By Brett Forrest | KOAA News
TELLER COUNTY — In a letter sent to President Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ), Teller County leaders are simultaneously supporting DOJ lawsuits against Colorado while at the same time asking for leniency if federal funding is cut off from the state.
The letter was written and signed by Teller County’s three commissioners and sent last week to the DOJ’s Office of Civil Rights.
The commissioners first take issue with Colorado’s recent gun control measures, going so far as to encourage the DOJ to take legal action against the state of Colorado.
“Recent legislative actions taken by the Colorado Legislature and Governor Jared Polis leave us no choice but to appeal to the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Justice to take legal action to reverse the infringements upon the constitutional rights of our residents and prevent the potential loss of existing federal funding for highways, our vulnerable senior population, veterans, and our at-risk families struggling with housing and food insecurity,” the letter said
The letter aims at a sweeping Colorado gun control bill that passed this last legislative session, limiting the sale of high-powered semi-automatic weapons in the state.
Senate Bill 3, or SB25-003, requires Coloradans to pay for firearm safety instruction, pass a written test, a marksmanship test, and pay fees to sheriffs for a certificate before then being able to purchase the banned weapons, which include the popular AR-15.
Colorado House Republicans similarly sent U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondian April letter, encouraging her and her recently created “Second Amendment Task Force” to review the constitutionality of Senate Bill 3. It’s unclear if there’s been a response to the House Republicans.
“We’re asking for the Justice Department and the Office of Civil Rights to file suit against the state on behalf of the residents of Teller County and all the residents of Colorado,” said Teller County Commissioner Erik Stone in an interview. “We believe that people’s rights are being violated.”
The commissioners’ letter also expresses support for an already filed DOJ lawsuit against the state of Colorado and several state and local leaders, including Governor Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, over the state’s immigration policies.
That lawsuit, filed May 2, seeks to overturn several Colorado laws the DOJ considers to be “sanctuary laws” that limit federal immigration enforcement in Denver and Colorado, according to the complaint.
Teller County has often sought to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) despite state laws in recent years under what’s known as a 287(g) agreement with ICE.
It’s because of Teller County’s previous support of ICE efforts, the commissioners argue in their letter the rural county should not be punished if the Trump Administration withholds federal funds from the state.