Democratic plan to demilitarize police is back-door attack on 2nd Amendment, congressman warns

Republicans can support many proposed racial justice reforms, but a Democratic plan to demilitarize police departments will put officers at risk and open a back-door assault on 2nd Amendment rights, a GOP congressman warns.

"Next is going to be, well if law enforcement aren't allowed to have AR15's and semi-automatic rifles, then you as a citizen shouldn't be able to either," Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., told Just the News, explaining why he opposes a House Democratic plan to curb the transfer of military-style weapons for law enforcement.

The legislation comes as the nation engages in a debate about issues including race and policing in the wake of the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Steube, an Iraq war veteran, JAG lawyer and son of a retired Florida sheriff, also expressed significant concern about "changing the standard for qualified immunity," which an officer can use as a defense from civil or criminal charges when they have properly followed protocols and training.

"I don't know anybody out there that would want to be a law enforcement officer knowing that if you do everything that you were trained to do, you still can get personally sued and they can come after you criminally," he told the John Solomon Reports podcast.

Steube predicted that placing limitations on the weapons authorities can wield at work and tampering with the kind of immunity protections they will enjoy even when they have properly performed their duty will have a negative impact on the amount of people who want to serve.

During the interview Steube also discussed the issue of FISA abuse and said that as a part of FISA reform FBI agents "should be held criminally liable" if they engage in misrepresentation in their application.