In what may be the most defiant move toward the federal government by a state's legislature since the Civil War Missouri is set to enact a gun bill that would nullify all federal gun regulations in the state; it even goes so far as allowing a person who has been arrested for a federal gun violation to sue the arresting officer, according to the New York Times.
The law was passed by the Republican leaning legislature in the spring but had been vetoed by Democrat Gov. Jay Nixon. It appears as if there are enough votes to override the veto, including the votes of some Democrats who believe that voting against gun legislation in Missouri is akin to career suicide, according to Fox News.
In a letter along with the veto Nixon explained his reasons for opposing the law, including the belief that the power of the federal government is "as logically sound as it is legally well established." Part of the law makes it illegal for journalists to print the name of gun owners for any reason; a provision that Nixon and many others believes violates the First Amendment, according to the New York Times.
"Our Constitution is not a Chinese buffet, which we like and do not like," Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, told the Associated Press. "The First Amendment is part of the Constitution that we must uphold... (And) the supremacy clause means that states cannot criminalize the activities of agents of the federal government."
In order to override the veto Republicans will need the support of at least a few Democrats in the legislature. One of the votes they may get is that of Rep. Ed Schieffer. Schieffer supports gun rights but seems to understand that the bill would never survive a legal challenge, according to Fox news.
"I personally believe that any higher court will probably rule this particular gun law unconstitutional on that, I probably agree that the governor's right," Schieffer told Fox News. "But I may end up still voting for the gun bill, because I don't want to be on record for not supporting guns."
A similar gun law was passed in Montana. That law made it so weapons that were made within the state and kept within the state were not subject to federal regulations; other states have also passed laws much like the Montana one. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Montana law last week, according to Fox News.
