"Rise of Right-Wing Sheriffs: Challenging Federal Law Nationwide"

The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), a right-wing sheriffs group founded in 2011, is gaining acceptance across the United States by spreading its ideology and securing state approval for taxpayer-funded law enforcement training. The group teaches that elected sheriffs should refuse to enforce any law they deem unconstitutional or unjust, including gun control laws, COVID-19 mandates, and alleged election fraud. Legal experts warn that such training can undermine democratic processes and contribute to a broader insurrectionist ideology. At least 69 sheriffs nationwide have been identified as members or supporters of the group, and some counties have considered resolutions empowering sheriffs to refuse to enforce state and federal laws they interpret as unconstitutional. Critics argue that the group's sympathies for right-wing, white-nationalist extremist causes make its ideas dangerous.