Washington state Democrats ban 'assault weapons' while enabling crime and releasing offenders

Over the weekend, the Washington state Senate passed a bill to ban the “manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any assault weapon.” The legislation will now return to the state House for concurrence on some of the amendments made to the legislation before heading to the governor's desk.

Due to an emergency provision in the legislation, it would take effect immediately if signed by the governor and ban over 60 types of firearms, mostly rifles.



Washington Democrats rejected Republican amendments that would have delayed enacting the law pending judiciaries ruling on the legislation’s constitutionality.

In House Bill 1240, the “assault weapons,” were described as “hyper-masculine… in [a] manner that overtly appeals to troubled young men intent on becoming the next mass shooter.”

However, the firearms listed in the legislation are not even used in a fraction of shooting incidents in Washington as local gang members typically use stolen or illegally purchased handguns.

Though they claim the bill will improve public safety, State Democrats have worked to reduce jail time for violent offenders.

Democrats have refused to meaningfully fix the pursuit reforms they enacted in response to the violent BLM and Antifa riots that rocked the Seattle area in 2020. As a result, police are often not able to pursue criminals and the number of people running from police as well as violent crimes and car thefts have soared to record highs.

The Democrat-controlled Legislature, as well as Democrat-controlled cities in the state, have pushed for “diversion” programs, rather than jail, which has led to a revolving-door justice system where prolific offenders continue to prey on Washingtonians.   

Additionally, Democrat-supported HB 1268 would no longer subject criminals charged with multiple sentencing enhancements for firearms and deadly weapons to mandatory consecutive terms and eliminates sentencing enhancements for gang-related crimes. The legislation also removes sentencing enhancements for drug dealing in “protected zones” including schools.

During the deadly 2020 Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, Democrats in the Legislature and state government were silent when armed BLM and Antifa activists seized control of 6 blocks of Seattle. Many Seattle Democratic officials enabled the occupation and provided resources including barriers to the armed activists.

Local Democrats turned a blind eye to a video of the so-called “Warlord of the Autonomous Zone” Raz Simone giving out AR-15s to anyone who would stand a post out of the trunk of his Tesla.

Due to the Democrats continuing enabling of criminals, crime has spiked in the Evergreen State. According to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Annual Report, from 2015-2021 murder has gone up 95 percent, aggravated assault has spiked 73 percent, violent crime has soared 55 percent and rapes have increased 51 percent.

Democratic Governor Jay Inslee who sent in the National Guard unarmed to deal with the 2020 riots but refused to use them to dismantle the autonomous zone, even after 6 shootings resulting in 2 deaths and crime spiking 250 percent during the occupation, has supported the legislation and is expected to sign it. 

If the legislation is signed into law, Washington would join nine other states including California and New York, that have broad restrictions on so-called “assault weapons” but still have record amounts of gun-related and violent crime.