Wake County Sheriff Sued Again Over Taking Weeks (or Months!) to Process Pistol Purchase Permits

RALEIGH – It takes just a few days in Johnston County, but if you live just across the line in neighboring Wake County it could take weeks, or even months, to get a pistol purchase permit. The law requires such permit applications to be processed in 14 days or less.

That’s why Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker is getting sued for the third time for denying the Second Amendment rights of Wake County residents. Baker, a Democrat that came into office on the promise of making Wake County a sanctuary for illegal aliens (a promise he kept) blames an ‘unprecedented’ months long surge in applications.

That excuse is not good enough for Grassroots North Carolina, a gun rights group that has the audacious expectation that the sheriff should honor the law and citizens’ unalienable rights.

From WRAL:

“[…] Grass Roots North Carolina said Wednesday their office has been “flooded with complaints” from people who are trying to buy guns but are unable to do so because of limitations set in place by Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker.

According to GRNC, “Baker refuses to process pistol purchase permits within the 14 days required by law, effectively denying citizens their right to keep and bear arms.” GRNC asserts that more people want to buy guns due to recent unrest across the country.

The sheriff’s office confirmed Wednesday it has been receiving an “unprecedented increase” of pistol purchase permit applications daily.

“Between Jan. 1 and July 24, 18,282 individuals have been approved or have received their permits,” a release stated. “During the same period last year, 8,169 permits were approved.”

GRNC President Paul Valone said this is the third lawsuit filed against Baker and the sheriff’s office.

“Sheriff Baker seems to think he is above the law,” Valone said in a written statement. “Grass Roots North Carolina intends to prove otherwise. Since Baker doesn’t seem to be getting the message, we will deliver it loud and clear.”

The sheriff’s office responded, saying, “Sheriff Baker stands by his decision to protect the health and well-being of this staff and general public during this pandemic.” […]”

Despite a judge already telling Sheriff Baker he could not simply suspend applications because of a bump in volume, or contagion risks. Even in a pandemic, the Constitution still applies. Or, at least, it should.

The judiciary reminded Baker that he must process the applications within the 14 day time period. It’s now August, and applications still take a month or more to get processed.

And why would anyone need their Second Amendment right to legally purchase a gun honored in a timely manner? It’s not like crime is on the rise, police have been handicapped, or murder rates in major North Carolina cities have tripled since the advent of the Woke Cultural Revolution commenced.

Oh, wait…