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”I'm concerned about the assault, the intrusion on the constitution,” Downey said.





”I will put everything I've got into this, and so will Joe,” the president said at a White House ceremony last week. “But I tell you, the only way we can change is if the American people demand it.”

Downey said one of his main objections so far is “the fact that they're doing it by executive order, and not legislative action.”

He said he feels strongly about standing up for the Constitution, whether it's the Second Amendment or any other constitutional issue. “We're concerned about the possible intrusion by the federal government,” Downey said.

Jason Plume, a Humboldt State politics professor who teaches constitutional law, said Downey is probably on “solid ground” with his complaint. He added that, even though he's a local official, Downey and all sheriffs take the oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution.


Sheriff opposition to more federal gun limits isn't necessarily surprising, Plume said. “If (sheriffs) don't have a problem with gun control in their area, why would they try to be more stringent?” he asked.


”'Shall not be infringed,' that's pretty clear,” Wilson said of the Second Amendment's language. “It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.”


”Many times, the flags were there,” he said. “It's not the tool. It's the person that operates the tool that's a problem.”

Wilson said that if a bill introduced by California Sen. Dianne Feinstein Thursday -- which would ban an estimated 157 weapons with certain semiautomatic or high capacity capabilities -- becomes law, it would “make criminals out of a lot of people that aren't criminals.”

He said he knows collectors with “hundreds” of weapons, and such a ban would take away the value of their collection. Many of his officers also have several service weapons, and Wilson said he worries that they won't be able to keep them when they retire. 

A Feinstein press release said the legislation includes several exceptions and a “grandfather” clause, that would keep legal “legitimate” hunting rifles, and allow law enforcement or retired law enforcement to have those weapons.

”We must balance the desire of a few to own military-style assault weapons with the growing threat to lives across America,” Feinstein said in a press release, acknowledging that getting the bill signed into law will be an “uphill battle.”



”The ability and duty to protect their property falls on themselves,” Wilson said. “I want you to do that, to protect yourself and your property. When you need us, we might not be around the corner.”

”We're very self-reliant up here,” he added.


”How far do we go down this (gun control) rabbit hole?” Wilson said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Luke Ramseth can be reached at 441-0509 or