Although this site normally covers New Jersey-based Second Amendment news, we turn our attention to New Mexico where Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has so flagrantly violated the U.S. Constitution that even leftist Democrats are criticizing her recent move disarming law abiding citizens.
On September 7, Governor Grisham issued an emergency order suspending the right to conceal or open carry guns in public in the city of Albuquerque and surrounding county for the next 30 days.
Today, I signed an executive order declaring gun violence a public health emergency. To my fellow citizens: get loud. Step up. Demand change: from your neighbors, from your friends, from your communities, from your elected leaders. Enough is enough. More coming from me tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/jOt4fv4YDC
— Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) September 7, 2023
The governor’s preemption of Constitutional rights came under the color of “statewide public health emergencies” that she linked to “gun violence”, according to the public health order issued by Patrick M. Allen, Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health.
According to a press release issued by her office, the governor stated, “As I said yesterday, the time for standard measures has passed, and when New Mexicans are afraid to be in crowds, to take their kids to school, to leave a baseball game – when their very right to exist is threatened by the prospect of violence at every turn – something is very wrong.”
When we're afraid to be in crowds, to take our kids to school – when our very right to exist is threatened by the prospect of violence at every turn – something is wrong. I’m not going to stop fighting for public safety until everyone is safe. Period. https://t.co/pcWqIjZDLH
— Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) September 9, 2023
The above quote illustrates how quickly the left will turn to authoritarian measures to secure their power under the guise of “public safety” without any regard for the very Constitution they swore to protect and uphold. Many on social media have commented that the very purpose of the Second Amendment is to protect citizens from tyrannical moves such as those by the New Mexico governor.
Many Democrats were quick to distance themselves from the governor’s extreme measures. California Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu tweeted, “I support gun safety laws. However, this order from the Governor of New Mexico violates the U.S. Constitution. No state in the union can suspend the federal Constitution. There is no such thing as a state public health emergency exception to the U.S. Constitution.”
Hey Ted, conceal and open carry are state laws that I have jurisdiction over. If you’re really interested in helping curb gun violence, I’d welcome you to join our next police academy class. https://t.co/Odf9fNbO2W https://t.co/17ca1dYpLc
— Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) September 10, 2023
Numerous members of law enforcement also came out against the governor.
Bernalillo County District Attorney, Sam Bregman, said that he, “cannot and will not enforce something that is clearly unconstitutional.”
According to an AP report, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Police Chief Harold Medina are also on record as saying they wouldn’t enforce the order.
Bernalillo county sheriff, John Allen, a Democrat, also expressed concern about the order. He said he was, “wary of placing … deputies in positions that could lead to civil liability conflicts, as well as the potential risks posed by prohibiting law-abiding citizens from their constitutional right to self-defense”.
According to a report by The Blaze, dozens of gun owners gathered on September 10, in Old Town Albuquerque to protest by openly displaying their firearms in defiance of the decree.
On September 9, the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) and Foster Haines (NAGR member and Albuquerque resident) announced they filed a lawsuit against Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Secretary of Health.
We will continue to follow this story.
