See below for the timeline of events - why Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit and the official response of Texas Gun Rights to the court's decision on Thursday.
August 29, 2024
Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues the City of Dallas for Unlawfully Prohibiting Firearms From the Texas State Fair
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the City of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas for unlawfully prohibiting firearms from government-owned public property in violation of Texas law.
Earlier in August, the Office of the Attorney General gave the City of Dallas fifteen days' notice to reverse the Texas State Fair’s recently announced prohibition of firearms in Fair Park before a lawsuit would be filed. Fair Park is owned by the City of Dallas which contracts with the State Fair of Texas for the management of the annual fair. Since state law permits gun owners to carry in places owned or leased by government entities unless otherwise statutorily prohibited, the prohibition represented an unlawful infringement on Texans’ legal rights. Dallas and the State Fair have refused to comply with state law.
Attorney General Paxton asked the court to grant injunctive relief to prevent the City of Dallas or the State Fair of Texas from enforcing the unlawful ban on firearms.
“Municipalities cannot nullify state law nor can they avoid accountability by contracting official functions to nominally third parties,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Neither the City of Dallas nor the State Fair of Texas can infringe on Texans’ right to self-defense. I warned fifteen days ago that if they did not end their unlawful conduct I would see them in court, and now I will.”
Courtesy of Attorney General Ken Paxton official website.
September 19, 2024
Texas Gun Rights Statement on Recent Texas State Fair Anti-Self Defense Policy Decision
It is a disappointing day in the state of Texas when law-abiding citizens are robbed of their ability to practice their Second Amendment rights and protect themselves, their families, and their communities.
This is especially true when these anti-self defense policies are practiced in a space as quintessentially Texan as the State Fair of Texas.
This ruling protecting the State Fair's lame duck policy of not allowing law abiding citizens to carry a firearm during the Texas State Fair is a temporary setback that we feel will be overshadowed this upcoming legislative session by the dozens of TXGR PAC endorsed candidates that defeated Anti-2A RINOS this past primary.
Texas gun rights President Chris McNutt had this to say "I would like to thank Attorney General Ken Paxton for being willing to take on this fight and the dozens of state legislators that aided and supported Attorney General Paxton in this fight,"
McNutt added, "I would also like to thank the countless Texas Gun Rights members, volunteers, and supporters that assisted us in bringing the State Fair's dangerous anti-self defense policy to light. We will need your help as we go into the upcoming legislative session to ensure we win this fight once and for all."
Courtesy of Texas Gun Rights
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