Texas Lawmaker Wants to Lock Up Federal Officials Who Enforce Gun Control Measures Enacted by 'King Obama'
A Texas state legislator announced today that he has filed a bill aimed at preventing any new federal gun laws from being enforced in his state.
Republican Rep. Steve Toth's "Firearms Protection Act" would render illegal any bans or restrictions on weapons and ammunition that would be passed by Congress or enacted by the President.
Furthermore, the bill would criminalize the enforcement of any such gun control measures.
"If a federal official comes into the state of Texas to enforce the federal executive order, that person is subject to criminal prosecution," Toth told a local radio station.
A federal official found guilty of enforcing gun control would be subject to a $50,000 fine and up to five years behind bars.
The bill, which resembles legislation introduced by lawmakers in Wyoming last week, appears to have the implicit support of Greg Abbott, the state's Republican Attorney General.
Abbott previously made clear that he intends to challenge any federal restrictions on weapons or weapon possession.
Toth recognized that his proposal will likely run afoul of the Constitution's Supremacy Clause, which declares federal laws "the supreme law of the land," but says "a showdown between states and the federal government" needs to happen "at some point."
"It is our responsibility to push back when those laws are infringed by King Obama," Toth told WOAI.
