The Durango Herald today has a fascinating story about one of those things that everybody kind of knows about but few people talk about: Armed lawmakers at the state Capitol.
“A lot of us have concealed-carry permits. Who knows who’s carrying at any given time?” Senate Minority Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs, told reporter Joe Hanel.
“I think it’s been commonly known that members have done that, and it hasn’t been raised as an issue,” said Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver.
But it was raised during a committee hearing this week as one of four Democratic gun bills winding through the House. From the Herald:
The most recent time was Wednesday, when a University of Colorado student testified for a bill to ban concealed guns from campus, saying that students feel intimidated from debating issues when others are armed.
Rep. Chris Holbert, R-Parker, questioned her. “Do you understand that there are several guns in this room?” Holbert said.
At the time, Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith was in the room and was armed, but no other uniformed police were there, and it did not appear that any plainclothes state troopers were at the hearing.
In an interview, Holbert said he does not carry a concealed weapon, but he knows lawmakers from both parties and both chambers who do.
“I think I know who in this room I would want to be running to if something bad happened,” Holbert said.
The Herald also looks at the gun laws about carrying heat under the Gold Dome in its story, “Senator, get your gun.”