Background check advocates urge governor, AG to implement new law

One week after Attorney General Adam Laxalt declared a new background checks law unenforceable, prominent leaders of the campaign to pass the initiative urged Gov. Brian Sandoval to "to urge the speedy and efficient implementation" of the statute.

Elaine Wynn and Jan Jones Blackhurst, co-chairs of the background checks campaign, also wrote to Laxalt, saying they are "are concerned that you have either overlooked or not explored solutions to implementing this law and have instead chosen simply to nullify a vote of the people."

Laxalt had opined that because the FBI would not do the background checks, the law essentially did not exist. the attorney general, who actively campaigned against Question 1, had been urged to take action by gun rights groups. Sandoval also opposed the law, and vetoed a similar proposal, but did not campaign against the initiative.

"We are gravely concerned that Mr. Laxalt misused and misinterpreted the power and duties of the Office of Attorney General," Wynn and Jones wrote in the letter to the governor. "For these reasons, we write to request that you uphold the enforcement of this law irrespective of your opinion of this law."

In their missive to Laxalt, the campaign leaders wrote: "Nevadans elected you Attorney General because they trusted you to fulfill the sacred duty of all our elected representatives to implement and enforce our state’s laws. It is well-known that you actively – and visibly – opposed this new law. However, the election is over and now it is your responsibility to implement a policy supported by a majority of your constituents because they know it will make our state safer."

As I suspected, this is far from over -- politically and legally.

 

 

 

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