Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Lujan Grisham Still Desperate for Attention

Monday, October 16, 2023

Lujan Grisham Still Desperate for Attention

It’s been a couple weeks since we last talked about New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s (D) efforts to abuse her authority and enact a clearly unconstitutional 30-day ban on law-abiding citizens carrying a firearm for self-defense in Albuquerque and the surrounding Bernalillo County.  We suggested it was little more than a PR stunt on the governor’s part, considering how obvious it was that she did not have the authority to do what she tried to do, the fact that she openly admitted that criminals would not be likely to obey her order—much as they refuse to obey any number of other laws that outlaw their actions—and the fact that there was absolutely no enforcement of the ban over the first weekend it was in place.

And when we say there was no enforcement, we know that because there were people openly protesting the ban, many in clear “violation” of it, with no arrests made or citations issued for non-compliance.

When a judge appointed by none other than Joe Biden—the most anti-gun president in this nation’s history—quickly issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against enforcing Lujan Grisham’s ridiculous power-grab, she amended her demand to apply to “public parks or playgrounds” in the affected area, but the TRO remained in effect.

That same judge, however, has now allowed the amended prohibition on carrying a firearm in “public parks or playgrounds” to be enforceable—even if the firearm is carried by a law-abiding citizen who wishes to do so to provide for self-defense, and is doing so in accordance with all other New Mexico laws in all other areas of the state not subject to the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County-specific edict.

Considering this decision, we anticipate Lujan Grisham will likely try to expand her publicity stunt to other areas of the state, if not throughout it entirely. Legal challenges to the order will continue to work their way through the courts, however, including one filed by NRA.

Prior to the judge’s decision on October 11, that amended order was extended for an additional 30 days.  Also added to the governor’s order was yet another publicity stunt—the call for the implementation of gun turn-in programs within 30 days in the cities of Albuquerque, Espanola, and Las Cruces.

While most in the anti-gun community refer to programs where the government encourages citizens to voluntarily hand over their firearms as “gun buy-back” programs, the order uses the term “safe surrender events.”  To confuse matters more, the order never actually references the program entails people turning in firearms, although the governor has made clear in public statements that is what she intends to happen.

Anyone who truly understands how criminals operate knows gun turn-in programs have always been little more than anti-gun publicity stunts, and do nothing to diminish violent crime.  Criminals are never going to voluntarily turn in a tool of their illicit trade—with the possible exception of getting rid of a gun used in a crime that could be traced back to them, or to make some quick money off of a firearm they have stolen and do not need.

Studies have found little evidence to suggest gun turn-in programs work as intended, with a recent one from the National Bureau of Economic Research finding “no evidence that (gun turn-in programs) reduce suicides or homicides where a firearm was involved.”

Just as with the original order, this extended and amended order is just more desperate anti-gun virtue signaling on the part of the governor.  It has little to do with effective policy making when it comes to addressing violent crime where firearms are involved.

In fact, during a recent discussion about her efforts to negate the Second Amendment, she all but proclaimed that she had no reason to try to eliminate the lawful carrying of firearms for self-defense.  At an October 10 press conference, one day before the judge’s decision to lift the TRO that prohibited enforcement of the Lujan Grisham ban on carrying in “public parks and playgrounds,” the governor and her people tried to proclaim how successful her actions have been.

Ben Baker, her Senior Public Safety Advisor, boasted that 502 people had been arrested, 20 firearms seized, 1,370 traffic citations were issued, and even made the claim—although likely difficult to verify—that there had been a “lower number of shots fired in the communities” affected by the order since the governor issued it.  He also implied, by making anecdotal reference to two repeat violent offenders that had been arrested, that the increased arrests were making the streets safer by putting known criminals behind bars.

If all of that is true, that’s great, but it proves the point that the attempt to curtail the lawful carrying of firearms was unnecessary, and, as we have said, little more than a publicity stunt.  After all, this reported “success” covers a time period when the governor’s order, as it relates to carrying firearms in public, was subject to a TRO, so it was not being enforced.  Unless she and law enforcement are admitting to violating the TRO, which we doubt is the case.

In other words, by doing what we have always encouraged—targeting known violent criminals while leaving law-abiding gun owners alone—they were apparently able to get known violent criminals off the street and behind bars.

Imagine that!

The pro-Second Amendment community has consistently pointed out that no new gun laws are needed to go after the bad actors who use firearms in an illegal manner.  Governor Lujan Grisham seems to be verifying this viewpoint, in spite of her anti-gun posturing.

As for her true goal of simply seeking attention, while she has received quite a bit of it, none of it has been good.  She has been excoriated by those who support our right to keep and bear arms, is named in countless lawsuits challenging her unconstitutional order, was asked by New Mexico legislators from BOTH parties to rescind her radical order, and was even called out by some anti-gun extremists for promoting an order even they pointed out is unconstitutional.

And as we previously noted, not a single anti-gun organization praised her order, has defended it or her, or has even mentioned it.  It’s almost as if they are just hoping it will go away, as even they understand it presents a major problem with their repeated dishonest claims that they “support” the Second Amendment, but (insert any proposed anti-gun law) is just “common sense.”

Governor Lujan Grisham doesn’t appear ready to admit she already has the tools necessary to combat violent criminals, or that her order is unconstitutional.  In fact, we would not be surprised to see her ratchet up her assaults on the Second Amendment, as well as continue to promote do-nothing publicity stunts like voluntary gun turn-ins.  NRA will continue to fight back with a steady defense of law-abiding gun owners, including in the courtroom, so stay tuned for further updates.

TRENDING NOW
Supreme Court Upholds ATF Rule on “Firearms,” Unfinished Receivers and Kits

News  

Monday, March 31, 2025

Supreme Court Upholds ATF Rule on “Firearms,” Unfinished Receivers and Kits

On March 26, in a 7-2 decision (with Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissenting), the United States Supreme Court upheld a Biden administration gun control rule on what constitutes a “firearm” under 18 U.S.C. ...

Trump Administration Revives Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Provision

News  

Friday, March 21, 2025

Trump Administration Revives Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Provision

On March 20, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published an interim final rule entitled, Withdrawing the Attorney General’s Delegation of Authority. That bland title belies the historic nature of the measure, which is aimed at reviving ...

House Judiciary Committee Votes to Advance Concealed Carry Reciprocity Legislation

News  

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

House Judiciary Committee Votes to Advance Concealed Carry Reciprocity Legislation

On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, the House Judiciary Committee held a markup for several bills, including two NRA-backed bills. With this crucial step in the legislative process now complete, these pieces of legislation can now ...

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s Excise Tax on Firearm and Ammunition Sales

News  

Second Amendment  

Monday, March 31, 2025

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s Excise Tax on Firearm and Ammunition Sales

Today, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), together with the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, Colorado State Shooting Association, Magnum Shooting Center, and an NRA member, filed a lawsuit challenging Colorado’s 6.5% excise ...

More Polish Citizens are Carrying Firearms for Self-Defense

News  

Monday, March 31, 2025

More Polish Citizens are Carrying Firearms for Self-Defense

Certain parts of the world—sadly, without any specifically recognized right to arms—have been moving closer to accepting the fact that firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens is not the inherently dangerous concept promoted by ...

Colorado: FOID Bill Heads to Governor's Desk, TAKE ACTION NOW!

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Colorado: FOID Bill Heads to Governor's Desk, TAKE ACTION NOW!

On Friday, March 28th, Senate Bill 25-003, the semi-auto ban turned FOID-scheme bill, passed the final vote on the Senate floor, concurring in the House amendments. 

Trump DOJ to Investigate Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for Permit Delays

News  

Monday, March 31, 2025

Trump DOJ to Investigate Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for Permit Delays

The United States Supreme Court, in its landmark Bruen decision recognizing a right to carry in public for self-defense, did not foreclose shall-issue licensing as being consistent with the Second Amendment.

President Trump Works to Expedite D.C. Carry Permits

News  

Monday, March 31, 2025

President Trump Works to Expedite D.C. Carry Permits

On March 27, President Donald J. Trump signed a wide-ranging executive order titled, “Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful.”

Reported Israeli Gun Owner Data Leak Exposes Danger of Registries

News  

Monday, March 24, 2025

Reported Israeli Gun Owner Data Leak Exposes Danger of Registries

According to a recent report from Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Iranian-linked hackers were able to penetrate Israel’s databases containing sensitive gun owner data and leaked the information online in early February.

Just One More Step: Australia’s New Weapon Laws

News  

Monday, March 24, 2025

Just One More Step: Australia’s New Weapon Laws

Australia implemented a firearm ban and mandatory confiscation in 1996 pursuant to the National Firearms Agreement, in which nearly 700,000 privately-owned firearms were turned in to the government and destroyed. 

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.