Brad Klippert Communicates to Constituents on Why He Opposes Gun Control Legislation

Personally, I support each of the bills Klippert Opposes. Still, it's important to know why Klippert opposes them, and why it's very probable that a majority of our district's voters will agree with him, because Klippert will very likely run against Rep. Dan Newhouse in the 2022 Primary. So, here he is, followed by how the Tri-City Herald sees Bradley A Klippert, Republican, Representative, 8th LD.

Rep. Bradley A Klippert, School Resource Officer

I want to thank everyone who continues to contact my office with your frustrations, concerns, and questions about the policies moving through the Legislature threatening your Second Amendment rights.

Senate Bill 5078 – known as the high-capacity magazine ban – would limit the number of rounds in a firearm magazine. The majority party has tried to implement this ban several times and has failed each time. Right now, this policy is moving through the Legislative process. It passed the Senate chamber on a party-line vote, and the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee also along party lines. I, along with my Republican colleagues, are ready for a significant fight and debate on the House floor should this bill come before the full chamber in the coming week.

House Bill 1705 would ban so-called “ghost guns.” Many politicians believe because of these firearms' inability to be traced entirely, they should be banned from existence. Unfortunately, they fail to recognize that “ghost guns” obtained by law enforcement officers at crime scenes are more than likely firearms that a criminal has etched off and removed the serial number. All this bill would do is empower criminals and those who do not care about the law and make criminals out of law-abiding citizens who enjoy putting together their own firearms, many of whom are former military personnel or retired law enforcement professionals. This bill passed the House chamber on a party-line vote, and the Senate Committee on Law and Justice also along party lines. This bill should advance to the full Senate chamber in the coming week.

House Bill 1630 would establish restrictions on carrying and possessing firearms and other weapons in areas used in connection with meetings of local governments, school district board meetings, and certain election-related facilities. This bill is not about public safety and making communities safer. I believe this will create horrible unintended consequences. This bill passed the House chamber on a party-line vote and the Senate Committee on Law and Justice also along party lines. This bill should advance to the full Senate chamber in the coming week.

With violent crime on the rise and the push for early release of violent criminals out of prison, we should not be taking away the constitutionally protected rights of law-abiding citizens! I am adamantly opposed to any legislation limiting your ability to defend yourself, your family, neighbors, community, or business.

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The Tri-City Herald interviewed Klippert when he was a candidate for the 2020 State Election. To say the Editorial Board found him wanting is an understatement. They endorsed his opponent. Klippert won anyway, by about the same margin as Donald trump won in this disturbingly conservative district.

Klippert, who has served six terms, is an ultra-conservative who once co-sponsored a bill to divide Washington into two states — a harebrained scheme that cannot help our agricultural community. He lacks influence in the Legislature. After serving that long in Olympia, he should hold a position of power, but he does not.

And right now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, his views on this deadly disease are downright dangerous. Klippert disagrees with the governor’s handling of the coronavirus, and recently led a worship protest where attendees did not always wear masks or socially distance from one another. The U.S. Constitution allows for freedom of religion and a virus doesn’t stop that right, he said. His stance is alarming. Lawmakers who don’t believe the citizens of Washington are in an emergency of incalculable danger from COVID-19 are, themselves, a danger to us all. And Klippert is such a lawmaker.

He insists the number of cases of COVID-19 in Washington state don’t qualify as an emergency. Klippert does not seem to understand that our infection rate is where it’s at because of the governor’s restrictions. Without them, the numbers — and deaths — surely would be much higher. Klippert, who says he is the only school resource officer serving in the Legislature, has not evolved his focus in Olympia beyond law-enforcement related topics during his tenure.