Statesman coverage of the Idaho Sheriffs Association position on gun legislation misstated the sheriffs' position, said Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney, who heads the statewide association.
A Feb. 6 story summarized the Idaho sheriffs' statement as agreeing "to support gun laws."
"In fact, the Idaho Sheriffs' Association position reads, 'We, the sheriffs of the State of Idaho support the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms and we oppose any intrusion upon those rights,' " Raney said.
The Feb. 6 story also said Raney's position -- as stated in a Jan. 25 reader's view -- was that he would "enforce all laws, even ones with which he disagrees."
"That suggests I would enforce federal gun laws, which is not the case in practicality or philosophy," Raney said. "Every Idaho sheriff opposes the proposed gun control laws, but regardless, we would simply have no enforcement role if they were to pass. Only federal law enforcement agencies would be involved in such efforts.
"These are complicated legal issues and the cause of the misinformation is a mixture of misunderstanding and sometimes intentional misrepresentation. Some of the misinformation has come from the media, some from impassioned people and even some from other sheriffs and sheriffs associations."
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