A coalition of six fellow Democrats in the state House implored Grisham to reverse course “immediately.” Ambrose Castellano, Henry Garcia, Tara Jaramill, Patricia Lundstrom, Willie Madrid and Joseph Sanchez signed on to the missive calling for the rescinding of the emergency order.
“We concur with law enforcement leaders that these executive orders violate law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights and would require law enforcement officers to infringe upon those rights, which could expose officers, police agencies and communities to civil litigation,” Grisham’s Democratic colleagues wrote.
“We agree that the Governor does not have the authority to disregard both the New Mexico Constitution and the U.S. Constitution and to create law without action from the New Mexico Legislature.”
Perhaps even more telling for Grisham is that her own attorney general, Raul Torrez, informed her that he will not defend her executive order from the bevy of litigation raining onto the state government.
The Second Amendment Foundation was joined by the Firearms Policy Coalition, the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association and a Bernalillo County resident in bringing the latest of a growing pile of lawsuits faced by the state.
Torrez, who is also a Democrat, wrote a letter to Grisham’s office Tuesday detailing his office’s position on her executive order.
“I am writing to inform you that my office will not defend your administration in the above referenced cases challenging the Public Health Emergency Order…issued by the Secretary of Health on Sept. 8, 2023.”
Torrez acknowledged his duties as AG to defend state officials but asserted the “duty to uphold and defend the constitutional rights of every citizen takes precedence.”
He further implored Grisham to avoid unilateral actions that will result in “little if any discernible impact” on violent crime. With every passing day, the governor is increasingly isolated in her stand against the Second Amendment.
