KOB 4 News reports today that Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen vowed to not enforce the emergency public health order (“PHO”) declared on September 8, 2023 by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. The PHO bans the open and concealed carry of firearms throughout Bernalillo County – which includes the City of Albuquerque – for at least 30 days.
During a news conference today, Sheriff Allen said the PHO was “unconstitutional” and that there was no way [the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office] can enforce that order.” He went on to say that “[t]his ban does nothing to curb gun violence.”
Accordingly, Sheriff Allen is of the same view as Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and the Albuquerque Police Department, all of whom have announced that they will not enforce the provisions of the governor’s PHO. It appears that the New Mexico State Police will be the only law enforcement agency enforcing the PHO.
The KOB 4 News article may be read HERE.
FGGAM’s initial article reporting on Governor Lujan Grisham’s issuance of Executive Order No. 2023-130 – Declaring A Public Health Emergency Due To Gun Violence and her subsequent declaration of the above-referenced PHO may be viewed HERE.
My brothers and sisters, New Mexico is once again in the national news headlines for another not-so-endearing reason. The governor’s policies and instincts are incredibly hard to understand, let alone justify as matters of law. She has acknowledged publicly that the PHO will not likely be complied with by criminals. So, who is she trying to punish and why?
It’s no longer some sort of conspiracy-minded concern to ask why an elected official would hamstring lawful citizens in the ability to legally defend themselves against the very criminals supposedly predicating the PHO? This is another topic for another day, but rest assured that the answer involves political influence, power and control.
New Mexico’s Republican State Representatives Stefani Lord and John Block have called for Governor Lujan Grisham’s impeachment. Representative Block recently told Fox News that there “is no such thing as a state public health emergency exception to the US Constitution,” and has already begun preparing the articles of impeachment.
The governor’s ban on the carry of firearms is exceedingly and clearly in conflict with the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, and also violates the State of New Mexico’s constitution.
One person, regardless of status, should NEVER have the authority to independently and arbitrarily declare portions of our federal and state constitutions null and void – even on a temporary basis. Such is the reasoning of a dictator and falls more in line with the governments of totalitarian regimes and communist countries, not the freedom and self-governing intent of the US Constitution and the will of our forefathers.
The United States is a constitutional republic (sometimes described aptly as a representative democracy) and has elected officials who are tasked with representing the views of their constituents – meaning you and me. There are no constitutional provisions for any one elected official, at the federal or state level, to establish law or dispense with established constitutional rights and protections unilaterally.
We need the wisdom of God in our government and our lives now more than ever! It’s not always easy to do what’s right and best, but doing such is required of good men and women!
Some scripture to consider:
James 1:5 (NKJV)
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
Proverbs 13:20 (NKJV)
“He who walks with wise men will be wise, [b]ut the companion of fools will be destroyed.”
Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV)
“Pride goes before destruction, [a]nd a haughty spirit before a fall.”
1 Corinthians 3:19 (NKJV)
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness…'”.
Praise Jesus forevermore!
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Republican Party of New Mexico Prepares to file Lawsuit Against the Governor and Secretary of Health