Brady Campaign: Oregon sheriff must 'immediately resign' for 'extremist' Sandy Hook and pro-gun views

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has called for Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin to immediately resign his position and to step down as the lead investigator for the Umpqua Community College mass shooting case.

"Citizens of Oregon voted for the expansion of Brady background checks in a law signed by Governor Brown this past May," Brady Campaign President Dan Gross noted in a statement over the weekend. "In pledging not to enforce the new law, John Hanlin has clearly demonstrated that his political ideology trumps his responsibility to protect his community. The victims of last week's shooting and the entire community deserve a thorough investigation that will get to the bottom of this heinous crime - an investigation that must be grounded in facts and evidence, not myth and bias."

Gross also pointed to the fact that Hanlin had posted a video on Facebook suggesting that the Sandy Hook shootings had been plot by the federal government to pass gun control laws.

"John Hanlin is not the man for the job," Gross said during a conference call on Monday.

Gross argued that it would be difficult to trust that the sheriff had not omitted facts from the investigation because of his "extremist ideology."

Hanlin has repeatedly refused to discuss his views on gun laws with reporters since last week's shooting. He has also insisted that he does not believe the Sandy Hook shooting was a government conspiracy.

"My focus right now is on getting this investigation completed and taking care of the victims and the victims' families," Hanlin said on Friday. "Now is not an appropriate time to have those conversations."

Watch the video below from The Oregonian.