Vote no on Initiative 1491, the extreme-risk protection order initiative.
If passed, a judge could order law enforcement to seize your firearms.
Your right to legal representation is zero.
Even the ACLU does not support this initiative.
The ACLU says [via www.ballotpedia.org] that “the protection order can be obtained from a judge ex-parte — without notice to the person being accused.
“This severely limits the ability of a person to challenge an order once it is entered.”
Additionally, the Washington state Legislature did not pass this bill out of committee due to its many faults.
What about your right to constitutionally mandated due process?
Would it not be more responsible and constitutional to allow the accused a fair hearing before a judge?
How will I-1491 protect women?
Existing protection or no-contact orders often fail to protect.
For example, a woman separates from her violent and unstable husband.
He knows a psychologist prescribes medication to his wife for divorce stresses.
She purchases a firearm, obtains a concealed-carry permit and training.
He knows she purchased a firearm for protection and he endangers himself if he attempts assault.
He seeks court implementation of I-1491.
The court issues the ex-parte protection order without her knowledge.
Police show up and seize her firearm.
Now helpless, she is stripped of her natural right and constitutional right to self-defense without committing any crime.
The stalker has used the courts against her.
What happened to “innocent until proven guilty”?
Reject I-1491.
Dan Shotthafer,
Port Angeles