Sheriff Terry Maketa

Sheriff Terry Maketa

c/o The Legacy Foundation

(P.O. Box 96792, Washington, D.C. 20090)

Thursday morning

My Dear Fellow American,

In the blink of an eye, the law-abiding citizens of Colorado have lost their Second Amendment Rights . . . The Colorado legislature pushed through several unconstitutional gun control measures that were quickly signed into law by our Governor (1, 2, 3, 4).

Those of us who value our constitutional rights everywhere are shocked, stunned, and left to wonder whose rights they will take next. Which has brought me to the point of writing to a perfect stranger to tell you about one of the most important decisions of my life . . .

I, and 53 of my fellow Sheriffs in the state of Colorado, have come to the same critical decision -- we won't be a part of the attack on your Constitutional Right to bear arms.

If you are willing to stand with us -- PLEASE sign and return your "PLEDGE OF SUPPORT" immediately. You have every right to ask this question: "why should I care about what's happening to the Second Amendment rights of people in Colorado?"

BECAUSE THE FIGHT TO CONFISCATE THE WEAPONS OF LAW ABIDING CITIZENS IN EVERY STATE IS JUST BEGINNING.

I knew something was fishy -- I know my neighbors and the people in my community -- these knee-jerk pieces of anti-gun legislation didn't come from the people of Colorado . . . they came from Washington, D.C. and New York.

I wasn't surprised at all to hear that Joe Biden called personally to pressure our legislature to do the bidding of "Nanny State" Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York . . .

And as soon as they got their way in Colorado, President Obama was here using our police cadets as props to imply that the law enforcement community was behind this unconstitutional gun-grab (1, 2, 3).

My friend, when I took my oath to become a Sheriff, I swore to uphold the United States Constitution -- not to do the bidding of politicians in New York and Washington D.C.! Do you see what they're doing?

They're having a hard time getting their sham gun control legislation passed on a national level, so now the anti-gun lobby led by billionaire Michael Bloomberg is concentrating its efforts on getting guns banned in individual states -- in YOUR state if they can.

If we let them get away with this in Colorado, the precedent is set. the die will be cast. My state -- Colorado -- is where this battle must be fought and won before it spreads to others . . . before it comes to yours.

With your help, I believe we can win a decisive victory right here and right now. And here's one of the biggest reasons . . . My fellow Sheriffs and I are filing a civil rights lawsuit to overturn these anti-gun laws.

Our lead attorney will be Dave Kopel. Dave is one of the nation's foremost experts on the Second Amendment and we are lucky to have him right here in Colorado.

Dave is the Director of the Second Amendment Project at the Independence Institute, Associate Policy Analyst at the CATO Institute and Adjunct Professor of Advanced Constitutional Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

And to give you some idea of his track record, Dave served on the U.S. Supreme Court oral argument team, which won the 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller.

Dave is the best person in the world to have in our corner, and he's willing to take this stand with us because it's the right thing to do.

Will you stand with us too? If so, I'm going to ask you a big favor today. Will you make it official? Will you sign and rush back the enclosed "PLEDGE OF SUPPORT" to me and my fellow sheriffs?

Our opposition to the attack on the Second Amendment has enraged the gun control zealots who don't care about the rights of the people of Colorado OR about upholding the U.S. Constitution.

As of today, 54 Sheriffs from across Colorado, from both sides of the political aisle, are standing up for the constitutional right of their constituents and all Americans to keep and bear arms.

The gun control zealots don't like guns, so they don't want law-abiding citizens, like you, to own one. They don't care about your right to defend your life, your family or your property. They don't understand that first responders, like me and my fellow Sheriffs, as hard as we try, cannot always get there in time to save your life from an armed intruder.

These zealots are shrewd though. They know that by making incremental changes to the laws, and going state by state, they can slowly take away one of the greatest freedoms and protections we have . . . the right to keep and bear arms.

54 of my colleagues and I won't back down -- we know these laws are not only unconstitutional, but also unenforceable.

The legal battle could be a long one. And the costs are likely to be significant. So when Christopher Rants at the Legacy Foundation approached us with the offer to help raise the funds to provide legal costs that will arise, I had only one request -- that he let me reach out to you personally with this letter.

I want you to know that we are willing to fight this fight for you because it's the right thing to do -- not to make money or to become some kind of media celebrities.

Getting involved in a lawsuit against our own Government is the last thing we want to do -- but if that's what it takes to stop the sick power-grab that aims to disarm law-abiding citizens, then we will do it.

I'm so thankful that the Legacy Foundation is willing to help us. But the Legacy Foundation can only help if good folks like you are willing to come alongside them -- and us.

By raising these funds through the Legacy Foundation, we can build our legal fund with the highest level of accountability and transparency -- and integrity is important to us.

The Bloomberg gun ban lobby is very good at getting its way with no regard to the Constitution or the will of the American People.

So my friend, these gun haters and slick politicians are in the process of stripping away your Second Amendment right to bear arms no matter where you live . . .

We are willing to fight -- the list of Sheriffs who are joining us is growing -- but we are looking for a few folks just like you who might be willing to fight with us. Are you one of those people?

I hope so -- because if you're not, we are powerless to fight back. If you are willing to help, then please let me know by signing and rushing your "PLEDGE OF SUPPORT" back immediately.

I have made my pledge publically. And whether or not you choose to help today, I will fight for your, and EVERY American citizen's right to keep and bear arms.

Even if you are not a gun owner, what's to stop them from taking more of your rights once they've taken this one? The bottom line is that power-hungry politicians will push and push until they encounter resistance.

I and 53 of my fellow law enforcement officers have volunteered to be that resistance for you, my friend. So if you will pledge to help, please do me an important favor as soon as you possibly can. Please sign your "PLEDGE OF SUPPORT" and rush it back to me right away.

As more and more Sheriffs decide whether or not they will stand with us across the country, they need to know that the American People are going to support them.

We need to know that you have our back! Many Sheriffs are wrestling with the hard decision to join our fight. To help them decide, I need to be able to show them how many Americans have pledged to stand with us. We will keep a tally of the number of pledges of support we receive.

And it's critical that we can give an accurate count of how many Americans have raised their hand to join us.

Please -- before you set my letter down and move on to the next part of your busy day -- sign and return your "PLEDGE OF SUPPORT" in today or tomorrow's mail.

And along with your "PLEDGE OF SUPPORT", would you consider sending along a one-time gift of $35 to the Legacy Foundation?

Your gift will be used for court costs, other legal fees and other educational costs needed to bring more helpers to this effort from all over the country.

A gift of $35 from every person we are contacting today will give us a good start, but I must confess, we need more if you can afford to help on a higher level.

If you are able to consider a gift in the $50, $75, $100 or even $250 range, please send it along if at all possible. And if you are one of the few able to help on the $1,000 level, I can't think of a better investment.

If the Second Amendment falls, America will quickly become a very different, very scary place. It should come as no surprise that when innocent citizens are left to the mercy of criminals, the criminals have a field day.

To many of the bureaucrats in Washington and state houses around the country, the price of your safety and security is a price they're willing to pay for a political victory they have craved for over 30 years -- final victory over the Second Amendment.

My friend, I and my fellow law enforcement officers refuse to be a part of this. But without your help, we may face the hard choice of turning a blind eye on the Constitution, which we were sworn to uphold . . . or walking away from our office. I know you're counting on us . . . But we need to count on you, too.

Please sign and rush back your "PLEDGE OF SUPPORT" as soon as you possibly can -- tomorrow if possible. And when you do, please send along your much needed one-time contribution of $35, $50, $75, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more.

Gifts of any amount are needed and deeply appreciated. And I would consider it a personal favor if you'd answer my letter today.

Let's stand together against this attempt to take away our rights. This battle may not have reached your state yet, but it will.

And if you think all is lost in your state, all the more reason to join our fight. Once we overturn this unconstitutional gun-grab here, the knee-jerk anti-gun legislation rushed through in other states suddenly will be on very shaky ground. Please help if there's any way you can. Your very freedom depends on it.

Very Truly Yours,

Terry Maketa

Sheriff

El Paso County, Colorado

P. S. This gun grabbing frenzy that is sweeping the nation didn't rise up from the will of the American People -- it's coming straight from places like New York and Washington, where gun control zealots are on a mission to take our Constitutional Rights away from us.

And while the Constitution doesn't seem to matter much to many of the politicians in Washington or Colorado who seem hell-bent on disarming law-abiding citizens, it matters to me and my fellow Sheriffs.

If the Constitution -- and your Constitutional Rights -- matter to you too, then please help us take a stand to save them.

You can help in a critical way today by signing and rushing your "PLEDGE OF SUPPORT" back as soon as you possibly can.

And when you rush your Pledge back, please send along your best gift of $35, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more to help us raise the funds needed to fight back.

I hope to hear from you soon. I would consider it a great personal favor if you would answer my letter in the next 48 hours (P.O. Box 96792, Washington, D.C. 20090).

Not prepared or mailed at taxpayers expense.