Santa Clara County, California — One of the issues with a ‘May Issue’ concealed carry permit system is that it’s easy for authorities to abuse.

If the sheriff doesn’t like your hair, no permit. If the sheriff doesn’t like your politics, no permit.

That’s why it was outrageous–but not shocking–when allegations out of California this week claimed that the system is being abused.

The report alleged that Santa Clara county Sheriff Laurie Smith was accepting large donations in exchange for issuing concealed carry permits.

The allegations point to several large donations made by certain parties to the Sheriff’s reelection campaign office.

Smith, who first won her election in 1998, has had lots of reelection campaigns to finance, when you think about it.

One name on the paperwork is a security company called AS Solutions. This company provide bodyguards and security for top executives at some of Silicon Valley’s largest companies. Interestingly, campaign finance records indicate that one of AS Solutions managers made a large contribution last year. It wasn’t to a local school or hospital, but to an “independent expenditure committee” that was working on Smith’s re-election campaign.

Yes, you read that right.

Big Tech’s security firms were making large donations to the reelection campaigns of the sheriff and –miraculously–those were some of the few permits issued that year.

When asked how many permits were issued, total, Sheriff Laurie Smith’s office decline to say.

They said that releasing those documents during this investigation wouldn’t “serve the public interest.”

Rich Robinson, Smith’s personal lawyer, did comment, however, “It’s absurd this is an issue given the stinginess in which the sheriff gives out.”

That doesn’t make the Sheriff look better, Mr. Robinson.

At The Sheriff’s Mercy:

The process for obtaining a concealed weapon licenses in California can vary widely depending on the county.

San Francisco’s sheriff has issued exactly zero active licenses.

The sheriff in Alameda County currently has granted more than 250, and Solano County has more than 2,300.

Maybe the sheriff in Solano County realizes that he works for the People? Possibly everybody in Solano county has deep pockets and are able to ‘grease the wheels’ to get their permits?

Or maybe it’s exactly what it looks like: California’s law-abiding gun owners are held captive by terrible gun laws and a corrupt permitting system.

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