A lot of cops are liars, and the media is their willing partners in that enterprise (or too stupid to call them out).

Referring to statistics released by SLED in June and confirmed by the FBI this month, Keel cited a 51% increase in homicides statewide the past five years, including a 25% surge in 2020.

“It’s important that our legislative priorities reflect this, and we take immediate legislative steps to stem the violence,” Keel said, noting state and local law enforcement agencies said the measure would allow them to arrest more felons illegally carrying firearms.

Keel’s comments echo Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook’s letter to legislators in February that suggested “commonsense solutions” to reconcile variations in state and federal code.

For instance, Holbrook wrote, a conviction for strong arm robbery doesn’t preclude a South Carolinian from legally owning a firearm although the individual cannot legally purchase one under federal law.

Felons who violate South Carolina’s 2010 law can be charged with illegal possession with a maximum punishment of a $2,000 fine and/or up to five years in prison. Law enforcement officials want escalator tiers to increase penalties for repeated violations.

This information is just not true.

SECTION 16-23-500. Unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of violent offense; confiscation; return of firearm to innocent owner.

(A) It is unlawful for a person who has been convicted of a violent crime, as defined by Section 16-1-60, that is classified as a felony offense, to possess a firearm or ammunition within this State.

(B) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

And the chief of SLED worded his speechery to neatly avoid telling lies overt like Holbrook did.  He’s just not telling the whole truth – and your mother would have called that a lie too.

You see, he uses words like “the measure would allow them to arrest more felons illegally carrying firearms.”  What does he mean by this, that it would be more illegal to be a violent felon in possession of a firearm?  No, that’s not a rational position to take.  There is no such thing as more illegal.  He just made that up.

What he means is that SLED can go on boy’s outings with FedGov (ATF, FBI) to make arrests, bust down doors, etc., and feel all manly while they “get some,” if there is a hint from an AFT agent that there may be a firearm in the hands of a felon which SLED didn’t know about.

You see how he did that?  “Arrest more felons.”

The chief of SLED wants to partner with FedGov, the entire point of which second amendment sanctuary laws are in place to prevent.

Because illegal firearms may one day be a rifle with a brace, or an AR-15, or a pistol with a magazine capacity of more than ten rounds, or any semiautomatic firearm.

Constitutionalists in South Carolina have a problem on their hands, namely, law enforcement.

And rather than focus on anything South Carolina law enforcement says, the legislature should go ahead and pass second amendment sanctuary laws that prevents their own LEOs from working with FedGov, and maybe even give it more teeth, where their own LEOs arrest FedGov agents for infringements on the 2A.

Law enforcement should be your servants, not your rulers.