On Tuesday’s broadcast of “CNN This Morning,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) reacted to law enforcement officials stating that her attempt to use a public health emergency to ban people from carrying guns in the Albuquerque area for 30 days is unconstitutional by stating, “that’s their opinion. They have no bold actions. They don’t have any plans for reducing gun violence.” And “it’s not for police to tell me what’s constitutional or not. They haven’t supported one, not one gun violence effort in the State of New Mexico, including domestic violence protections, universal background checks.” Grisham also told law enforcement, “if you want the community to be safer, show me that you can do that. If you’re not going to stand up for these kids and really test as hard as you can, getting fewer guns and dealing with gun violence in a meaningful way, then you’re basically saying that you won’t be responsible to protect the citizens of the state.”
Co-host Poppy Harlow asked, “We just heard from [Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen (D)]. He joins the Attorney General and others who say they won’t enforce it, it’s unconstitutional. Why do it if it can’t be enforced?”
Lujan Grisham responded, “Well, that’s their opinion. They have no bold actions. They don’t have any plans for reducing gun violence. Every single aspect in terms of preventing gun violence, funds, crime labs, more than 150 million for retention bonuses and recruitment of new police officers, I’m focused on one thing. We have the third-highest gun-related injuries in the country, 90% higher than the national average. We lost 143 children between 2017 and 2021. It is unacceptable and it calls for immediate and swift and bold action. And frankly, the evidence bears out, over and over again, fewer guns on the streets makes everyone safer. And I’m focused on everyone’s constitutional rights, not just those the NRA says I should be focused on.”
Lujan Grisham added, “And if not this bold action making sure that you’re safe going to the grocery store, you’re safe going to a baseball game, you’re safe walking on a hiking trail, there are individuals, including young people, where it’s illegal today to have a handgun openly carrying handguns. My question to law enforcement is, where are you? Where are you? And that young 11-year-old, Froylan Villegas, 17 rounds were fired into that gun. 35,000 rounds are fired at least annually in Albuquerque alone. You are not safe going to work, getting your prescription drugs, or going to a public park. And it wasn’t just about a cooling-off period. It’s about making sure that everyone is safer while we do bolder work to get at both the drug epidemic and the gun violence epidemic. And it’s not for police to tell me what’s constitutional or not. They haven’t supported one, not one gun violence effort in the State of New Mexico, including domestic violence protections, universal background checks. … But it’s — these are NRA talking points about their rights and not about anybody else’s.”
Lujan Grisham further stated, “[F]or law enforcement, I understand their — not really, look, if you want the community to be safer, show me that you can do that. If you’re not going to stand up for these kids and really test as hard as you can, getting fewer guns and dealing with gun violence in a meaningful way, then you’re basically saying that you won’t be responsible to protect the citizens of the state. Well, I will, and I will do everything in my power to turn the tide and to make sure every New Mexican, particularly children, are safe.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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