& Now that is what I call a good start for having some spare ammo!
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‘Enforce or resign’ said New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to sheriffs regarding the state’s 2020 red flag law.Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
The New Mexico legislature kicked off the 2024 session following Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s State of the State address. At the top of her agenda, like the Biden administration, is punishing the firearm industry with unconstitutional gun control measures.
Gov. Lujan Grisham is vowing to go further than she did last year when she infamously made an emergency order denying Second Amendment rights in parts of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. She’s got a limited window, as the state’s legislative session is short.
New Year, Same Ideas
In 2023, Gov. Grisham revealed her “imperial ambitions.” She created a Constitutional crisis after publishing a 30-day emergency public health order banning the carrying of firearms in Bernalillo County on public property. The governor’s edict ordered the state’s Regulation and Licensing Division to conduct monthly inspections of licensed firearm retailers to ensure compliance with all sales and storage laws despite there being no New Mexico statute, nor any state regulations, granting the state authority over compliance or storage requirements.
National and state bipartisan backlash was swift, forcefully and roundly criticized the governor’s overreach. A judge placed a temporary restraining order on the concealed and public carry provisions of the public health order and Gov. Lujan Grisham was forced to recalibrate. She hasn’t learned.
During her State of the State address, she spoke out of both sides of her mouth.
“No responsible gun owner should be punished or prevented from exercising their rights – and no child should ever be put in danger by a weapon of war, especially one wielded by a person who can’t pass a background check, or can’t wait two weeks to get a firearm,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. She added, “Preventing gun violence is the most important work we’re going to do.”
Industry Attacks Ahead
The New Mexico legislature session this year is just 30 legislative days. In a short session like this, the legislative business must be focused on budget issues. That is, of course, unless you’re the governor who gets to add her own “related or germane” pet issues.
Her so-called “gun safety” wish list is long. She wants to ban commonly-owned Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs), or “weapons of war” as the governor misleadingly calls them. NSSF released updated data showing there are over 28 million MSRs in circulation since 1990, used daily for lawful purposes. The governor also wants to impose a 14-day waiting period on all firearm purchases before the owner – who has passed an FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) verification – can take their firearm home.
She also wants to enact age-based gun bans by raising the minimum age to purchase all firearms up to 21, meaning adults over 18 could no longer purchase shotguns or rifles. Gov. Lujan Grisham also wants to expand prohibited spaces where law-abiding and licensed gun owners could carry their firearms, to exclude public playgrounds and parks, as well as impose other restrictions. An additional 11 percent excise tax on all firearms, accessories and ammunition is on deck to feed a “gun violence victims reparation fund.” That’s a government imposed “sin tax” blaming the firearm industry for the criminal misuse of firearms that would only increase the cost to law-abiding gun purchasers, assuming the industry doesn’t abandon the New Mexico market entirely to avoid crushing liability.
All those restrictions are not followed by criminals who commit violent crimes.
Crushing the Firearm Industry
In addition to all of those restrictions, Gov. Lujan Grisham’s most consequential proposal would sound the death knell for the firearm industry in the Land of Enchantment. House Bill 114, introduced by New Mexico state Representative and House Judiciary Chair Christine Chandler, targets the already heavily-regulated firearm industry by opening the floodgates for potential litigation intended to make it impossible to remain in business in New Mexico.
HB 114 is the governor’s attempt to pass a firearm industry liability law that directly conflicts with the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which prevents frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry from the damages caused by the criminal acts of remote third parties. The New Mexico industry liability proposal would make it nearly impossible for firearm manufacturers or retailers to stay in business.
The governor’s anti-industry liability proposal creates the unique crime of “falsely advertising” a firearm product, which is not the same as “an unconscionable or unfair trade practice” that is already law in the state. This could be applied to an industry member claiming a firearm is effective for home defense, despite evidence of millions of incidents of annual defensive gun use and the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Heller that the Second Amendment protects the right to keep a firearm in one’s home for self-defense.
Additionally, HB 114 creates a “harming the public” civil violation applicable only to the firearms industry, establishes duplicative state requirements for practices and protocols that firearm industry members already have in place and authorizes the New Mexico Attorney General or a district attorney to bring an action against any member of the firearm industry by alleging violations (or potential violations) of these new, vague provisions of law. This includes allowing any person “likely to be harmed” by the actions of a firearm industry member to request equitable relief from a court.
If there were any doubts about whether Gov. Lujan Grisham was acting in bad faith to completely demolish the firearm industry, HB 114 puts them to rest and confirms beyond question her anti-Second Amendment goals.
With less than 30 legislative days remaining, the work on the governor’s gun control agenda has already begun. The firearm industry in New Mexico must stay vigilant and speak out against Gov. Lujan Grisham’s unconstitutional aims. Her proposals would not increase public safety and instead would only embolden criminals bent on ignoring laws from the get-go.
Courtney Price was at home on Wednesday taking care of her one-year-old son, Waylon, when they experienced a terrifying and traumatic altercation with local law enforcement. What should have been an ordinary day took a turn for the worse when SWAT officers broke into the home, searching for a suspect.
In the aftermath of the raid, it was revealed that law enforcement had targeted the wrong home, and tragically, their actions resulted in the baby sustaining injuries. The events that unfolded left the family shaken and seeking justice for Waylon’s suffering.
Price told RedState that she had been staying with her aunt Redia and her husband for one week before the incident occurred. She recounted her experience, describing how she stood petrified as the police burst into her aunt Redia’s home, throwing a flashbang grenade into the residence and breaking windows. She was feeding her son, who has a condition requiring the use of a G-tube because he cannot eat by mouth. A little after 2 pm, she “started hearing very loud pings on the door,” and went to see what was happening.
I got up and started walking towards the door, and all I could see was a bunch of police because we were in a split-level house, so I was at the top of the steps there. All I could see was a bunch of police, and they were already hitting the door. I was trying to get to the door to open it, but I didn’t want to get hit, so I just froze on the steps. They busted it down and busted the windows out all at the same time. I was standing there, I froze. I really wanted to run to my baby and just help him because I see all that smoke getting on him. There were handguns pointed at me [with the officers] saying, ‘Get down, put your hands up, come down here.’ So I went down. They grabbed me and took me outside, put me in handcuffs.
Price explained that the officers kept her outside for 35 to 45 minutes while her son “was laying in his swing, covered in glass, covered in smoke, choking, gasping for air.”
One of the medics who were present at the scene placed a stethoscope on Waylon’s chest and indicated that he “sounds clear.” But the mother could see this was not the case. “My baby was blood-red, gasping for air,” she said. “He could not breathe. I asked for paramedics to be called. Paramedics were called, and the paramedics were amazing…they were amazing and helped so much.”
Upon arriving at the hospital, she was told that her son had pneumonia but did not believe it was related to the incident. But after Waylon was taken home, his situation deteriorated. She said:
That night, my son quit breathing, and I was able to…bring him back up. I kept him at home, and then, early morning, he quit breathing again. I had him maxed out on oxygen, maxed out on everything I had at home, and he was still [declining] into the low 80s. So we called 911 again and had an ambulance come.
Price said they went to the same hospital, but Waylon’s condition had worsened to the point that he needed to be transferred to a higher-ranked hospital. He was taken to Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, where it was revealed that he did not have pneumonia but was suffering from chemical pneumonitis.
He has chemical pneumonitis, which is inflammation in the lungs, irritation in the lungs. His soft tissue is irritated and inflamed. His heart is irritated and inflamed. He has chemical burns around his eyes. He had light chemical burns on his chest, arms, belly, and that has since gotten a lot better. The eyes are still pretty bad. My son was born so premature, he already had eye issues, and now we don’t know how it’s going to affect his eyes.
Waylon was recently moved out of the ICU, but the mother said, “he still has a long road ahead of him and won’t be getting out anytime soon.”
Elyria Police Chief Bill Pelko defended the officers, in an interview with a local news outlet:
“We hit the right house on Parmely,” Pelko said. “The search warrant was for 331 Parmely, that was the correct house. This wasn’t a case of us hitting the wrong house.”
Law enforcement had been looking for a 14-year-old black suspect who had previously lived in the house before Redia and her husband, Marlon Jennings. She explained to RedState:
They had been to the house five times within the last year looking for this little boy, and we’ve told them every time that he doesn’t live here. He hasn’t lived here in two years now. It was the previous residents before us. The little boy is black, and my uncle (Marlon) is also black. The rest of us are all white. He pointed at my uncle’s picture on the wall and said, ‘Are you sure this isn’t your family, the little boy?’ I said, ‘Yes, I’m positive. I’ve never seen him before in my life.’
In a press release, the Elyria Police Department claimed that the flashbang grenades “were deployed outside of the residence,” and insisted that the devices “do not produce a continuous burn and they do not deploy or contain any pepper gas or chemical agents.”
The second and third paragraphs read, in full (click post to read full Facebook post):
At approximately 2:12 p.m., the Elyria Police Special Response Team (SRT) executed the search warrant at 331 Parmely Ave. which was the correct address of the search warrant.
During the tactical operation, two diversionary devices, commonly known as a “flash-bangs” were deployed outside of the residence. These devices produce sound and light that is noticeable in day or night conditions and are intended to distract the suspects attention. Diversionary devices do not produce a continuous burn and they do not deploy or contain any pepper gas or chemical agents.
However, the above footage from the neighbor’s Ring camera shows an officer hurling the device into the home–with the noticeable presence of smoke.
The family is now faced with the daunting task of seeking justice while also making sure Waylon receives the medical treatment he needs. Price told RedState that during the raid, the officers knocked to the floor the child’s medical equipment, which is supposed to stay sanitized. The family is trying to raise funds to purchase new equipment. The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the medical expenses.
Jeff Charles is the host of “A Fresh Perspective” podcast. He is a contributor for RedState, Newsweek Opinion and also has a Substack called “Chasing Liberty.”
Jeff is also a freelance writer and political contributor who has appeared on Fox News, The Hill’s “Rising,” Fox Soul, Newsmax, and the First TV Network.
He enjoys reading, binging TV shows, learning to play the banjo (badly), and all things nerdy. He also believes that any steak cooked above medium rare is burnt, and an abomination.
Check out all of his information here.
You can follow him on Twitter: @jeffcharlesjr
If you have a tip about a story of local government abuse, send him an email: jeff@afreshperspectiveshow.com