Lewis County Commissioners Offer Varied Responses to Sheriff’s ‘Second Amendment Sanctuary’ Proposal

Gun Laws: Pollock Says ‘Sanctuary’ Used By Liberal Jurisdictions

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County commissioners aren’t in agreement about making Lewis County a “Second Amendment sanctuary,” voicing concerns Monday as Sheriff Rob Snaza continued to push for the designation, which he says would be largely symbolic.

“Are we afraid to offend somebody? Because I can tell you the other side is not afraid to offend us or create laws to come after us,” Snaza told the commissioners.

The sheriff proposed the idea last week, pointing to potential, but unspecified, gun restriction laws from the state and federal government. Under President Joe Biden’s administration, more jurisdictions have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries. And Snaza has pointed to local cities and neighboring counties that have done the same.

District 1 Commissioner Sean Swope said this week he’s “very in favor” of the idea, citing Washington’s new law banning open-carry at permitted demonstrations and on state Capitol grounds. That law was passed after armed demonstrations in Olympia on at least three occasions resulted in gunfire, according to The Seattle Times.

The prohibition, Swope said, is a “snowball that’s going to start rolling down the hill.”

But Commissioner Lindsey Pollock, who showed off her conceal carry permit on the campaign trail last year, said she’s hesitant to use the word “sanctuary,” since it’s often linked to liberal jurisdictions. The term, she said, “is often time used as a catch-all for ‘we condone lawlessness.’”

“And I don’t want to see us lumped in with the same category as King County,” Pollock said. “‘Oh, we’re basically of the same mindset as Seattle and Portland.’ That’s not what we’re about. So I give pause with the word sanctuary.”

Instead of the sanctuary designation, Pollock said she would like the county to pass some sort of resolution reaffirming commissioners’ dedication to the constitution as a whole.



“We absolutely see our Second Amendment rights being eroded away. But we’ve got more going on that I think is problematic,” she said. “There’s discussion now of ‘OK, are we going to have to carry papers now when we travel?’ I’m not too excited about that either.”

The Winlock veterinarian also pointed to the 19th Amendment, which granted some women the right to vote for the first time.

“I maybe take a little bit different view than you gentlemen,” she told Swope, Snaza and Commissioner Gary Stamper. “Because my right to vote is guaranteed by an amendment, unlike you three. So I’m pretty dedicated to all the amendments as well as the Constitution. And I’d like that to be reflected.”

Stamper also brought up a concern with how residents unfamiliar with commissioners may interpret the resolution. He painted a picture of residents emboldened by the resolution, potentially firing weapons in unlawful situations.

Commissioners signaled they would look at other counties’ Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions and discuss the possibility with the county’s prosecuting attorney.

Meanwhile, Snaza repeated that he would enforce potential gun restrictions “on a case-by-case basis.”