By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services/Yuma Sun
A proposal to make it illegal for some Arizonans to enforce federal gun laws is raising concern by the nation’s largest defender of the Second Amendment.
Todd Rathner of the National Rifle Association said he appreciates the sentiment behind the proposal by Rep. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, to provide some protection for those who believe that new laws and regulations being proposed by the president are illegal.
“I like the message he’s trying to send,” said Rathner. But the Tucson resident said Monday he has “real concerns” about how such a state law would affect federally licensed firearms dealers who would be put in a position of whether to obey state or federal laws.
“I worry about putting federal firearms licensees in the middle of a fight between us and the federal government,” he said. “It puts them between a rock and a hard place because they worry about committing a federal crime or a state crime.”
Related: Legislator proposes bill to protect Arizona gun owners from federal laws
