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
“I have emergency powers,” Grisham told The New York Times. “Gun violence is an epidemic. Therefore, it’s an emergency.” During the press conference, she also indicated that she probably would extend the order, which she said would be lifted only if “the epidemic” of gun violence ended after 30 days, adding, “I bet it’s not over in 30 days.”
Historically, George Mason law professor Robert Leider told the Times, orders like this one have been issued “when you have public disorders or other states of emergency, but most states of emergency usually involve something more acute.” Leider was skeptical that the ban would be upheld in court, saying, “I’m not aware of any precedent for this just for general criminal wrongdoing.”
State Reps. Stefani Lord (R–Sandia Park) and John Block (R–Alamogordo) on Saturday said Grisham’s order was grounds for impeachment. “This emergency order violates the Governor’s oath to protect and defend the rights of New Mexicans,” they said in a press release. “The legislature has a duty to intervene when the government is overstepping its boundaries, and Governor Grisham’s order and comments disqualify her from continuing her tenure as Governor.” Lord called the order “an abhorrent attempt at imposing a radical, progressive agenda on an unwilling populace.”
— Jacob Sullum in New Mexico’s Governor Suspends the Right To Bear Arms, Saying the Second Amendment Is Not ‘Absolute’
