By Paul Lathrop | Contributing Editor
Only ten days after Congresswoman-elect Lauren Boebert of Colorado announced she wanted to carry a sidearm to and from the Capitol in Washington, D.C., The Hill is reporting that House Democrats are pushing to remove carry of any type in the Capitol Building except for Capitol Police.
Boebert, representing Colorado’s Third District, believes the proposed change in rules was designed with her in mind.
“I do believe that there is a connection here,” she told TGM in a telephone interview, “with how vocal I’ve been with securing our rights. I believe that they are taking this very seriously because they know that I am coming here on a mission to do exactly what I promised to do and that is to secure the rights of the American people.
“They know that I will not allow them to continue to infringe on our rights,” she added.
Speaking of the proposed rule change, Boebert said she would like to see this be a single issue that members can vote on.
“But it may get bundled into the entire rules package and voted on,” she said. “Of course, the Republicans are in the minority so Democrats will pass their rules package, but I do believe that if it was just a single issue, there would be several democrats who do not want to be disarmed or infringe on our Second Amendment rights. There are some Democrats who carry on Capitol grounds, there are Democrats with a Concealed Carry Permit, and so this is not just a partisan issue”
So far, Boebert has not been informed whether there will be safe storage provided for her firearm for places where she is not allowed to carry should the rules change.
“I believe at the very least we could keep things the way they are where there are transporting rubles and members are able to carry on Capitol grounds and in their office,” Boebert said. “The thing with having a firearm is that you never really know when you are going to need it. I don’t know where the bad guys are, and when they are going to do something that may cause harm.”
The incoming freshman described an incident in July 1998 when a gunman entered the Capitol building through an employee entrance, fatally shot a Capitol Policeman and a police detective, and was chased into a corridor busy with employees and members of Congress while engaging in a shoot-out. He was wounded and taken into custody, and remains held in a mental institution.
You don’t know when bad people are going to do bad things,” Boebert stated. “We have the right to protect and defend ourselves, and I am not giving up that right, certainly not without a fight.”
