The Camden County (Missouri) commissioners took a bold stand, asserting the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is “unconstitutional” and declaring it will refuse to cooperate with the agency on any of its investigations, which in this case, is a zoning question to check a box to license four prospective gun stores in the county.

KCUR, the NPR affiliate in Kansas City, Missouri reports County Commissioner Ike Skelton–I could not make that name up, folks–responded to the agency requesting zoning information, “Under the Anti-Commandeering Doctrine, Camden County was the first county in Missouri, and possibly in the country, to pass an ordinance prohibiting any county employee from assisting your unconstitutional agency in violating the rights of our citizens.”  Two of Ike’s fellow commissioners co-signed, as did County Attorney Jeff Green, Sheriff Tony Helms and County Treasurer Kendra Hicks.

ATF uses the zoning information to ensure someone has not submitted a fraudulent application to license a property zoned for something other than retail space, such as a residence or hospital. Put aside the fact that, well, that’s not how any of this works constitutionally or administratively, these county commissioners are actually screwing over their own gun-lovin’ constituents in a number of ways.  First, they’re preventing four local businesses from being able to open, and second, they’re limiting access for customers to purchase guns.  Talk about shooting yourself in the foot over nothing.