Pierre, SD–South Dakota gun owners are facing a Red Flag bill this session, but not a bill filed by a rogue Democrat.
No, Republicans hold a ‘trifecta’ of power in South Dakota, with the House, Senate, and Governor’s mansion all in their hands.
And not by a narrow margin. They have a super majority! We’re talking about margins in the House of 85% Republican. In the Senate it’s 30 Republicans to 5 Democrats.
There’s never an excuse for backing Red Flag laws, but we pointed out that super majority so readers would realize that Republicans aren’t doing this because they’re worried that they’re going to lose their seat to a Democrat. There aren’t millions of dollars in Bloomberg dollars supporting their opponents.
This is a Republican state through and through, with no Democrat threat to their gun rights at all.
And again, this bill wasn’t sponsored and filed by a rogue Democrat who filed it on principle knowing that it wouldn’t go anywhere. No, this bill was FILED by a Republican Senator, Arthur Rusch.
What’s In This Republican Red Flag Bill
While this isn’t the worst red flag bill out there, it has all the problems of any other red flag order.
A police officer can petition the court that somebody is a danger to themselves or others. The judge will call an ex-parte hearing within 7 days that the gun owner will not be present for. Once the police officer convinces the court that the person shouldn’t have guns or ammo, the judge will have them removed for up to a year. Not two weeks to get mental help. Not 30 days. Nope, a year. And this crappy bill openly states that the person whose rights have been stolen away without a chance to defend himself now bears the “burden of proof” to prove that he or she isn’t a danger to themselves or others.
You know what that means? Lawyers. Fees. Lots of dollars spent. You aren’t innocent until proven guilty in South Dakota. This Republican bill openly states that the burden of proof would be on the innocent party to prove their innocence, not on the state to prove their “guilt.”
They’re Compromising Because They WANT To!
There is no Democratic threat, so Rusch filed it and Republicans will hear it because they want to. There is no pressure from Bloomberg or other forces outside the state.
And South Dakota gun owners are in the same position that voters in Virginia were in just a few short years ago. ‘We don’t have to watch our legislators carefully because we’ve got such a huge majority that we’re not in any danger from the radical left!’
And yet…Virginia’s gun owners are getting stomped into the dirt today. If you don’t hold your pro-gun politicians to the fire, they’ll compromise on you. Every. Single. Time.
And at the end of the day, when the cops are knocking on your door, does it matter if a Democrat or a Republican started the Red Flag ball rolling? You will lose your rights and due process either way.
It’s time to fight them all, and fight now. Sellout Republicans, leftist Democrats–whoever wants to take your gun rights away!