Florida officials who banned guns prior to hurricane may soon pay for their ‘error’

By Lee Williams

(Photo from licensed Shutterstock account).by Lee WilliamsThe five-member Okeechobee, Florida city council and Police Chief Donald Hagan may each be forced to pay $5,000 personally — without using taxpayer dollars — for violating Florida’s powerful preemption statute, which only allows the state legislature to regulate firearms.As previously reported, the city adopted an illegal ordinance shortly before Hurricane Helene made landfall, which banned the sale of guns and ammunition and prohibited firearm possession in public by anyone other than law enforcement or members of the military.  After learning of the civil rights violation, Florida Carry, Inc. sent a demand letter titled Written Notice of Preemption Violation and Offer of Settlement, to the city council and Chief Hagan, warning the recipients they have violated Florida’s preemption statute.The letter, which was written by Florida Carry, Inc. General Counsel Eric J. Friday, spelled out that the pro-gun group has sufficient standing to bring a lawsuit if the ordinance is not repealed within 30 days, and demanded the payment of $30,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees to “resolve this matter prior to initiation of litigation.”Okeechobee City Attorney John J. Fumero, in a response sent Wednesday, claimed that the city’s Second Amendment violation was merely an “inadvertent mistake in using

Source: The Gun Writer