations now. Take our guns. Which in itself is illegal and unconstitutional. Once they’ve rationalized themselves past that little barrier anything goes.

    The silence from the ACLU is deafening in cases like this.

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  7. I consider myself open-minded, fair, and relatively well educated with three degrees. I stay current through a variety of news sources, because NONE are “fair and balanced” in every issue. Generally, I am capable of presenting my opinion calmy, rationally, and I like to consider myself very diplomatic. Regarding this issue, the first descriptor that springs forth from my vocabulary is fucktarded, if this was an oversight. Can we get a freakin’ GED score for our lawmakers? At least have them prove they can read and undestand the Bill of Rights on an elementary school level? My 5th grader just explained the definition of militia, including the concept that they should be armed with “military style” weapons, because that is what they could be called to fight against! Can we get a do-over on the elections of the last few years, please? I may have done a few things differently…

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  8. So you can totally leave comments on the bill on the govt page. I left this one.

    “Assault Weapons” is a tauologic term. Please refrain from using it. All weapons are meant for assault.

    Section 25 of the WA state constitution states that a personal right to arms for self defense shall not be impaired. The types of weapons covered in this ban are strictly the ones on the market engineered for defense. Therefore banning them impairs the capacity for effective personal self defense.

    In the supeme court case of DC v. Heller it was stated that the second amendment of the United States constitution protects weapons that are “in common use at the time.” This bill would outlaw a significant majority of the firearms that are in common use at this point in time. Therefore it is unconstitutional and cannot be allowed to pass into law.”

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  9. I’ve lived in WA all of my 26 year life, and I can’t believe how gun friendly this state has stayed despite the growing cancer of the Seattle-Metro area. Guns and shooting are a very big deal around here. I know for a fact that a large amount of people here would not comply with a bogus law like that. I’ve written all my reps and I hope this garbage goes down in flames.

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  10. “I have been blasting the NRA for its paranoia”

    Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean THEY( you know who they are NOW don’t you?) aren’t after you and yours(as in your property).

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  11. Guess we’ll be going to jail, my weapon is not “secured” during “normal business hours” it is charged and in a readily available fashion to serve its intended purpose. In the evenings, when it is not under my supervision it is secured, I have another weapon kept in a secure fashion that will be used to fight my way to my “other” weapon. this sentence is being included to represent the numerous explicitives that should be included in the text.

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  12. Uh huh, more people who don’t like making money. Should we expect a story about how gun manufacturer executives are having to wear hearing protection from all the weeping and gnashing of teeth?

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  13. Hey, don’t knock the Asians. I’m sure there are American gun owners on this forum whose ancestors come from the British Isles. Americans of Asian ancestry also like their guns. Most countries do not grant their citizens the same rights that we have in the USA. It’s a shame that there are those in power that are pissing all over the Bill of Rights.

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  14. There are two weak men: One seeks to gain more power while the other seeks protection from the powerful. Whereas a sheep will always be a sheep, man is free to choose his fate; he is constrained only by his mind.

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  15. The bill is sponsored by three Seattle area dems. Just a bunch if liberal crazies. If it passes, it will be struck down by the state courts. However, the idiots who propose out should be thrown in jail for making such an unconscionable bill.

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  16. Remember the Boycott the Leftists pushed on South Africa?
    American Companys have the same right to boycott States that opress their citizens!
    Sure the cops can buy from overseas or Domestic suppliers but those companys can be boycotted and Protested just like the Left does!
    In the end it will cost those companys lost revenue and good will it will increase the costs to the LEOs
    Treat the LE agencys as the Opressors that they are, get out in the streets like Martan Luther King if necessary

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  17. By continuing to practice AT the ranges using caches of ammo I supposedly “crazily hoarded” before the SHTF recently. Everyone who called me insane the last few years can just stay home and fondle/admire your guns instead. Now it’s me acting calm and normal while everyone else is acting crazy. No sympathies here.

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  18. Let’s pause for a moment and offer our respect to an opponent who, despite their admitted bias, has subjected their opinion to contrary evidence.

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  19. Wow, just freaking WOW! That was hilarious and I think Ill have to check out his channel now.

    I dont fit anything in his description, guess I gatta turn them in.

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  20. I just read through the entire bill and that language was not to be found. Looks like they dropped it. In reading the bill it would appear all semi-automatic pistols would become banned weapons. Did I misunderstand it?

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  21. I guess if it’s going to be legal for them to enter your home without a warrant to check on you guns, then they should be allowed to search for drugs, child porn perverts, tax cheats, drugs and anything else they decide is bad for state.

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  22. I notice that KOMO is no maintaining a “Data Base” on all those who post a comment on their site.
    Also noted the “11,000 gun related killings” in a single year in the USA. So much for KOMO’s Integerty

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  23. the “gun experts” should not be telling them the difference anyway, I feel a mini 14 is legal in all respects,its not a “military arm”or “assualt weapon”if they tell the grabbers the difference they will take them ALL away!

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  24. Works for me.

    It is absolutely possible to design a private-transfer system for NICS which maintains privacy and protects against abuses, but that’s a subject for a longer write up than is appropriate for the comments.

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  25. I’ve always said that my personal belief is that fundamental rights are fundamental and not to be infringed . . . right up until you’ve proven that you can’t be trusted with those rights. And part of that belief is that background checks should be an effective means to filter out violent felons and others who have proven that they can’t be trusted with firearms.

    OK, so they’ve proven they are a danger to society – WHY THE HELL ARE YOU PUTTING THEM ON THE STREETS?! If someone is too dangerous to be trusted with a gun, then they are too dangerous to be around other people without extreme supervision. Keep proven to be dangerous people off the street (you already know who they are because as you said, they’ve already proven themselves to be dangerous and been arrested and convicted) and there is no need for background checks.

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  26. I’m not going to agree with your efforts of gun control. My idea of new legislation is to repeal the national firearms act and the gun control act. And every other law regarding weapons.

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  27. So why is it those guys and gals can call each other nigger 16 times (I counted) in 1:47 but if I say it once, I’m a racist? I’m white and confused with this issue.

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  28. TTAG plays a central role as a gathering point for defense of individual freedom in the form of defending 2A native rights in these United States.
    The U.S. is the last place on the planet essentially for this level of freedom. Every other country follows the U.S. lead – towards more freedom, or towards more fascism. (To wit – scanners now world wide, etc.)
    By carrying the flag for the U.S. pro-2A community, you have hoisted the flag representing freedom for those currently suppressed, and those who already died fighting this same battle.
    Your performance has self-selected you for this mythically important task. May you continue deserving this heroic responsibility.

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  29. I too was fortunate like others to have stocked up before the madness. I now face a new problem. I tried to take a newbie shooting today and there was a 2 hour wait at the range. 2 hours!!! Doesn’t seem like people are holding back. And it wasn’t all newbies because the majority had range memberships. Now it doesn’t help that the range had three lanes down, which is ludicrous to me. Robert, think you can do a post on exactly what takes a lane down, how long it takes to fix, and how much money? I just can’t believe with the current demand it is good business to leave three lanes down over a holiday weekend.

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  30. I really want to hear more about Mikeb302000’s claimed service. I wasn’t a Marine myself, but I know more than a few and it isn’t typically something that someone just does “for a few years as a teenager”.

    At this point, I want to know if Mr. Buonomo deserves a small modicum of respect for stepping up to serve, or further scorn and infamy as a poser and stolen valor perpetrator.

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  31. I think you are way off base here. To equate the “dysfunctional tantrum” behavior with genuine outrage to a betrayal of principle is disingenuous.

    I couldn’t care less what concessions CTD now chooses to make – I will take my business elsewhere, no fit, not tantrum. I simply choose to support other merchants with my dollar.

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  32. Gun Report?
    Every day in America thousands of rounds of ammunition are discharged by law-abiding American Citizens on privately-owned land and public property, for hunting, plinking, trap, skeet, target shooting and various other sporting and training purposes. All under circumstances in which no law is broken, no-one is injured and no-ones ’Rights’ are violated. There’s no valid comparison which can possibly be made between the countless lawful uses of firearms by law-abiding American Citizens and the relatively few incidents in which firearms are used as tools in actual criminal acts.
    Firearm ownership is as American as Mom and Apple pie.
    If I may offer some possibly helpful suggestions for promo’s to counter the chronic and incessant propaganda campaign being waged by the Anti-Rights, Anti-American, Ban-the-Gun factions and their familiars in gov’t.— consider getting the film crews out to events in which youths are having a great time being taught how to safely handle and shoot firearms, and sporting events involving the ladies.
    With regard to DGU’s the ‘no-shots-fired’ circumstances are unarguably the most desirable, for obvious reasons.

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  33. LET DENVER AND ITS SUBURBS BECOME THE NEW CHICAGO. SCREW THEM. ALL THESE LIBERALS THAT HAVE SCREWED UP CALIFORNIA SEEM TO BE SHOWING UP IN DRORVES HERE DUE TO THE LOWER TAX RATES. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED THEY ARE JUST VIRAL FICAL MATTER THAT WON’T GO DOWN THE DRAIN. I AM A 1% AND SAY IT PROUDLY. I AM TAKING UP GREG ABOTS OFFER AND MOVING DOWN TO TEXAS WITH MY GUNS AND MY MILLIONS.

    TROLL DELETED

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  34. Am I the ONLY ONE who actually believed CTD when they said they were only *temporarily* suspending online sales? Still, Don makes a good point about consumers’ behavior — a good read. BTW, this lines right up with my opinion on “FIRE THE COACH!!!” conversations after two or three losses — are we all that infantile?

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  35. Dick Cheney may be accurately described as an evil genius…but that still means he’s a genius. Biden…well genius has never been associated with his name.

    Reply

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