National Rifle Association

Unified Sportsmen of Florida

For Further Information Contact Marion Hammer
(850) 222-9518
2016 ELECTIONS
Dear Florida Candidate:
Enclosed is a joint questionnaire from the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and
Unified Sportsmen of Florida (USF). We urge you to complete the questionnaire and return it to
us as soon as possible. Information from questionnaires is used to provide our members with
candidate positions on firearms issues. For your convenience, it may be faxed, or scanned and
emailed BUT the original containing the candidate's signature must be mailed to us.
Completed questionnaires will be reviewed and the information you submit will be used, in part,
as the basis for our decisions regarding candidate ratings and our involvement in any primary
and/ or general election races. You may submit additional information relating to your position
on Second Amendment/firearms/self-defense issues and campaign material, along with your
completed questionnaire. In fact, we encourage you to do so. Additional comments will give us a
more thorough understanding of your resolve on these issues. We include any personal
commentary in our deliberations.
No endorsement or support will be provided to a candidate who fails to return the questionnaire.
No exceptions.

Should you have any questions concerning the candidate questionnaire, or are uncertain about any
question or any issue, PLEASE DO NOT GUESS, please contact us. There are no trick questions.
Please complete the questionnaire and return it as soon as possible. Time is of the essence.
COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES MUST BE RETURNED BY JULY 14, 2016.
FAX Questionnaires to:

(850) 222-9059

EMAIL Questionnaires to:

USFinfo@aol.com

MAIL Questionnaires to:

Unified Sportsmen of Florida

P.O. Box 1387

Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1387

CALL Marion Hammer with ANY Questions (850) 222-9518
Please use the time block of 8:00am - 12:00noon Monday - Friday for questions.

Marion P. Hammer
Executive Director
NRA Past President

UNIFIED SPORTSMEN OF FLORIDA

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION

2016 FLORIDA SHERIFF CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

(Please Print CLEARLY or Type)

CITY_____________

......
ZIP_______

CAMPAIGN PHONE_________
OFFICE
SOUGHT____________

PHONE..- _ __,__________

CELL PHONE.___________
PERSONAL
COUNTY
EMAIL_______________

PARTY____

_
_
_

******************************************************************************************
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS are graded as a response against Second Amendment rights.
1.

Do you agree that the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 8 of the
Florida Constitution guarantee a fundamental individual right to keep and bear arms?
'

a.

b.--No.
2.

For how many of the following reasons do you support,firearms ownership?

a.
b. -c.
d. --

3.

Yes.

Self defense.
Competitive shooting.
Informal sport shooting.
Collecting.

e.
f. -g.
h. --

Hunting.
Constitutional right.
All of the above.
None of the above.

The Florida Constitution (Article I, Section 2) guarantees basic rights to all natural persons including
the right to defend life and protect property. Do you believe that an individual has the right to use
deadly force in defending himself or herself and family, home and property from criminals?
a.
Yes.
b.--No.

4.

Do you acknowledge that the Legislature makes the law, Sheriffs enforce the law, and that in the
oath of office, a Sheriff must swear to uphold the Constitution and the law? Further, do you
acknowledge that Sheriffs are not elected to try to change the law because of their personal
political views against constitutional protections and the law?
a.
b.--

Yes, and I will keep my oath of office.

No.

Page 1 of 4 - NRA/USF 2016 Florida Sheriff Candidate Questionnaire

5.

The protection of personal privacy rights of individuals from violations by giant corporations is a
growing issue in Florida and across America. In some areas, businesses have been using off-duty law
enforcement officers -- in their official uniforms -- as private security and have been SEARCHING
private vehicles that are parked in business parking lots. These searches violate constitutional rights
as they are not based on probable cause involving criminal activity, but rather are based on political
bias under the guise of public safety. People are being intimidated by the uniform and coerced into
giving permission for searches.
Would you allow your Deputies to engage in such searches either on duty or in official uniform while
working off-duty as private security?
a.
b.

6.

No, I would prohibit my Deputies from participating in such searches or behaving in that
manner, on duty or in uniform as private security.
Yes, as long as they can get the owner of the vehicle to give permission I think it's OK

Prior to 2005 --with no legislative authority -- Courts and Prosecutors had usurped the individual right
of a person to protect himself or herself and family from violent predators who break into their homes
and vehicles, or attack them on the streets. By using jury instructions,Courts were imposing a "duty
to retreat" on victims who had been violently attacked. Courts were favoring criminals by punishing
law-abiding victims for failing to nm, before exercising self-defensive action against a violent criminal.
Self-defense is well established in common law (w/ origins in Roman law) and it provides that a man's
home is his castle and he may use all manner of force, including deadly force, to protect it and its
inhabitants from attack, without a duty to retreat.
In 2005, the Florida Legislature codified common law into statutory law and passed "Castle
Doctrine/Stand Your Ground" legislation to protect the rights of victims. Now, anti-gun a~itators,
who oppose self-defense, are working to destroy the freedom and rights of innocent victims m favor
of protecting violent criminals.
Do you agree that no victim of crime should be required to surrender his life, health, safety, personal
dignity, autonomy, or property to a criminal, nor should a victim be required to retreat m the face
of attack from any place he or she has a right to be?
a.
b.

7.

Yes, I believe the "Castle Doctrine/Stand your Ground" is appropriate and victims have a
right to fight back without a duty to retreat.
No, I oppose the "Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground" and believe victims should
surrender to criminals or retreat to avoid fighting back.

It is a growing practice of some Sheriffs to travel, at taxpayer expense, to Tallahassee during

legislative session to lobby against Second Amendment rights and the constitutional right of selfdefense of the law-abiding citizens they were elected to protect and serve.
A Do you believe it is appropriate for a Sheriff to lobby and/ or use Deputies to lobby against the
Second Amendment rights of the law-abiding citizens they are sworn to serve?
a.
b.

No, lobbying against constitutional rights is a violation of my oath of office and I would not
do it and I would not allow it.
Yes, I think it's appropriate.

B. Do you believe it is appropriate for a Sheriff or his Deputies/employees to officially lobby

against the constitutional rights of law-abiding firearms owners, in the name of the Sheriff, Sherijfs
department or any Organizationor Association in any official law enforcement capacity?
a.
b.

No, I would not allow it. Our duty is to respect and serve our community and uphold the
law and the Constitution.
Yes, I would allow it.

Page 2 of 4 - NRA/USF 2016 Fl~rida Sheriff Candidate Questionnaire

8.

Even though the law prohibits it, some Sheriffs have been known to allow their sworn Deputies or
civilian employees to ignore the law and access protectedinformationon concealed weapons license
holders and drivers license information for lobbying purposes to support the Sheriffs political views.
Do you agree with that practice?
a.
b.--

9.

No, I would not allow accessing protected information for lobbying purposes.
Yes. I believe it's OK for law enforcement to use any information they choose.

According to an investigation report, confidential law enforcement intelligence files containing

protected information on concealed weapons license holders and gun owner information has been
shared with private organizations, like the Florida Sheriffs Association, despite state and federal laws
that prohibit it. Would you follow the intent of the law and stop the disclosure of this private data
for unauthorized purposes?
a.
b.--

Yes, I would stop it.

No, I would not stop it.

10. During the 2011 legislative session, legislation was introduced to protect concealed weapons/firearms
(CW) license holders against harassment and prosecution, if in the course of carrying concealed a
firearm was accidentally, inadvertently or unintentionally exposed to public view or if the imprint of
a firearm was recognized by a law enforcement officer.
The legislation was opposed by the Florida Sheriffs Association, so in good faith we agreed to
modified language to protect CW license holders if a firearm was briefly exposed -- with the caveat
that if the harassment continued new legislation would be pursued to provide for legal open carry.
Unfortunately, our good faith was misplaced and the problems continue. Clearly, allowing license
holders to also carry openly is the ONLY way to protect citizens from law enforcement abuse.
Do you agree that persons licensed by the state to carry a concealed firearm should be legally allowed
to carry openly?
a.

Yes, I agree license holders should be allowed to carry openly.

b.

I think any law-abiding person who is legally allowed to own and possess a firearm has a
right to carry openly.

c.

No, I personally oppose Open Carry for any reason.

11. Do you believe requiring a defendant to prove his innocence at any point in a criminal proceeding
is consistent with the principle that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty?
a.

No, if the state charges you with a crime, the state must prove you committed the crime.

b.

Yes, I think it's OK

12. Licenses to carry Concealed Weapons & Firearms are only issued to adults who are 21 years of age
or older. Do you believe the constitutional right of self-defense does not end on the campus of a
college or university and that anti-gun school administrators should stop discriminating against person
licensed by the state to lawfully carry firearms for self-defense?
a.
b.

Yes, I believe colleges and universities should be stopped from banning the lawful carrying
of firearms for self-defense on campuses.
No, I believe colleges and universities have a right to ban whatever they choose. Please
explain:----------------------------Use separatesheets if necessary
Page 3 of 4 - NRA/USF 2016 Florida Sheriff Candidate Questionnaire

13. Are you a member of the National Rifle Association, Unified Sportsmen of Florida, or any other
firearm/ sporting organization?
a.

Yes. Please list organizations and latest years of membership. _________

b.

No.

PLEASEANSWERALL QUESTIONS.
Questions that are not answered will be graded as a response against Second Amendment rights.

If you need additional information on any question, please contact: Ms. Marion P. Hammer, Executive
Director, Unified Sportsmen of Florida at (850) 222-9518.
--- CANDIDATE'S COMMENTS --(Please use additional sheets for additional comments you might have on any question or issue.)

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

CONFIRMATION
It is inappropriatefor a campaign worker, or anyoneother than the candidate, to fill out answersor sign
this questionnaire.This signature is the signature of the candidate and attests that responses on this
questionnaireare the honest views of the CANDIDATEand accuratelyreflect positions that will be taken
if elected.

CANDIDATE'SSIGNATURE
Please return questionnaire to:

Date
Unified Sportsmen of Florida
P.O. Box 1387, Tallahassee, FL 32302-1387

Page 4 of 4 - NRA/USP 2016 Fl~rida Sheriff Candidate Questionnaire