Trending
Among complaints from conservatives worried about violating the Second Amendment by creating new gun control laws is the observation that we are not enforcing even the laws already on the books. In fact, some cases of gun violence might have been prevented had the laws already in place been enforced, or authorities followed up on reported concerns.
To that end, Ohio Gov. John Kasich issued an executive order directing the Office of Criminal Justice Services to work with Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Ohio Supreme Court to update a 2015 study that found reporting gaps in the state's gun background-check system. Kasich also wants the state auditor to review how well local authorities are reporting required information.
Critics railed against the order almost immediately, with state Rep. Candice Keller, R-Middletown, going so far as to urge county sheriffs to "completely ignore" the governor's order. Predictably, she called it an infringement upon Second Amendment rights.
It is not, of course, and Keller's stunt is dangerous and absurd. If she does not like the law Kasich hopes to see enforced, that is one thing, and she should address it through the means at her disposal as a state representative. It is not up to elected officials or members of law enforcement to pick and choose which laws they decide to ignore.
Ohio Rep. George Lang, R-West Chester Twp., made an excellent point about Kasich's order: "It is what is supposed to be getting done anyway."
Precisely. Kasich's concern is that the law is not being followed, and that could be putting people at risk. He is right to ask his administration to help find those who are ignoring the law and seek out those who are disregarding their responsibility.