Colorado moms to hold sit-in to demand Gov. Polis to ban all guns in violation of constitutions
Thousands of women, many who are moms, will gather at the state Capitol for an anti-gun event on Monday.
But this one is unlike any other. It's for white women only and it's aimed at not just limiting guns but banning them altogether.
A group called "Here 4 the Kids" wants Gov. Jared Polis to sign an executive order making it illegal for anyone - including law enforcement and the national guard - to possess, sell, or transport guns, accessories, and ammunition in Colorado, which would violate both the U.S. Constitution and state constitution. Organizers say they know it but they're holding a sit-in and demanding he do it anyway.
"The Governor takes the weighty responsibility of executive action and the trust Coloradans placed in him to govern responsibly seriously, and will not issue an unconstitutional order that will be struck down in court simply to make a public relations statement - he will continue to focus on real solutions to help make Colorado one of the 10 safest states," a spokesperson for Gov. Polis said in a statement.
Organizers insist Gov. Polis can use a disaster declaration to make guns illegal but a disaster declaration doesn't allow him to suspend the U.S. and state constitutions.
The organization also wants him to implement a gun buyback program.
His spokesperson says staff met with organizers and explained to them that Gov. Polis can't just buy back guns on his own.
Lawmakers would have to pass legislation creating the program and approve funding for it. In addition to making demands that are unconstitutional or illegal, organizers are asking only white women to show up for the sit-in.
The co-founder of Here for the Kids, Sara Rao, who is a minority, says white women will be less likely to be harmed by police.
"25,000 extremely traumatized, upset, scared, tired, sick and tired white moms, aunts, sisters, grandmothers are coming to sit-in for our children because the leaders of this country have done nothing, Democrats and Republicans alike," she said.
This year alone, Gov. Polis has signed laws cracking down on ghost guns, expanding extreme risk protection orders, enacting waiting periods for gun purchases, raising the age to buy a firearm to 21, and repealing a law protecting gun manufactures from liability when their firearms are used in a crime.
