The decision of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s decision to “suspend”, gun rights in Albuquerque (NM), has become a hot-button issue throughout the country.
Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency for public health and used this declaration to justify her executive order suspending open carry and concealed carry in areas with high gun violence rates. The 30-day order will expire, but the Governor has said she may extend it if necessary.
This is a gross violation of the Constitution. The governor has no right to nullify enumerated constitutional rights. This includes the gun rights that are derived from the Second Amendment. Any governor who would want to do this shows that they are sick. Lujan Grisham is a small-time tyrant, and she will always appear to be one.
John Allen, Bernalillo County sheriff, did not hold back when he spoke out about the illegal order.
🚨 HOLY MOLY: Democrat @BCSONM Sheriff John Allen said the governor sidelined him in the Friday press conference, where she announced she would remove BernCo residents’ gun rights via executive order. He said the governor’s “unconstitutional” order does “nothing but disarm…
— Rep. John Block (@RepBlock) September 11, 2023
SHERIFF: This is something we don’t agree about at all. It’s unconstitutional. I take my oath very seriously. In terms of Albuquerque, I’m asking everyone else to join in, including politicians and leaders. Last week, I said it. This man should email me. He said the mayor, sheriff, AGs, and chief, all have separate press conferences. I’ve read all the editorials. What will they do together?
In the press conference I gave with the Governor the other day, I said: “We are all here.” Bernalillo County has a problem. New Mexico is having a firearms problem. What can we do to stop the infiltration of firearms and violence? What can we do to help Albuquerque? Show that there is a collaborative effort being made to stop gun violence. All we can do is that. As I said there is no magic wand or one solution. There are many. I cannot be the only person who comes up with them. That’s why it’s important that we work as a group.
REPORTER: Sheriff, what do you tell the people who are afraid now that they might not be able to defend themselves having their concealed carry when you guys show up after it’s already happened?
SHERIFF: That’s a quick answer: We aren’t enforcing it.
REPORTER: Sheriff you said you were going to call a special meeting with the Governor. I believe this news was just announced Friday afternoon. It is Monday morning. You’re on Monday morning.
SHERIFF: I’m not sure. Many people have asked how I am feeling. The weekend was spent irritated and shocked. I must turn my anger and irritation into solutions. With the oath I took in 2023, I must take this very seriously.
The sheriff’s new tone is noticeable compared to his original statement, where he did not explicitly say no to enforcing Lujan Grisham’s order. His latest remarks cleared up any confusion. He and his deputy will not enforce the law, and he feels that the governor’s action is unconstitutional. This has caused him to be angry and annoyed.
You can understand his frustration, even if you don’t care about the Constitution. The sheriff is on the ground, as are his deputies. They put their lives at risk. As much as anyone, they understand that it is tragic when children die from gun crimes. From her ivory tower in Washington, the governor issued this order, despite knowing that it was unconstitutional. It turned all efforts to find solutions into a farce.
Allen is right, there’s no magic wand. Gun crime cannot be solved by virtue-signaling and unconstitutional measures that deny the rights of law-abiding gun owners. I believe Lujan Grisham acted in this way to raise her profile ahead of a possible Senate or Presidential run. She is now completely disqualified. I hope that enough Democrats will agree because rewarding her would be disastrous.
