Earlier today, we did a post on an excellent thread that served as a legal primer for how red flag laws will absolutely be abused. “Anyone who tells you don’t worry, the process won’t be abused and there are robust due process protections is, at best, wildly naïve and, more likely, is lying to your face,” wrote Alexandria Brown.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday posted a graphic showing how red flag laws work and how they’ll help prevent mass shootings. In this case, Jane’s social media contact Randy “posts photos of guns & cryptic messages.” Jane calls the cops, the cops show up at Randy’s house and take his guns. Simple.
Red flag laws allow us to take action when someone who has a gun begins to act erratically.
Red flag laws still require due process, and any removal of weapons is temporary. pic.twitter.com/IVPHgbrvhD
— Governor Tom Wolf (@GovernorTomWolf) June 16, 2022
How temporary?
This is Jane.
Randy doesn't like Jane, so he calls the police on her.
Police petition in court to seize Jane's weapons, without Jane being able to present a defense.
The court approves it, and a SWAT team shows up at Jane's home early in the morning.
Jane has been swatted. https://t.co/3rjlyo203y
— Spike Cohen (@RealSpikeCohen) June 16, 2022
Now Jane is unable to defend herself when Randy comes over and forces his way into her house.
— SailingSailor (@JasonEchevarria) June 16, 2022
Randy abuses Jane
Jane gets a gun and restraining order
Randy gets a friend to red flag Jane
Police take Jane’s gun
Randy violates the restraining order
Jane is…— idisagree (@battlebornlv73) June 16, 2022
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You forgot the part where the police shoot Jane's dog.
— FordJones (@FordJones10) June 16, 2022
What’s worse is that Jane might not actually have any guns. The authorities don’t know who has what. But her house gets tossed anyway cause it’s no use trying to tell the SWAT guys you have no guns.
— Jim Williams (@Alpowolf) June 16, 2022
If there is strong evidence the person has presented a credible threat, then there are current laws that address that that allow for arresting the person who is the real danger vs an end-around of the US Constitution to "arrest" guns.
— Lloyd R Bass II (@lloydbassII) June 16, 2022
The very design of red flag laws is to remove due process protections. You forgot to mention that Randy’s order was done one-sided in a court process to which he isn’t privy, standards of evidence vary, 1/3 of orders are wrongly issued, and Randy foots the bill. https://t.co/iqdxS1Ityp
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) June 16, 2022
Also, it doesn’t solve the problem that IF Randy is dangerous, his firearms are taken, and he’s left there with knives, cars, oh, and the black market for guns where 77+% get their guns, via the DOJ.
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) June 16, 2022
I love the “cryptic messages.” Considering that people are getting banned all over social media or fired from their jobs for wrongthink, no way in hell should anyone trust “red flag” laws.
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) June 16, 2022
https://twitter.com/AmericanSon14/status/1537555158049103876
I'd kinda like an explanation about how Randy gets his guns back if it turns out that there's an innocent explanation (IE- Jane misunderstood an inside joke from Randy's friend group.)
— Thomas Mets (@MisterMets) June 16, 2022
“Cryptic messages”
That’s pretty vague…— Jessica Friday (@JessicaFreitag1) June 16, 2022
Told another way …
Related:
Dana Loesch systematically dismantles PolitiFact’s ‘absolute BS’ guide for journalists reporting on red flag laws https://t.co/GHNm6VJwEg
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) June 14, 2022
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