New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez (D) is the latest figure to push back against New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s (D) controversial ban on concealed and open carry.
Torrez released a letter on Tuesday clarifying that he will not be “defending” the ban in the two current lawsuits against it. While he acknowledged Grisham’s desire to reduce gun violence, he questions the effectiveness of her order.
NM Attorney General Raul Torrez says he will NOT defend the governor in several already filed lawsuits related to her 30-day gun ban. “I do not believe that the Emergency Order will have any meaningful impact on public safety…I do not believe it passes constitutional muster.” pic.twitter.com/XsgZjie2eT
— Brittany Costello (@BrittanyKOB) September 12, 2023
“Given that only responsible gun owners are likely to abide, much less recognize your ban, it is unclear how this action will lead to a measurable decline in gun violence in our community,” he wrote.
In addition, Torrez expressed his disapproval of the governor’s decision to label the ban a “public health emergency” issue, as it implies gun violence is a medical matter, rather than a problem stemming from safety issues.
“I believe it is unwise to stretch the definition of a ‘public health emergency’ to encompass something that is fundamentally a public safety issue,” he said in the letter.
The pushback from Torrez arrives following similar sentiments from Bernalillo County District Attorney Samuel Bregman and Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen, as well as national gun control advocate David Hogg. All three have declared the ban “unconstitutional.”
The order itself was designed to keep gun owners from openly carrying firearms in public and it also bans all concealed carry without a permit — which is virtually impossible to obtain in New Mexico.
The ban provoked an uproar from Second Amendment activists and gun rights advocates, especially in light of the fact that state law already prohibited most people from carrying a firearm without a permit.
Many are concerned that the effects of Grisham’s ban go beyond stripping the rights of responsible gun owners. They are worried that the ban could open the door for more overly restrictive gun control measures down the line.
“The governor is making a very dangerous step here,” said Chuck Cogburn, a former Deputy U.S. Marshal and an outspoken gun rights advocate in an interview with Fox News. “It’s one thing to protect citizens, but this ban could be a slippery slope for more restrictive gun control and we should be very worried about that.”
Regardless of the sentiments on both sides of the debate, it’s clear that the New Mexico state government is divided on the issue of gun control. While the governor takes an aggressive stance on the matter, the attorney general does not support her move. Stakes are high in this debate and the outcome of New Mexico’s concealed carry ban could have far-reaching implications.
