The cover story in today’s TBT (the tabloid version of the Tampa Bay Times) is about how the Pinellas County Sheriff is going to “close the gun show loophole” by enforcing a county ordinance that all sales at a gun show must have a background check. Unfortunately, I don’t think this ordinance will be able to be challenged under Florida’s pre-emption law because there is an amendment that says counties can require background checks for private sales on “property to which the public has the right of access.”

The sheriff plans “to monitor upcoming gun shows either in uniform or through undercover operations.”

This essentially makes it very dangerous, legally speaking, to conduct private sales during a gun show in Pinellas County.

What this tells me:

1. The Pinellas County Sheriff is a publicity-seeking dick looking to score points from the anti-gunners. (Note the ad hominen attack, see we can use them too!)

2. The Pinellas County Sheriff is ignoring/ignorant of the latest FBI report on gun crime that stated less than 2% of guns used in crimes came from gun shows.

3. That just because an official is a Republican doesn’t mean (s)he is a friend to gun rights.

I dearly hope that the voters of Pinellas County manage to elect a better sheriff and/or repeal that county ordinance.