County Commission TAKE THREE

As many of you must know, the Taos County Commission recently passed a "2nd Amendment resolution" opposing the new gun safety laws enacted by our NM legislature and governor. Commissioner Jim Fambro introduced Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe's resolution that allows the Sheriff to decide which gun laws to enforce. This a popular measure with the NRA and sheriffs' associations. The way advocates tell it, the very reasonable gun laws recently passed by the State Legislature (which have to do with background checks and guns found in cases of domestic violence) are somehow the same as "coming to take my guns away." Any gun law, in their eyes, restricts their second amendment rights. So, the Sheriff, by this measure, is instructed to make his own decision on which laws violate the Second Amendment, and only enforce laws of his choosing.

Two Commissioners, Tom Blankenhorn and Candyce O'Donnell, voted against the measure. Fambro was for it. The room was packed with supporters of Hogrefe's resolution -- they had a strong network notifying them in advance of the pending vote. Commissioners Gabe Romero and Mark Gallegos were persuaded to vote yes.

Commissioner Romero, who voted for the proposal, is now bringing the resolution up for recission at the County Commission meeting next Tuesday. This is the only chance to reconsider this proposal. There are five commissioners, so it only takes one reversal to rescind this measure.

Obviously, this measure does not represent the will of the people of Taos County. We need to flood the Commission with emails, letters, etc, and show up at the meeting on Tuesday March 19 at 9AM (Albright St. County Center). You can be sure the NRA gun rights folks will be there again. We need to be there in greater numbers. Please make it a priority to show up for this meeting!